Jazz Drummer Elvin Jones' Blue Notes Shouldn't be Overlooked

I realized the late Elvin Jones was a bad dude when I heard him via John Coltrane's epic 60's quartet.

A Love Supreme, Crescent, and Even the free jazz album Ascension, all great examples of his work with Coltrane.

I heard the quote from Elvin regarding that quartet: "You gotta be willin' to die for a mother-fucker" I knew then he was an all out kind of guy musically.

From then on, I always think about that sort of integrity from Elvin, when I see his name on a session, I usually think I'll get my money's worth.

I think Elvin's work as a leader is grossly overlooked, and his Blue Note sessions from 1968-1973 are especially so. more than a half dozen records created for the Liberty owned version of the once independently owned by Alfred Lyon Blue Note label.

Albums like Poly-Currents, The Prime Element, and the Trio recording Puttin' it Together are all worthy of repeated listens.

Many times underrated saxophonist Joe Farrell is on board too, and you'll hear why he so underrated.

I first acquired this music via the Independent reissue label Mosaic Records, the release was the The Complete Elvin Jones Blue Note Sessions, long out of print, but you can still get it on the secondary market.

Since much of this music was recorded after jazz had lost much of its mainstream interest, and funk and rock were permeating popular music, a lot of good quality jazz just slipped through the cracks.

Mr. Jones LP Cover

Most of this music I would classify as Modern Jazz in the post bop sense, not far outside, but it dips its toe in the avant-garde water every now and then.

The Prime Element vinyl 2 fer is really interesting to me, it reminds me of the type of thing the Coltrane quartet was doing, only here you have an 11 piece band working out the modal music. That music is also available on that 8 disc Mosaic Records set.

Lots of exploring going on, I really feel this music is sort of what may have happened had the quartet stayed together, and not disbanded when Trane went off into uncharted free jazz territory.

Merry-Go-Round LP Cover

Don't let these odd-ball covers fool you, they definitely aren't  the classic Reid Miles style of the 50's and 60's, in fact some of them are quite lame, and look like something more a kin to a funky Mizell brothers album.

Funny too that Blue Note during the 70's would even want to release this high quality advanced post bop music.

 I am surprised Because this music is of the highest quality, and not at all smooth over produced smooth or lite funk jazz that the label was making a mint on at the time. Not that there's anything wrong with that, I have diverse music tastes.

Another album I really like is Coalition, that album features the twin sax attack of George Coleman and Frank Foster, both men offer a nice contrast in styles. I like that the music builds upon the post bop style of the Coltrane quartet.

If you like albums like Lee Morgan's Live at the Lighthouse, or Shelly Manne's Mannekind, I think any of these Jones Blue Note will be to your liking.

If you have a decent turntable, I bet you get all of these sessions on vinyl for less than $75.00 if you shop around. Most of these can easily be had in the $10-$15 range.