Happy Birthday Elvin Jones (September 9, 1927 – May 18, 2004)
Elvin Jones at Birdland, photograph taken by Charles Mingus, year unknown, courtesy Eric Mingus.
“I never swung so much or, rather, lived so much in my life.”
Wishing a happy heavenly birthday to the incredible drummer Elvin Jones, whom Mingus called “a great prophet.” The two collaborated frequently in the mid-1950s, though they only recorded together once: an album titled “Blue Moods” with Miles Davis, Teddy Charles, and Britt Woodman, recorded July 1955 at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio, and released by Debut Records (founded by Charles & Celia Mingus and Max Roach). Of the album, Jones later said, “If they had just printed the conversations that we had in that studio that time, that would have been a best-seller!”
The above photograph of Elvin Jones was taken by Charles Mingus at Birdland (undated). Photo shared courtesy of Eric Mingus, who also contributed this story: “I brought this with me one night when I went to see Elvin. Had such an amazing time talking with him after the set, I forgot to show him the pic! Elvin loved chatting with the young folks. Enjoyed the enthusiasm we had for the music. I learned so much from those masters that were open about their craft and life. Forever grateful.”
Album cover, “Blue Moods,” Debut Records DEB-120