montg Posted July 2, 2003 Report Share Posted July 2, 2003 The Real Mccoy is one of my favorite albums, due in no small part to Elvin Jones. He energizes other favorite sessions as well--Unity, ALS, Thad Jones (Mosaic)... ANd yet, I don't have anything by Elvin as a leader. Any suggestions for good places to start? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GregM Posted July 2, 2003 Report Share Posted July 2, 2003 (edited) The Ultimate Elvin Jones is a great place to start, with Joe Farrell. That and Puttin It Together. Edited July 2, 2003 by GregM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Late Posted July 2, 2003 Report Share Posted July 2, 2003 (edited) Though it will set you back a fair chunk of dough, the Jones Mosaic offers an exceptional view of this artist. It contains the two albums that Greg mentions (which are fine indeed), and also has every note of the wonderful Live at the Lighthouse material. A couple of general caveats, however: • It helps to like saxophonists when it comes to this set. If you already like Dave Liebman and Steve Grossman, well, this set is almost tailor-made for you. They have a ball (both competitively and interactively) on the Lighthouse material. In fact, urban myth (and this particular one I tend not to believe at all, but want to anyway) has it that Grossman was so nervous playing with Jones and dueling with Liebman that he barfed during intermission in Liebman's open saxophone case. • Some of the later material from this box is (how to put this) "over-produced," and it helps to repeat the mantra: of it's time, of it's time. Still, I think this set contains far more authentic material than fluff. If you really want some hardcore Jones, seek out his live LP's on Honeydew entitled Skyscrapers. Both Volume 1 and 2 are trio configurations with George Coleman and Wilbur Little, and offer enormously long drum solos. You'll either think you've died and gone to drum kit heaven, or you'll want to throttle any small animals within arm's reach. Edited July 2, 2003 by Late Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrdlu Posted July 2, 2003 Report Share Posted July 2, 2003 I am a big Elvin fan, but I much prefer his work for other leaders than his own sessions. Just about any BN album that he's on has him in superb form, plus, of course, all the Trane albums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFrank Posted July 3, 2003 Report Share Posted July 3, 2003 His first album as leader - "Elvin!" - is pretty solid. It features both of his brothers, Thad and Hank, as well as Frank Wess, Frank Foster and Art Davis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster_Ties Posted July 3, 2003 Report Share Posted July 3, 2003 I think about 75% of the Elvin Mosaic box is really good - and often great!! Lee Morgan is even on one very interesting date, early in the set. Maybe someone could burn a sampler disc (one CD) for montg, of various representitive tracks from the Mosaic Box. I'd be inclined to do it myself, but it would take at least a week or three for me to get to it. Perhaps if someone could come up with a good tracklisting (up to 79 minutes), that'd make the job easier. Or, maybe just picking tracks at random (one from each album on the set) would be a more fair "sample" of the material. montg, are you domestic relative to my location (are you in the U.S.?), or otherwise?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted July 3, 2003 Report Share Posted July 3, 2003 I have a soft spot for the Elvin Jones album 'Very Rare' where his quartet includes Art Pepper. Elvin and Pepper went together just like Coltrane and Elvin. More proof of the special interaction was evidenced in the Art Pepper at the Village Vanguard box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montg Posted July 3, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2003 (edited) Thank you for the suggestions. Rooster, I'm in central Illinois which is about as stateside as you can get. How representative are the three samples on the Mosaic website? I think I might start with Elvin!. The lineup looks really good. Edited July 3, 2003 by montg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GregM Posted July 3, 2003 Report Share Posted July 3, 2003 Also check out "Illumination", his session on Impulse with a multi-horn line and Tyner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WD45 Posted July 3, 2003 Report Share Posted July 3, 2003 Also check out "Illumination", his session on Impulse with a multi-horn line and Tyner. I must whole-heartedly second this suggestion. You get Prince Lasha and Sonny Simmons, as well as the wonderful Charles Davis from Sun Ra's stable. Elvin is swinging like no tomorrow, and the tunes are super. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted July 3, 2003 Report Share Posted July 3, 2003 I've always been quite partial to 'Merry Go Round' - one of his later Blue Notes. A bit overproduced, perhaps, but lots of good stuff on this one by the band with Gene Perla and co. It's available as part of the Mosaic or (occasionally) in 2nd hand vinyl racks. IMO any of the Blue Notes are worth picking up. :rsmile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted July 4, 2003 Report Share Posted July 4, 2003 His only session as a leader I have so far is "Live at the Village Vanguard" (enja, recorded 1968). This has Elvin's then working trio of George Coleman (ts, as) and Wilbur Little (B), and add "Hannibal" Marvin Peterson on one long track. I really love this record! (and I know, by the way, that some time, sooner or later, I'm going to have the Mosaic...) Then yes, the Art Pepper Village Vanguard box is very cool! One hell of a band! ubu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted July 4, 2003 Report Share Posted July 4, 2003 Got two others (but the fact I forgot to list them is quite telling...): New Agenda and Summit Meeting. Picked them up in some sales bin last year. Anyone knows the recording dates of these? (AMG gives Nov.18, 1976 for the later). Anyway, these are a mixed bag. Featuring Al Dailey on electric piano, some guitar by one Roland Prince (and what a hype they make about him in the liners!). Summit Meeting has Clark Terry, James Moody and Bunky Green, but somehow it seems both records do not work right. ubu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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