In Memoriam: Elvin Jones

BY LARS BJORN

ontiac's Elvin Jones, who became one of the most important drummers in modern jazz, passed away on May 18 in New York City at 76 years of age. He was arguably the most important member of John Coltrane's path-breaking quartet between 1960 and 1966. Jones' polyrhythmic approach moved jazz drumming further along on the evolutionary path from time keeping to front-line improvisation. I had the pleasure of hearing the Coltrane group in the early sixties in Stockholm's Concert House. What I remember most vividly is how loud and intense the drums were, but also how they fit Coltrane's purposes perfectly.

Jones' way of drumming was already noticeably different in his Detroit days, according to many local musicians. Some had difficulty playing with him, but Beans Richardson definitely did not. The two were part of the Billy Mitchell/Thad Jones house band at the Blue Bird Inn for about three years starting in late 1951. Jones also played with Kenny Burrell's group in 1955 before leaving Detroit the following year. Jones returned to Detroit several times with his own groups at the Montreux-Detroit/Ford Detroit jazz festival.

Pianist Hank Jones is now the only surviving member of the three Jones brothers from Pontiac who became part of the jazz Pantheon. Trumpeter Thad passed away in 1986.