Elvin Jones - "Merry Go Round"

[Late]

Except for the title track, I think this is actually a really good album. The first three tunes — . Maybe it's because my saxophone teacher back in the 80's was into this album, but I've always thought this was a solid (not "best") effort for the 70's. Liebman in particular is having a ball.

Any love for this one? The track 'Round Town is great fun.

[JSngry]

Big love (if not Love) for both this one & Genesis. I do wish that somebody would have caught the clam on "La Fiesta" (and DOH! for not thinking aobut this version in the Captain Marvel thread...) And big Like for Mr. Jones as well.

Those early 70s Elvin albums weren't bad at all. The Lighthouse date is actually a Sacred Text in some circles. Not mine, but I'm just sayin'...

We might tend to forget that Elvin was actually a Cult Rock Star of sorts in those days. But he was.

Hopefully everybody's seen this by now, but if not:

[marcello]

I read in Earl Palmer's book that Palmer dubbed that solo for the movie.

That is he transcribed it and recorded the solo for the soundtrack.

Elvin was/is everybody's hero,

Onetime I saw him in Toronto with a group that included Sonny Fortune and Ravi Coltrane, with Pat LaBarbera sitting in on every set. Pat lives in Toronto, and of course played with Elvin for many years

Between sets I was talking to Pat who I know, and Elvin came up and after introductions and the big bear hug, Pat told him I was from Rochester. Elvin looked at me, smiled and said; "I used to know a hip dentist in Rochester, ha, ha, ha!"

I got his drift.

Here's on of my photos from 1976:

Edited February 20, 2009 by marcello

[Free For All]

The Lighthouse date is actually a Sacred Text in some circles.

It certainly was when I was in college. I still like it. Grossman and Liebman make a good pair. Sambra!

[sidewinder]

Onetime I saw him in Toronto with a group that included Sonny Fortune and Ravi Coltrane, with Pat LaBarbera sitting in on every set. Pat lives in Toronto, and of course played with Elvin for many years

Saw Elvin a couple of times with Sonny Fortune and once back around 1980 with Pat LaBarbara. Alan Skidmore was added to the band on that occasion too.

'Merry Go Round' has always been a favourite on vinyl, even though it has some obvious 70s production touches. That track where just the trio let rip (with Elvin on what can only be termed bombastic brushes) is particularly good. 'Genesis' is also a very good one - maybe one of the best of his 70s albums. Heck, I even really really like 'At This Point In Time'.

The whole Mosaic set is a must IMO.

Never a big fan of Keiko's tunes (usually one per album) but heck, we can allow Elvin the occasional indulgence. For sure, she did wonders with his drum kit.

Edited February 20, 2009 by sidewinder

[JSngry]

I read in Earl Palmer's book that Palmer dubbed that solo for the movie.

That is he transcribed it and recorded the solo for the soundtrack.

I'm gonna need a little bit more convincing on that one...

[JohnS]

I like this one, especially for Frank Foster.

[sal]

This is one of my favorite sessions on the Mosaic, as is the aformentioned "Genesis". Alot of Elvin's stuff from this era was really good, although some of the stuff just got too convoluted with percussion IMO. The Lighthouse dates are incredible too.

[Daniel A]

I just spun this album. I seldom bring out the Mosaic set, but find myself putting the Merry Go Round LP on the turntable every once in a while. 

I like the variation in the instrumentation and that there's a happy vibe to much of the playing (absent from many of Elvin's other Blue Notes). Jan Hammer is definitely underrated as an acoustical pianist, and it's great fun to hear him in a two-keyboard quartet with Chick Corea. Like some posters above I don't give much for Keiko's composition, unfortunately. Corea's "La Fiesta" is a good track for a BFT. Not many people know that Pepper Adams played on the first recording of that tune, pre-RTF.