Sunday 23 November 2014

BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY : AFRICAN AMERICAN " ELVIN RAY JONES " WAS A JAZZ DRUMMER OF THE POST-BOP ERA : GOES INTO THE " HALL OF BLACK GENIUS "

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Elvin Jones


Elvin Jones
Elvin Jones 3.jpg
Jones in 1976
Background information
Birth nameElvin Ray Jones
BornSeptember 9, 1927
Pontiac, MichiganUnited States
DiedMay 18, 2004 (aged 76)
Englewood, New Jersey, United States
GenresModal jazzavant-garde jazz,hard bopmainstream jazz,post-bop
Occupation(s)Musician, bandleader
InstrumentsDrums
Years active1948–2004
Associated actsJohn ColtraneCharles MingusThad JonesHank Jones
Elvin Ray Jones (September 9, 1927 – May 18, 2004) was a jazz drummer of the post-bop era.[1] He showed an interest in drums at a young age, watching the circus bands march by his family's home in Pontiac, Michigan.
He served in the United States Army from 1946 to 1949 and subsequently played in a Detroit houseband led by Billy Mitchell. He moved to New York in 1955 and worked as a sideman for Charles MingusTeddy CharlesBud Powell and Miles Davis.[1]
From 1960 to 1966 he was a member of the John Coltrane quartet (along with Jimmy Garrison on bass and McCoy Tyner on piano), a celebrated recording phase, appearing on such albums as A Love Supreme. Following his work with Coltrane, Jones led several small groups, some under the name The Elvin Jones Jazz Machine. His brothers Hank Jones and Thad Jones were also jazz musicians with whom he recorded.[1]

Biography

Early life

Elvin Jones was born in Pontiac, Michigan to parents Henry and Olivia Jones, who had moved to Michigan from Vicksburg, Mississippi. His brothers, Hank Jones and Thad Jones, both became important jazz musicians. By age two he said he knew he held a fascination for drums. He would watch the circus marching band parades go by his home as a boy, particularly fascinated by the drummers. Following his early passion, Elvin joined his high school's black marching band, where he developed his foundation inrudiments. Jones began service in the United States Army in 1946. He was discharged in 1949, and returned home penniless. Jones said he borrowed thirty-five dollars from his sister when he got back to buy his first drumset.[2]
Jones began his professional career in 1949 with a short-lived gig in Detroit's Grand River Street club. Eventually he went on to play with artists such as Miles Davis and Wardell Gray. In 1955, after a failed audition for the Benny Goodman band, he found work in New York, joining Charles Mingus's band, and releasing a record called J Is for Jazz.

1960–1966: John Coltrane and beyond

In 1960, he joined the classic John Coltrane Quartet, which also included bassist Jimmy Garrison and pianist McCoy Tyner. Jones and Coltrane often played extended duetpassages. This band is widely considered to have redefined "swing" (the rhythmic feel of jazz) in much the same way that Louis ArmstrongCharlie Parker, and others did during earlier stages of jazz's development. He stayed with Coltrane until 1966. By that time, Jones was not entirely comfortable with Coltrane's new direction and his polyrhythmic style clashed with the "multidirectional" approach of the group's second drummer, Rashied Ali.
Jones remained active after leaving the Coltrane group, and led several bands in the late sixties and seventies that are considered highly influential groups. Notable among them was a trio formed with saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist Joe Farrell and (ex-Coltrane) bassist Jimmy Garrison, with whom he recorded the Blue Note album Puttin' It Together. Jones recorded extensively for Blue Note under his own name in the late sixties and early seventies, with groups that featured prominent as well as up and coming greats. The two-volume Live at The Lighthouse showcases a 21- and 26-year-old Steve Grossman and Dave Liebman, respectively. Jones played on many significant albums of the modal jazz era, such as The Real McCoy with McCoy Tyner and saxophonist Wayne Shorter's Speak No Evil. Other musicians of note who made significant contributions to Jones's music during this period were baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams, tenor saxophonists George Coleman and Frank Foster, trumpeter Lee Morgan, bassist Gene Perla, keyboardist Jan Hammer and jazzworld music group Oregon.

Late career

Elvin Jones' sense of timing, polyrhythmsdynamicstimbre, and legato phrasing brought the drumset to the foreground. Jones was touted by Life Magazine as "the world's greatest rhythmic drummer", and his free-flowing style was a major influence on many leading drummers, including Christian VanderMitch Mitchell (whom Jimi Hendrix called "my Elvin Jones") and Ginger Baker. He appeared as the villain Job Cain in the 1971 off-beat Western film Zachariah, in which he performed a drum solo after winning a saloon gunfight. In 1999, Jones worked with Our Lady Peace on their album Happiness...Is Not a Fish That You Can Catch. He was featured playing drums on the song "Stealing Babies", which was also featured on their 2009 compilation album The Very Best of Our Lady Peace.
Jones performed and recorded with his own group, the Elvin Jones Jazz Machine, whose line up changed through the years. Sonny Fortune and Ravi Coltrane, John Coltrane's son, both played saxophone with the Jazz Machine in the early 1990s, appearing together with Jones on In Europe on Enja Records in 1991. Jones, who taught regularly, often took part in clinics, played in schools, and gave free concerts in prisons. His lessons emphasized music history as well as drumming technique.
Elvin Jones died of heart failure in Englewood, New Jersey on May 18, 2004. He was survived by his first wife Shirley and his second, albeit common-law, wife Keiko (Elvin married Keiko before divorcing Shirley, meaning that legally he and Keiko were not married), in addition to his son Elvin Nathan Jones of California and daughter Rose-Marie Rosie Jones of Sweden.

Discography

As leader

RecordedAlbumPersonnelLabel
1961Together!Philly Joe JonesBlue MitchellCurtis FullerHank MobleyWynton KellyPaul ChambersAtlantic
1961Elvin!Frank WessFrank FosterArt DavisHank JonesThad JonesRiverside
1963Illumination!Jimmy GarrisonPrince LashaSonny SimmonsCharles DavisMcCoy TynerImpulse!
1965Dear John C.Richard Davis, Hank Jones, Roland HannaCharlie MarianoImpulse!
1965And Then AgainJ. J. Johnson, Frank Wess, Charles Davis, Don Friedman, Paul Chambers, Thad JonesHank JonesArt DavisAtlantic
1966Midnight WalkThad JonesHank MobleyDollar BrandSteve JamesDon MooreAtlantic
1967Heavy SoundsRichard Davis, Frank Foster, Billy GreeneImpulse!
1968Live at the Village VanguardWilbur LittleGeorge ColemanMarvin PetersonEnja
1968Puttin' It TogetherJoe FarrellJimmy GarrisonBlue Note
1968The UltimateJimmy Garrison, Joe FarrellBlue Note
1969Poly-CurrentsGeorge Coleman, Joe Farrell, Pepper Adams, Wilbur Little, Candido CameroFred TompkinsBlue Note
1970CoalitionGeorge Coleman, Frank Foster, Wilbur Little, Candido Camero,Blue Note
1971GenesisGene Perla, Frank Foster, Dave Liebman, Joe FarrellBlue Note
1971Merry-Go-RoundDave Liebman, Steve Grossman, Joe Farrell, Chick CoreaJan HammerDon AliasGene PerlaBlue Note
1971Elvin Jones Live: The Town HallGene Perla, Chick Corea, Joe Farrell, Frank FosterPM Records
1972Mr. JonesJoe Farrell, Pepper Adams, Dave Liebman, Jan HammerGene PerlaBlue Note
1972Live at the LighthouseDave Liebman, Steve Grossman, Gene PerlaBlue Note
1973At This Point in TimeSteve Grossman, Pepper Adams, Jan HammerBlue Note
1973The Prime ElementGeorge Coleman, Joe Farrell, Lee Morgan, Pepper Adams, Steve Grossman, Frank FosterBlue Note
1975Mr. ThunderSteve Grossman, Roland Prince, Milton Suggs, Luis Agudo, Sjunne FergerEast West
1975Elvin Jones is "On the Mountain"Jan HammerGene PerlaPM
1975New AgendaSteve Grossman, Roland Prince, Dave WilliamsVanguard
1976The Main ForceRyo KawasakiAl Dailey, Dave LiebmanVanguard
1976Summit MeetingJames MoodyClark TerryBunky Green, Roland PrinceVanguard
1977Time CapsuleBunky Green, Kenny Barron, Angel Allende, Ryo Kawasaki, Frank Wess, Milt Hinton, Frank Foster, George Coleman, Junie BoothVanguard
1978RemembrancePat LaBarberaMichael Stuart, Roland Prince, Andy McCloud IIIMPS
1978Elvin Jones Music MachineFrank Foster, Pat LaBarbera, Roland Prince, Andy McCloud IIIMark Levison (Japan)
1978Live in Japan 1978: Dear John C.Frank Foster, Pat LaBarbera, Roland Prince, Andy McCloud IIITrio (Japan)
1978Elvin Jones Jazz Machine Live in Japan Vol. 2Frank Foster, Pat LaBarbera, Roland Prince, Andy McCloud IIITrio (Japan)
1979Very R.A.R.E.Art PepperSir Roland HannaRichard Davis (bassist)Trio (Japan)
1980Soul TrainAndrew WhiteRichard "Ari" Brown, Marvin Horne, Andy McCloud IIIDenon
1980Heart to HeartTommy Flanagan, Richard DavisDenon
1982Earth JonesKenny Kirkland, Dave Liebman, Terumasa HinoGeorge MrazPalo Alto
1982Love & PeaceMcCoy Tyner, Pharoah SandersJean-Paul Bourelly, Richard DavisTrio (Japan)
1982Brother JohnKenny Kirkland, Reggie Workman, Pat LaBarberaPalo Alto
1984Live at the Village Vanguard Volume OneFrank Foster, Pat LaBarbera, Fumio Karashima, Chip JacksonLandmark
1985Elvin Jones Jazz Machine Live at Pit InnSonny Fortune, Pat LaBarbera, Fumio Karashima, Richard DavisPolydor (Japan)
1990Power TrioJohn HicksCecil McBeeNovus
1990When I Was at Aso-MountainSonny Fortune, Takehisa Tanaka, Cecil McBeeEnja
1991In EuropeSonny Fortune, Ravi Coltrane, Willie Pickens, Chip JacksonEnja
1992YoungbloodJoshua RedmanJavon JacksonNicholas Payton, George MrazEnja
1992Going HomeWillie Pickens, Ravi Coltrane, Kent JordanBrad Jones, Nicholas PaytonEnja
1992Tribute to John Coltrane "A Love Supreme"Wynton MarsalisMarcus Roberts, Reginald VealColumbia (Japan)
1993It Don't Mean a ThingNicholas Payton, Sonny Fortune, Delfeayo Marsalis, Willie Pickens, Cecil McBee, Kevin MahoganyEnja
1998Momentum SpaceCecil TaylorDewey RedmanVerve
1999The Truth: Heard Live at the Blue NoteDarren BarrettRobin EubanksCarlos McKinneyMichael BreckerHalf Note

As sideman

RecordedAlbumLeaderLabel
1948Swing...Not Spring!Billy MitchellSavoy Records
1955Blue MoodsMiles DavisPrestige
1955The Magnificent Thad JonesThad JonesBlue Note
1956Farmer's MarketArt FarmerNew Jazz
1956J is for JazzJ. J. JohnsonColumbia Records
1957The Jones BoysQuincy JonesEverest Recordings
1957After the Party's OverAaron BellRCA Victor
1957OverseasTommy FlanaganPrestige
1957Paul Chambers QuintetPaul ChambersBlue Note
1957The Cool Sound of Pepper AdamsPepper AdamsSavoy Records
1957Kenny BurrellKenny BurrellPrestige
1957Night at the Village VanguardSonny RollinsBlue Note
1957Mad ThadThad JonesPeriod
1957OlioThad JonesPrestige
1958Mal/3: SoundsMal WaldronPrestige
1958ReflectionsSteve LacyNew Jazz
195810 to 4 at the 5 SpotPepper AdamsRiverside
1958Keepin' Up With The JonesesThad JonesMetrojazz
1958Soul Stirrin'Bennie GreenBlue Note
1958Pepper Knepper QuintetPepper AdamsMetrojazz
1959All the Gin Is GoneJimmy ForrestDelmark Records
1959Destry Rides AgainRandy WestonUnited Artists
1959Sliding EasyCurtis FullerUnited Artists
1959Brass ShoutArt FarmerUnited Artists
1959Black ForrestJimmy ForrestDelmark Records
1959Great Jazz StandardsGil EvansWorld Pacific
1959Sketches of SpainMiles DavisColumbia Records
1959Motor City SceneThad JonesUnited Artists
1960Porgy and Bess: Swingin' Impressions by Hank JonesHank JonesCapitol
1960StringsvilleHarry LookofskyCollectables
1960Keep Swingin'Julian PriesterRiverside Records
1960Coltrane Plays the BluesJohn ColtraneAtlantic
1960Coltrane's SoundJohn ColtraneAtlantic
1960My Favorite ThingsJohn ColtraneAtlantic
1961PreminadoBarry HarrisRiverside Records
1961Coltrane Jazz (only on 1 track)John ColtraneAtlantic
1961Africa/BrassJohn ColtraneImpulse!
1961Live! at the Village VanguardJohn ColtraneImpulse!
1961A Story TaleClifford Jordan and Sonny RedJazzland
1961Into SomethingYusef LateefNew Jazz
1961MotionLee KonitzVerve
1962Ready for FreddieFreddie HubbardBlue Note
1962Duke Ellington & John ColtraneJohn Coltrane, Duke EllingtonImpulse!
1962BalladsJohn ColtraneImpulse!
1962ColtraneJohn ColtraneImpulse!
1962InceptionMcCoy TynerImpulse!
1963Today and TomorrowMcCoy TynerImpulse!
1963ImpressionsJohn ColtraneImpulse!
1963John Coltrane and Johnny HartmanJohn ColtraneImpulse!
1963Live at BirdlandJohn ColtraneImpulse!
1964CrescentJohn ColtraneImpulse!
1964A Love SupremeJohn ColtraneImpulse!
1964Judgment!Andrew HillBlue Note
1964Stan Getz & Bill EvansStan GetzBill EvansVerve
1964Bob Brookmeyer and FriendsBob BrookmeyerVerve
1964Night DreamerWayne ShorterBlue Note
1964JuJuWayne ShorterBlue Note
1964Speak No EvilWayne ShorterBlue Note
1964McCoy Tyner Plays EllingtonMcCoy TynerImpulse!
1964MatadorGrant GreenBlue Note
1964Street of DreamsGrant GreenBlue Note
1964SolidGrant GreenBlue Note
1964Talkin' About!Grant GreenBlue Note
1964In 'N OutJoe HendersonBlue Note
1964Inner UrgeJoe HendersonBlue Note
1964Into Somethin'Larry YoungBlue Note
1964The Individualism of Gil EvansGil EvansVerve
1965UnityLarry YoungBlue Note
1965Rip, Rig and PanicRoland KirkLimelight
1965I Want to Hold Your HandGrant GreenBlue Note
1965The John Coltrane Quartet PlaysJohn ColtraneImpulse!
1965OmJohn ColtraneImpulse!
1965New Thing at NewportJohn ColtraneImpulse!
1965GleaningsJohn ColtraneImpulse!
1965TransitionJohn ColtraneImpulse!
1965First MeditationsJohn ColtraneImpulse!
1965Living SpaceJohn ColtraneImpulse!
1965Sun ShipJohn ColtraneImpulse!
1965MeditationsJohn ColtraneImpulse!
1965Kulu Sé MamaJohn ColtraneImpulse!
1965Live at the Half Note: One Down, One UpJohn ColtraneImpulse!
1966Live In SeattleJohn ColtraneImpulse!
1966East Broadway Run DownSonny RollinsImpulse!
1966Blue SpiritsFreddie HubbardBlue Note
1967The Lee Konitz DuetsLee KonitzMilestone
1967The Real McCoyMcCoy TynerBlue Note
1967Sunshine of My SoulJaki ByardPrestige
1968Lady CoryellLarry CoryellVanguard Records
1968New York Is Now!Ornette ColemanBlue Note
1968Love CallOrnette ColemanBlue Note
1968Encounter!Pepper AdamsPrestige
1969Feeling FreeBarney KesselContemporary
1969Blues in OrbitGil EvansEnja
1970ExtensionsMcCoy TynerBlue Note
1971OutbackJoe FarrellCTI
1972The Loud MinorityFrank FosterMainstream
1975TridentMcCoy TynerMilestone
1976TogetherOregonVanguard Records
1976The TripArt PepperContemporary Records
1977Well WaterFrank FosterPiadrum (released 2007)
1977Beyond the RainChico FreemanContemporary
1977Something For LesterRay BrownContemporary
1987But BeautifulLew SoloffKing Records
1987Magical Trio 1[3]James WilliamsEmarcy
1988Meet the Magical Trio[4]James WilliamsEmarcy
1990Special QuartetDavid MurrayDIW/Columbia
1991Ask the AgesSonny SharrockAxiom Records
1995Into The Frying PanGreg PackhamPacked Records
1995After the RainJohn McLaughlinVerve
1995The Main IngredientShirley HornVerve
1998Trio Fascination: Edition OneJoe LovanoBlue Note
1999Jones for Elvin - Volumes 1 and 2Steve GriggsHip City Music
1999Time Is of the EssenceMichael BreckerVerve
2000Stefano di BattistaStefano di BattistaBlue Note
2001With Dave Holland and Elvin JonesBill FrisellNonesuch Records

Filmography

  • 1979 A Different Drummer (Rhapsody)[1]
  • 1996 Elvin Jones: Jazz Machine (VIEW)[5]
  • 1971 Zachariah MGM DVD

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