About

A rhythmic force of nature, drummer Elvin Jones elevated the role of the drummer in the modern jazz tradition, both on his own and as a key member of saxophonist John Coltrane's classic '60s quartet. Jones cultivated a singularly edgy style, often playing along with rather than behind a soloist, making bold, out-of-meter accents, and favoring a propulsive, polyrhythmic flow over simply keeping time, traits that bridged hard bop, modal jazz, and the avant-garde and influencing even rock artists like John Bonham and Ginger Baker. He brought all of these elements to fruition with Coltrane, recording landmark albums like A Love Supreme, My Favorite Things, Ascension, and Live at Birdland.

After his six years with the seminal John Coltrane Quartet, the master drummer Elvin Jones signed with Blue Note in 1968 and began building his own career as a bandleader. His first two albums for the label were spare trio outings—Puttin’ It Together and The Ultimate—both featuring saxophonist Joe Farrell and bassist Jimmy Garrison. For his next album—1969’s unfettered post-bop exploration Poly-Currents—Jones expanded his ensemble with additional woodwinds and percussion while still maintaining spacious realms for the musicians to delve into on modal band member originals including “Agenda,” Agappe Love,” “Mr. Jones,” and “Whew.” Jones is joined throughout by a cast that includes Farrell on tenor saxophone, English horn, and flutes, George Coleman on tenor saxophone, Pepper Adams on baritone saxophone, Fred Tompkins on flute, Wilbur Little on bass, and Cuban conguero Candido Camero.  — (via Label)

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Blue Note Tone Poet Series: This stereo Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray (Cohearent Audio) from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at Record Technology Inc. (RTI), and packaged in a deluxe tip-on jacket.

The Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series was born out of Blue Note President Don Was’ admiration for the exceptional audiophile Blue Note LP reissues presented by Music Matters. Was brought Joe Harley, a.k.a. the “Tone Poet,” on board to curate and supervise a series of reissues from the Blue Note family of labels.

Extreme attention to detail has been paid to getting these right in every conceivable way, from the jacket graphics and printing quality to superior LP mastering (direct from the master tapes) by Kevin Gray to superb 180g audiophile LP pressings by Record Technology Inc. Every aspect of these Tone Poet releases is done to the highest possible standard. It means that you will never find a superior version. This is IT.

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In the years following his departure from John Coltrane’s quartet, drummer Elvin Jones released a string of albums as leader for Blue Note. The expanded forces and trademark polyrhythmic textures of Poly-Currents is the latest title in Blue Note’s prestigious Tone Poet series.

Such was the intensity of Elvin Jones’ stint as drummer in John Coltrane’s groups – and so epochal the music they made together with bassist Jimmy Garrison and pianist McCoy Tyner as the Classic Quartet – that he will always be best remembered for that world-shaking tenure. Yet it’s easy to forget that the association lasted just six years.

Jones quit Coltrane’s employ in early 1966, shortly after Trane’s hiring of additional drummer Rashied Ali signalled a deepening of his commitment to exploring the wide-open possibilities of free jazz. By then, Jones had made enough of a name for himself to lead his own bands, both in the studio and onstage, where he enthusiastically pursued the heavy swinging, hard-bop modal aesthetic that had characterised his best work with Coltrane.

After the slightly underwhelming hotchpotch of 1967’s Heavy Sounds and 1968’s Live at the Village Vanguard, Jones hit his stride with two hard-hitting, stripped back trio albums – Puttin’ It Together and The Ultimate, both recorded in 1968 – featuring Garrison and young saxophonist/flautist Joe Farell. However, for his next album, Poly-Currents– recorded in 1969 and released on Blue Note the following year – Jones formed a more ambitious, expanded ensemble, which retained Farrell and added a whole lot more wind-power: Fred Tompkins on flute, Pepper Adams on baritone sax and, on tenor sax, the woefully under-appreciated tenor man, George Coleman, who had played in Miles Davis’ quintet, just prior to the arrival of Wayne Shorter. Rounding out the rhythm section was hard-bop bassist Wilbur Little and Cuban master percussionist Cándido Camero on congas.

It’s little surprise that this heavyweight crew cooks up some hefty jams, giving Jones plenty of opportunity to burn in a muscular, straight-ahead setting. Side one of the album is dominated by the nearly-14-minute Jones original, “Agenda.” Beginning with a classic Elvin Jones polyrhythmic drum riff – rim shots, toms and ride cymbal slotting together in hip complexity – it picks up a deep, modal bassline, before Farrell enters blowing an English horn (aka the oboe-like cors anglais).

Languorous and sinuous like a North African ney, it’s perfectly complemented by Adams’ buzzing baritone. With this unusual instrumentation setting a drowsy vibe, Jones takes a monumental solo – his longest on the album – full of thunderous triplets, firecracker snare rolls and booming kicks that amply demonstrate why he was known to nail his bass drum to the stage in performance.

Elsewhere, there are more meditative moods – particularly on two relatively brief, flute-led tracks, which give Jones the chance to demonstrate masterful brushwork: on Farrell’s delicate “Agappe Love” the lightest touch of brush on snare creates a gently sighing breeze, while on Tompkins’ “Yes” it’s all about the supple-wristed, syncopated snap of bristles on skin.

Two mid-tempo swingers complete the album: “Mr Jones” – credited to Jones’ wife, composer and classical pianist Keiko Jones – is a deep blues with congas adding a buoyant bounce and Coleman blowing hot; and Little’s “Whew” is built around a bass-led head with cheeky unison stabs, opening out into a 10-minute blowing session in which Jones works up some of the elemental energy that enlivened so many of Coltrane’s most timeless performances. As Jones swells, crashes and subsides like a tempestuous sea, there’s no doubting his reputation as one of the key architects of jazz drumming, and an ever-living avatar of the music. — (via Everything Jazz)

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Label: Blue Note
Series: Blue Note Tone Poet Series
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo, Gatefold, 180g
Country: Worldwide
Reissued: Jun 2, 2023 / Original Release: 1970
Genre: Jazz
Style: Modal, Post Bop

File under: Jazz // Blue Note Tone Poet Series
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