“I was a rebel. Nobody could play with me ’cause they couldn’t understand it.”

Elvin Jones is one of the top jazz drummers of all time, and definitely one of the most influential. But why?
- His power and energy were unmatched.
- He took a unique polyrhythmic approach to timing, comping and soloing.
- He was one of the first jazz drummers to approach the drum set as a single voice, often playing linear patterns.

Elvin Jones influenced big names like Mitch Mitchell, John Bonham, Bill Bruford, John Densmore and Ginger Baker, even having a drum battle with the latter in the early 70s.

A professional drummer from the 1940s until his passing in 2004, Jones was a key member of John Coltrane’s classic quartet in the ’60s, appearing on legendary jazz records like A Love Supreme, My Favorite Things and Ascension.

Here are 5 reasons why Elvin Jones was a genius (and how he helped change the direction and future of jazz drumming):

0:00 - Intro
1:45 -- A Fresh Approach
Sonny Rollins’ “A Night At The Village Vanguard” (featuring the well-known tune “A Night In Tunisia”) is one of the first times people heard what was to become ‘the Elvin Jones sound’. But outside of that album, here are a few key tracks where you can hear his flavor at its finest.
- “Remembrance” by Elvin Jones – Dramatic dynamics
- The “Zachariah” film featuring Elvin Jones – Huge cymbal crashes
- “Acknowledgment” by John Coltrane – A washy, rivet-filled ride sound
- “My Favorite Things” by John McLaughlin – Hemiolas/polyrhythms

In the 1940s, most drummers would accent every quarter note or beats 2 and 4 while swinging on the ride. Listen to “Anthropology” by Elvin Jones or “Miles’ Mode” by John Coltrane and you’ll hear the difference.

Jones was also known for his triplets, particularly his focus on the middle triplet partial (which most drummers neglected). You can hear this on tracks like “Blues to Bechet” by John Coltrane.

8:26 -- Unique Sound & Gear
He was known for playing loudly with unprecedented energy and strength – so much strength that he’d sometimes nail the bass drum to the floor to keep it from sliding!

From felt mallets on tracks like “The Drum Thing” (John Coltrane) and timpani on “Psalm” (John Coltrane) to riveted cymbals and flipping his drumsticks around to use the butt end, Jones carefully chose gear to give him the sounds he wanted.

12:29 -- Polyrhythmic Drumming
How many jazz drummers can you name from Elvin Jones’ time who were playing polyrhythms? One of Jones’ favorites was to play 3 beat phrases in a 4 beat context (like in “Impressions” by John Coltrane). He also incorporated hemiolas into his drumming – rare for the time and style as well.

17:15 -- Timekeeping Mastery
It was once said that “Elvin loosened up the time and opened up the music,” and it’s this relaxed sense that set him apart.

Drummers still talk about his grooves to this day, especially his trademark ‘afro-waltz’, which can be heard on multiple songs Jones tracked with artists like John Coltrane and Wayne Shorter. His Latin and Afro-Cuban-inspired grooves set him apart in the jazz world.

23:50 -- Explosive Drum Solos
Elvin Jones built his rudimental chops in the U.S. Army band, and they made their way into his mind-blowing drum solos. Jones’ go-to rudiment was the paradiddle-diddle, moving between the ride and snare drum or around the toms (like on “Pursuance” by John Coltrane).

You could always tell when he was ending a drum solo because he’d play a buzz roll on the snare drum and vigorously nod his head (a great way to signal to the band when you’re about to wrap up).

31:16 -- Final thoughts
Elvin Jones was a captivating and creative force behind the drums. If you enjoyed this breakdown of his playing, Drumeo members get access to notation and practice tools (to loop/slow down sections) for all of the tracks mentioned here. Click here to try Drumeo free for 7 days: drumeo.com/trial-10008

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