Elvin Jones - Midnight Walk

It was certainly a motley crew that came together with Elvin Jones, the legendary ex-Coltrane drummer, in the New York Atlantic Studio in March 1966. His trumpeter brother Thad was first class, but Dollar Brand on the piano, Don Moore on the bass and sax player Hank Mobley, who always came up as second choice behind John Coltrane? However that might be, the impulsive, forceful beat of the grand, versatile Elvin drove his musicians onwards to unknown heights. When he invited a musician into the studio, it was power more than anything that was demanded of his soloists.The numbers stemmed mostly from the participating musicians, with two additions by contemporary composers in the genre. Two titles in particular will ignite your enthusiasm, for the Thad Jones pieces are so good that they really should belong among the repertoire of the Thad Jones–Mel Lewis big band, years later. Thad is often highly praised for his skill as a composer and arranger, and this is the reason that he is acknowl