In any era, only a handful of musicians can lead us over the mountain into a new promised land. Certainly for the contributions he made to the art of drumming, Elvin Jones counts among them.
Evident from his earliest days with John Coltrane was ElvinΓÇÖs place in the lineage from Max Roach to Art Blakey to Elvin Jones. At every step, you could see greater complexity and a more personal approach to performing in an ensemble. In fact, it is Elvin Jones who finally made the drums an equal part of the ensemble, rather than simply supportive of it.
While others of his day play with confidence and artistic beauty, Elvin plays like he owns rhythm, like itΓÇÖs his to measure out. YouΓÇÖd watch him play with those long, large arms that could graze the entire kit, pouncing with abandon, and just as easily imagine him embracing the whole drum set and hugging it to him.
Dynamics and tone were his, too.
On record, there is never a tension to his drive, or anything tentative when he lays back and comps. Just firm attack or tender support, as the song warrants and his musicality directs, anywhere on the drum set at any point in time. Call it responsiveness or sensitivity, but his command of dynamics and the way he chooses what to accent are beyond compare.
Elvin is also a great tonal colorist, using every part of the stick and surface he can strike to produce signature sizzles from his cymbals, deep rumbles from his battery of tom-toms, staccato beats or lingering booms from his bass drum. As a soloist, he stands head and shoulders above anyone in the field. There is coherence and compositional control at the same time that he is doling out unexpected and atypical beats like little treats. In fact, it is almost impossible to put into words all he can do.
He is also one of the most loved and respected musicians of his time. Musicians speak openly of his generosity and encouragement; anyone who has ever seen him play live has felt the depth of his humanity flowing from the bandstand. He isnΓÇÖt just a musician to like. HeΓÇÖs one to feel good liking.
While there are wondrous examples of ElvinΓÇÖs ability on recordings he made backing Lee Konitz, McCoy Tyner, Wayne Shorter, Sonny Rollins, Ornette Coleman and, of course, John Coltrane, these Mosaic recordings from 1968 to 1973, encompassing the entire output for Blue Note under his name, mark his mature period as a bandleader.
His first two dates from 1968 were with a trio featuring reed man Joe Farrell and, from the Coltrane band, bassist Jimmy Garrison. They led to a larger group the following year (but never released until the late 1970s) with Wilbur Little replacing Garrison, an expanded horn lineup that included Lee Morgan and George Coleman, plus Candido Camero on congas and Miovelito Valles on percussion. Tinkering with the lineup continued later that year, as Elvin dropped the second percussionist and replaced Morgan with Pepper Adams. The following year, Frank Foster joined ElvinΓÇÖs basic unit for a date.
In later years, a new breed of players took over: Gene Perla, Chick Corea, David Liebman, Steve Grossman, Jan Hammer, and Don Alias ushered in a whole new sound in the post-Coltrane era. Other musicians on the dates that followed included guitarists Cornell Dupree and Yoshiaki Masuo, plus a battery of additional percussionists with Omar Clay, Frank Ippolito, Al Duffy, and Patato Valdes significant among them. Brother Thad guested on one set as well.
The length of his career is distinguished by the wide circle of significant musicians ElvinΓÇÖs band included and the breadth of their ideas. There is no place better than this collection to hear what made him such an important artist, or another set that so clearly documents his role in the musicΓÇÖs evolution.
The set includes a booklet with complete discographical information, a track-by-track analysis and essay by David Liebman, and photographs from the original sessions.
