Elvin Jones

You know.....I'm only 22 and I've come to realize something yet again, that's pathetic about America. It's the American appreciation for the arts, and more specifically, JAZZ! I'm going into my Senior year of college at a State School called Oneonta in NY State where I'm studying Music Industry. I could go up to 90% of the student body and they couldn't tell me the first thing about Jazz.....OUCH! Isn't Jazz Americas indigeounus music? If it wasn't for Kats like Art Blakey and Elvin Jones Jazz would have been dead alot sooner. I think that people need to understand where drummers of great bands like Led Zeppelin and Cream go all their influence. It's called Jazz, and it's American. I can count the number of Jazz Labels on 1 hand...very sad. Elvin is truely a stand out player and yet not many people know who he is outside of the jazz and drumming community. Anybody out there feel me?
 
Hey dude, Jazz is still happening. Yeah, a lot of people have tuned out, but the majority of these people are self-centered and materialistic and don't really own their own cultural personality (they soak it up from mass-media). And modern jazz is just not a commercially minded pursuit - it's a powerful art-form continually seeking out the unknown and many people can't handle it.

At any rate, if you can't keep up, why stick around? We don't need those people to keep jazz alive - it's influence has been felt in every decade that rock or hip-hop or electronic music have dominated. You know, good musicians will always look to the attitude of the greatest jazz players, even if they don't play the same style of music. At the same time there is a thriving ring of universities and high schools breeding new players every year and you can still make a living playing every form of jazz in history if you're smart and really feel the need to play that music in your soul.

In short, if you've got something good to say, than forget the squares and come join the party!
 
Here's my Elvin story:

Met Elvin at Jazz Alley in Seattle many years ago. One of the nicest people i've ever met in life. Had a great conversation about drumming and gigs he did in Vancouver at the old Cave nightclub MANY years ago up a the bar on the break. Sat right up a front of the stage at a table in front of his kit for the show. Keiko came out and tuned the kit right before the band walked out on stage with the whole audience seated ready to enjoy the show. Amazing concert and he played a killer set of old pre-split Istanbuls that sounded lovely that really stuck in my mind.

Speaking of grunts and groans even in a quiet ballad with beautiful brush work that night you could hear Elvin's various vocal sound effects going on.

I got a nice postcard picture of Elvin I brought to the gig autographed that night too. He was a tall friendy man with big hands and long fingers like a star basketball player with a firm handshake and a sincere honest appreciation of those unknown to him he met that night who had been in love with his playing over many years and had no problem warmly meeting and greeting them as new friends..Priceless moments from the past indeed. Miss you dearly Elvin.

your so lucky to have me and talked to the great man. I wonder, did he give you any insight into his drumming that may have helped you? He seemed like a guy who would be very giving of advise, but then again, you may not have wanted to hastle him with personal questions like that.
cheers, Bryan
 
your so lucky to have me and talked to the great man. I wonder, did he give you any insight into his drumming that may have helped you? He seemed like a guy who would be very giving of advise, but then again, you may not have wanted to hastle him with personal questions like that.
cheers, Bryan

As my late mentor Claude Ranger said to me sitting, listening and watching carefully how the greats play in the music is the BEST lesson you can get Bryan. Elvin was no exception clearly to this wise sage advice as was given to me by an equally great jazz drummer in his own right.

The conversation consisted of what I said earlier such as Elvin going on in some detail about his experiences playing in a now long gone but famous local jazz club called the Cave in the town Vancouver I call home in the early 60's. I was only a small boy at this time he was talking about.
 
As my late mentor Claude Ranger said to me sitting, listening and watching carefully how the greats play in the music is the BEST lesson you can get Bryan. Elvin was no exception clearly to this wise sage advice as was given to me by an equally great jazz drummer in his own right.

The conversation consisted of what I said earlier such as Elvin going on in some detail about his experiences playing in a now long gone but famous local jazz club called the Cave in the town Vancouver I call home in the early 60's. I was only a small boy at this time he was talking about.

ya, i suppose your right, even if he was to verbalise what he was doing it probably would'nt do him much justice. I can see it being too hard to explain. It must have been such a boost in your drumming to be talking to him so young.
 
ya, i suppose your right, even if he was to verbalise what he was doing it probably would'nt do him much justice. I can see it being too hard to explain. It must have been such a boost in your drumming to be talking to him so young.


The stories Elvin told were from the early 60's Bryan about playing in Vancouver when I was only about 6 years old at the time. When I met him at Jazz Alley in Seattle it was in the early 90's and I in my 30's at that time and already a well established working Canadian jazz pro at that point.

I'll never forget this first opportunity to hear and meet one of my key influences and musical inspirations finally playing live in the flesh in a small club. Can't be beat.....or ever forgotten regarding the impact it had on me.
 
A very great record that Elvin Jones appears on that hasn't been mentioned is "In 'N Out" by Joe Henderson. McCoy Tyner also plays on that date, along with Kenny Dorham and Richard Davis.
This is a really special one for me, just wonderful music from the Henderson/Dorham team backed by a fantastic rhythm section. Pure gold.
 
Hey dude, Jazz is still happening. Yeah, a lot of people have tuned out, but the majority of these people are self-centered and materialistic and don't really own their own cultural personality (they soak it up from mass-media). And modern jazz is just not a commercially minded pursuit - it's a powerful art-form continually seeking out the unknown and many people can't handle it.

At any rate, if you can't keep up, why stick around? We don't need those people to keep jazz alive - it's influence has been felt in every decade that rock or hip-hop or electronic music have dominated. You know, good musicians will always look to the attitude of the greatest jazz players, even if they don't play the same style of music. At the same time there is a thriving ring of universities and high schools breeding new players every year and you can still make a living playing every form of jazz in history if you're smart and really feel the need to play that music in your soul.

In short, if you've got something good to say, than forget the squares and come join the party!

I enjoyed that.....I'm here for the party!
 
I was blessed to have seen Elvin many many times in the last 5 years of his life at the regattabar in Cambridge MA w/ His machine.
He was playing an OLD K as his MAIN ride (rt side) but had a constantinople on his left......that old k was reeeeeeeee-diculous. Of course if any ordinary person played it ...it wouldnt have sounded like it did under the stick of this master. His touch was SUPREME STILL!.....

He had everybit of his magic when I saw him them many times from 97 on or so til the last time. They did the dbl sets there (each set was a seperate show...meaning u needed to buy tickets for each set/show.)
So me and my buddies would buy ticks for both shows on 3 of his 4-5 nights he was usually at regattabar. I have many many pics of myself with him...and I even brought my new constantinople at the time for him to sign...which he graciously did as he talked shop with us. MY MOST treasured pc of drum gear.
Anyway.....a legend in every sense of the word....
One quick story to share ...one night he was playing and his huge gold watch he always wore's band snapped mid tune (was the type that stayed on you when claspe was undone)......so Kieko (his wife and drum "roadie!") super sweet lady.....anyway....she comes running up on stage and tries to get it off his hand.....she couldnt get it off of him!....she was struggling (meanwhile the band and Elvin were still bruning the place down).....this went on for 3 minutes.....half the sax solo...lol...we were all watching like...omg what is going on.....why wont it come off? haha
HE finally got it off (after the tune....) she ended up leaving shaking her head....after the 3 minutes not being able to get it off.....HE had to PULL it off himself. :)
The man had the STRONGEST sincere handshake I ever was on the receiveing end of despite his age. His hands were huge.
SO many Elvin memories from them nights at regattabar. Just the most gracious human being...seriously.
 
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I was blessed to have seen Elvin many many times in the last 5 years of his life at the regattabar in Cambridge MA w/ His machine.
He was playing an OLD K as his MAIN ride (rt side) but had a constantinople on his left......that old k was reeeeeeeee-diculous. Of course if any ordinary person played it ...it wouldnt have sounded like it did under the stick of this master. His touch was SUPREME STILL!.....

He had everybit of his magic when I saw him them many times from 97 on or so til the last time. They did the dbl sets there (each set was a seperate show...meaning u needed to buy tickets for each set/show.)
So me and my buddies would buy ticks for both shows on 3 of his 4-5 nights he was usually at regattabar. I have many many pics of myself with him...and I even brought my new constantinople at the time for him to sign...which he graciously did as he talked shop with us. MY MOST treasured pc of drum gear.
Anyway.....a legend in every sense of the word....
One quick story to share ...one night he was playing and his huge gold watch he always wore's band snapped mid tune (was the type that stayed on you when claspe was undone)......so Keiko (his wife and drum "roadie!") super sweet lady.....anyway....she comes running up on stage and tries to get it off his hand.....she couldnt get it off of him!....she was struggling (meanwhile the band and Elvin were still bruning the place down).....this went on for 3 minutes.....half the sax solo...lol...we were all watching like...omg what is going on.....why wont it come off? haha
HE finally got it off (after the tune....) she ended up leaving shaking her head....after the 3 minutes not being able to get it off.....HE had to PULL it off himself. :)
The man had the STRONGEST sincere handshake I ever was on the receiveing end of despite his age. His hands were huge.
SO many Elvin memories from them nights at regattabar. Just the most gracious human being...seriously.

Hey, great post Thumpah! A wonderful intimate picture you painted for us. Thanks for sharing. The title of your post should be KIEKO & the Gold Watch! lol
 
hahaha....hey thanks Aydee.....a pleasure to share...as I have loved some of the posts I have read here since I jumped in today. Yeah the two of them were the epitomy of "LOVE" seeing how she watched over him and how she looked at him while he was up there. Like it was the 1st time she ever heard or saw him play. It was as beautiful as the music being created....not to be corny. Also to anyone that had ever seen her, knows how slight she is...very petite woman....she would hoist his gold sparkle yamaha bass drum with both toms still on there up like NOTHING and move them off stage saying "excuse me" to all the people waiting inline near the stage to get a chance to talk to him or a quick picture. She would procede to start tearing them down/packing at the end of the last show :) ... I miss seeing him play.
 
RIGHT ON Colonel !
Were VERY special nights there huh ?
I haven't been there in years.....last time in town I was at Sculler's.

I used to always be there for Elvin, Mike Stern, Phil Woods, Niacin one time...til' Billy Sheehan's dbl ampeg rig woke some guests up mid set (regatabar is IN the Charles Hotel) to anyone unfamiliar....I later found out the reason Niacin was never back was because of that...from then on they played Ryles...lol
 
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