5727 33rd Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98105
Jones For Elvin - Volume 2
Liner notes - 1
Elvin Jones has important things to teach. Many lessons I have absorbed by simply listening to his distinctive musical interaction with fellow bandmates. Others I gleaned from his words. For example, in Art Taylor’s book Notes And Tones Elvin says, "(Jazz is) a pure art form developed here in this country by black artists and which is continuing to be developed by everybody that has any musical aspirations at all or who has even thought about becoming a musician, whatever color they are. I think the fact that it's pure transcends all colors and races."
Liner notes - 2
This CD is the second of two volumes from my recording session with the great jazz drummer, Elvin Jones. My experience with Jones for Elvin - Volume 1 thus far has helped introduce me to the small but passionate community of jazz radio stations and listeners. I want to take this opportunity to thank them for their interest and support. As Elvin said in a 1997 DownBeat article, "To me, it has never been about a lot of money. It has always been, what are you going to do, what are you playing, what is the music, how does it sound, how does it make me feel, that kind of thing. That is my primary concern." I agree with Elvin’s focus.
No one plays drums like Elvin Jones. With multiple simultaneous grooves, Elvin stretches and punctuates phrases so beautifully that the music seems inevitable. It is astounding that music can carry such heavy emotional weight. The end of song in Elvin’s hands becomes an exclamation mark worthy of its own separate composition. When I imagine new music to write or play, the sound of Elvin usually accompanies my thoughts so playing with Elvin felt like coming home. Working with Elvin gave me a brief glimpse of the support, freedom, and passion that John Coltrane must have experienced with Elvin every night for years in the notorious 1960’s quartet.
Elvin’s presence had a profound effect on me. I was at the airport to meet Elvin and his wife Keiko. The plane arrived and the first class passengers came off. No Elvin. The coach passengers came off. Still no Elvin. The crew came off. No Elvin. After confirming the correct flight, doubt began to build and I started thinking that recording with him was just a dream. Then, Elvin came off the plane carrying things that had been stashed at the back of the plane. After greeting them, I realized that the recording was going to happen. It felt very surreal to be living the dream of playing with Elvin. That feeling carried me outside myself to a place where time became tangible and elastic. It seemed like there was a big comfortable space between what was happening and my reactions. The time gap gave me plenty of room to be relaxed, direct, and focused. The clutter in my mind vanished. I was in the Elvin zone.
Like volume one, the songs are for my friends and collaborators. Reunion Dues was written for Chicago musicians Mike Kocour and Jeff Stitely during one of my many Midwest return engagements from New York. Mike, Jeff, and I played in many groups together while I lived in Illinois. The song’s ostinato harks back to the hypnotic work of Elvin in the John Coltrane Quartet. This was the first song I recorded with Elvin and as soon as we started, I knew the whole session was going to work out just fine.
The More I See You is a standard that I modified with breaks, new chord changes, an interlude, and latin-to-swing sections.
Kavanah is a Hebrew transliteration for "concentration and devotion in prayer". Sometimes I think of playing jazz as very intimate interaction with creative forces (praying) in a public forum. Kavanah mirrors my desire for sincerity in my message, not just mouthing the words.
Oscar’s Oscillating Osculation was written for Seattle trumpeter Oscar Williams. When I first met Oscar we were playing in a rehearsal big band. He had just returned from a few weeks with Horace Silver. On a blues chart, the conductor invited him to solo and asked if he needed the written chord changes. "Naaa!" Oscar replied. When it came time to play, Oscar reared back and let out some great choruses and filled the room with a big resonant kiss on his mouthpiece.
Zones For Elvin was written to give the drums total freedom. Elvin told Whitney Balliett, "Drums suggest movement, a conscious, constant shifting of sounds and levels of sound. My drumming can shade from a whisper to a thunder." Although Elvin’s playing always embodies this approach, this composition puts a spotlight on his expressive mallets and sticks.
Keiko’s Kimochi was written for Elvin’s Japanese wife and business manager. In planning the recording session, Keiko had emphasized that it was not important for the music to be good or bad. What was important was the feeling. This became a guiding principal in my musical approach for the session and beyond. Kimochi is the Japanese word for feeling.
Chromatic Carioca is for my Brazilian born wife. Carioca is a term for people from Rio.
In an interview Elvin instructs, "It isn't what it is, it's what you do, how you do it." For me, Elvin points to the path away from the material world and toward the creative process of experiencing jazz music. I am happy to learn from this master and share the journey with you.
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© 1999 Steve Griggs, All Rights Reserved