The Grooves Of Elvin Jones

[@JonahtheDrummer]

We need more jazz stuff on drumeo

[@voronOsphere]

Absolutely (and I'm a Metal Head)!!!! Especially MORE Elvin Jones!!!!!

[@thomaswlodkowski2056]

I agree.

[@DrumeoOfficial]

@@voronOsphere Yeah? Good to know! These videos don't get the HUGE reach of other styles, but we know it's important stuff for drummers to know about. Glad to hear you enjoy it!

[@voronOsphere]

@@DrumeoOfficial I sure did! Thanks!

[@marceugeni]

Defenetleyyyy!!!

[@ricardofranciszayas]

Great Video! I’m 72 years old and that brings me back to when I was a kid. Elvin Jones became my hero when I was a kid. Back at that time, a lot of Jazz Drummers especially in New York were so aware of Cuban music and knew how to play in Clave. Groove #2 is basically a 2-3 clave pattern and Elvin is doing Cascara pattern variations. What is so hip is that he played these patterns with great subtlety on the original recording. The man was such a genius with a wide dynamic range and an orchestral approach to the kit. Brandon, The way you break down the patterns on this video is pure mastery. You are a wonderful teacher and player. Thank you

[@DrumTrainerbyJunghoKang79]

Finally, Drumeo is doing MORE jazz IN DEPTH. Thanks Drumeo.

[@Big_C_4205]

Quiet

[@simasuma]

@@Big_C_4205 easy

[@CeciShaw]

More Jazz please! Elvin was such an inspiration, his finesse/rage was unmatched. Never seen a jazz drummer have such intensity.

[@CeciShaw]

@Val Shealey Agree!

[@chickentwisties2298]

Buddy Rich...

[@CaliforniaBushman]

It wasn't until I studied out of John Riley's books 10 - 15 years ago, and breaking through with serious 4 way independence that I got Elvin's one total instrument concept. And his volleying of time around the kit. It really opened up a new world.

[@YanickDrums]

Elvin Jones in your band you just can't go wrong. It never gets old hearing him play.

[@samsukepicotiri2919]

You can say that 👍

[@PapaIrie]

My hands down favorite jazz drummer of all times. His work with Wayne Shorter! Bumbacloot!!!

[@ColdSteel-dz3pf]

What de bloodklatt

[@BrandonToews]

Yes!!

[@bholaoates1542]

@Terry Irie Fellow Terry here who agrees 100%. Two favorite examples that come to mind for me are his playing on "Oriental Folk Song" from 'Night Dreamer', especially those two cool drum breaks towards the end right before they restate the theme. Another favorite is his playing on "Mahjong" from 'JuJu'. The way he begins the song alone creating the illusion that the song is going in another direction from the one it actually goes. He also creates the illusion in the first few seconds that he's just randomly hitting drums and cymbals with no beat structure in mind, almost like a child playing the kit just to see how its components sound, before eventually settling into the evocative groove of the tune. Wonderful stuff!

[@brendanleahy5354]

That 3/4 pattern mystified me for years, because of the upbeat tempo. Fabulous to have it slowed down. Thank you drumeo and all the fine drummers. More jazz drumming please!!

[@jre9571]

Please please do more of these! I just started playing a week ago, and am actually learning and playing these tunes! I’ve been listening to JC with Elvin for the better part of 23 years now…now I can actually play along to one of my favorite compositions. Thank you! More please!

[@slwyee54]

Love this I am 68 yrs old , an amateur drum enthusiast. You are a very good teacher

[@hermanmelville3871]

“Contemplation” by McCoy Tyner is a monster of a performance by Elvin. Also, his work alongside Sonny Rollins in the “Live At The Village Vanguard” is phenomenal.

[@BrandonToews]

Both of these are incredible.

[@FrictionFive]

Yes! Sonny's trio Live At the Village Vanguard is phenomenal indeed. Amazing early Elvin... recorded in late 1957, quite a few years before the Coltrane "Classic Quartet".

[@laminebaazi6418]

i like how elvin delays everything just inserting bars in his grooves that always blew my mind cause he summons them as groovily as the rest of his playing. he describes drumming as a form of drawing or painting. to him its colours. thank you much for this

[@drummer78]

These Drumeo “Genius” deep dives are some of the best things on KZbin..you should win awards for this production.

[@manuelgchapajr2000]

GREAT LESSON WE NEED MORE JAZZ LESSONS ON YOUR CHANNEL!!! PLEASE INCORPORATE JAZZ GREATS BEFORE WE LOOSE THEM ALL

[@doublestrokeroll]

Great vid! I got to see him in 97 in a very small venue. 69 years old and he was a wonder. Just amazing.

[@BrandonToews]

Very cool!

[@DrumTrainerbyJunghoKang79]

My vote for Elvin has been paid off! MOre Elvin!

[@musamusashi]

For someone who started to play drums because of Elvin, almost 40 years ago, saw him live 6 times between 86 and 2003 and simply adores him, is nice to see such a loving, accurate and thoughtful homage to his art. Great sound on your set and your devotion to Elvin and Coltrane is evident. Good job!

[@palainanoctem3776]

I LOVE how you explained the music as being improv and not written prior, and then INVITED the audience to play what they feel. THAT is the heart of jazz, knowing the rules and breaking them as one sees fit. BTW your playing is incredibly smooth and accurate. Earned a sub!

[@stephendecostanzo3533]

Thanks for playing it slowly and showing notation - very helpful!

[@marcpatzelt2430]

The finish on that drum set is killer!

[@KrwiomoczBogurodzicy]

Elvin Jones, for sure. _A Love Supreme_ kills... I think I've seen drum transcription somewhere on the internet for _Resolution._ And also McCoy Tyner's _Contemplation._

[@momohkakulatombo-misoi126]

Aha! McCoy Tyner's Contemplation. That's amazing.

[@williampinner1893]

Nice. Love Elvin. You do a great job. Makes me want to shed & I'm 64 yrs old.

[@alanasda7705]

My dad was a jazz drummer and Elvin Jones was his hero. About twenty five years ago, my dad had the opportunity to hear Elvin give a masterclass in Montreal at the Salle Gesu concert hall and actually got to play with him. My dad told me that besides marrying my mom and my birth, that day with Elvin was happiest day of his life.

[@dustjacket1000]

Perfect sounding drums and cymbals.

[@ellisweiner6405]

This is superb. Once he lays these things out, I think, "Oh! That! Okay, I can do that." Which mainly I can. But it takes a genius like Elvin to create it, and a great teacher like Drumeo to lay it all out. Many thanks!

[@donaldkay4313]

Love Elvins' playing on 'Time Capsule'. BRILLIANT! 1st heard this record over 30 yrs ago and never forgot it!

[@eckhardschafer5524]

I know this music since years just because of my musical curiosity. Then I have heard about how much the drummer is appreciated. Sometimes when listening to it I was asking myself: what the hell is the drummer doing? And of course ended up with smiling and shrinking(right word?) my shoulders. You did a great job in honoring this man and transport the music further on.

[@jazzwarrior7206]

Dear Brandon : Thanks for some of the best presented online music lessons I have seen, period! You are clear, concise, focussed on the essential points, well versed with your subject material, accurate in your demonstrations, and well organised in your lesson structure and format. This lesson is a big help for Elvin fans. However, I have but one bone to pick - one of theoretical terminology versus actual metric conception : At 11:10 you address the kick drum part in the 'Afro-waltz', stating it is played as two "dotted quarter-notes" per bar, which is, by default, a true { 2 : 3 } structure to the pulse. However, in contrast, your notation quite correctly shows us what Elvin actually defaults to, which is in fact a { [ (5 + 4) : 9 ] : 3 } structure over the TRIPLET (quaver/'eighth') grid, with the first bass-drum note being 5 triplets long, and the second, coming in on the third triplet of beat 2 (as in, the 'a' of '2-and-a'), being only 4 triplets long. This was a key difference with Elvin's approach to the 'two-over-three' waltz feel in comparison to many other jazz drummers who tended to play it 'straight', as a { [ (3+3) : 6 ] : 3 }, over the DUPLET grid. Elvin's is a SWING conception - at the TRIPLET subdivision, resulting in a characteristic 'longer-shorter' motif. I know that YOU know this, but do the students? Might they be confused when you call what is 5 triplet quavers followed by 4 triplet quavers, " [ a pair of ] dotted quarter-notes" ? I know that the standard 'colloquial' approach to swing rhythm conception is to write, see, and even 'think' in regular eighth-note quaver patterns, and then convert those into 'swung' 'eighths', which are NOT '8ths' per se, but are generally conceptualised as being played along the triplet grid ( ie. '12ths' in 4/4 ; '9ths' in 3/4 ; '15ths' in 5/4 etc), and are further 'felt' as even triplets, or maybe as dotted quaver/8th and 16th notes, or even perhaps as quintuplets in divisions of { [(3+2) : 5 ] : 1 } or { [(4+1) : 5 ] : 1 }. However, issues arise with this approach. Firstly, what do we do with a dotted crotchet? It might be 'swung', perhaps at the triplet subdivision, but, could/should it be played 'straight', at even 8ths in a given musical circumstance? Either way might be the more or less preferable option. The straight dotted crotchets might provide a desirable polyrhythmic feel AGAINST a triplet-based swing feel (at a { 2 : 3 } ratio), which is totally in keeping with jazz. However, the triplet-grid moderated version, at { (5+4) : 3 } will swing more tightly and will provide a slightly 'offset' groove with a layer of syncopation added to the (previously) straight '2 : 3' pattern. Yet again, what if a player's physical interpretation of 'swung-eighths' (a theoretical misnomer, in fact) tends toward a metric division of straight 16th semiquavers, or of quintuplet semiquavers ('15ths' in 3/4)? Would this not then skew the pattern even further, forming say, a { (9+6) : 3 } pattern, if based on a { (4+1) : 5 } swing ratio? We soon find ourselves in an analytical 'metric mine-field' with the inevitable ambiguities arising from imprecise notation. HOWEVER, you have had the foresight to provide PRECISE notation for the patterns you are teaching in this video, the notations adequately distinguishing between the 8th-note duplet/16th-note quadruplet "Love Supreme" feel, and the "Afro-Blue" type feel based on triplet-quavers ('9th'-notes in 3/4 time). Therefore, your conceptual and terminological duty is to that very notation, which you have provided as the key to 'putting the right sounds in the right places'. Additionally, with regard to your students, you have a duty to them to be absolutely consistent with your explanatory language, and consistently clear in distinguishing between different systems of conception (such as the 'system' of estimating swing from straight notation versus the system of accurate numerical division of beats with differentiated notations). In this one instance, you contradicted the terms you are working on, namely triplet-quaver grid notation, by referring to the bass drum part as "dotted quarter-notes", when this neither reflects what is written, nor what is played and heard (which DOES reflect what IS written). I only jump on this like I have done here because this is a long-standing 'beef' on my part, where I feel that too much vaguery and presumption is associated with the ' swing estimation & conversion of straight notation ' approach. This one little example of problems typically arising from it, in your otherwise excellent presentation, is a good one to spotlight to show why the notational vaguery & presumption common in jazz culture has no place in real metric conception, and therefore no place in teaching metric conception. Thus, my long and intricate comment is provided here for all as, albeit a side-discussion to the video, a nevertheless very important matter for consideration in general conceptual and communicative terms. Hopefully, it might also 'straighten out' any confusion arising from the small but significant contradiction I have spotlit here. Thanks again Brandon - I will definately check out more of your videos! Now off I go to practice that "Love Supreme" groove !

[@MichaelVLang]

Elvin was one of the true geniuses of the drums, a true intellectual. So much going on.

[@sutusmihaly]

..out of this world..africa..chim chim cher-ee..all of the recordings he played with the coltrane quartet were/ are amazing drumming..

[@BrandonToews]

Agreed!

[@tomo_drums]

I love the first groove, it is very comfortable to play i think

[@coisa.de_musico]

Elvin Jones This inspiration for all the drummers!🥁🥁🥁🥁

[@robsherfey4582]

I watched this video and have been going through all my old Coltrane Quartet albums with a fresh ear to figure out Elvin's magic.

[@michaellozano4578]

Elvin's playing on Blue World (the actual record recording) is real sensual and smooth. He adds a swinged 8th note on the hi hat with his foot right before the 2nd beat side stick that adds so much to the vibe. Learning and playing that myself really changed my drumming.

[@mikestevens5512]

Fantastic Instruction!! I will use for next gig!! Thank You!!

[@BrandonToews]

🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@robertoribeiromarques5817]

love it . beautiful cymbal soud👏👏👏👏👏

[@drumax67]

Summertime, I saw Elvin many years ago, fantastic

[@matiasortizstark4887]

Great! We need more jazz lessons! Greetings from Argentina...

[@mrski4945]

LOVE every time you guys put out anything to do with JAZZ! Thanks for this!!

[@BrandonToews]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@LowBoyBeaters]

Brandon, this is one of my all time favorite Drumeo lessons! I was lucky enough to see Elvin play once, and it was a life-changing experience. The way you break down his playing is great. So are your shoes.

[@BrandonToews]

Thank you so much, man!! Very jealous haha. Would have loved to see Elvin live.

[@Indoman_71]

I had the good fortune of seeing Elvin perform at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre (The Cultch) twice, a long time ago with The Elvin Jones Jazz Machine and it was amazing. I remember his drums weren't even mic'd and it sounded so good. And everyone, order that book behind Brandon's right shoulder - the blue one called Kick It: A Social History Of The Drumkit, if you want an in depth study on the evolution of the instrument. Its a great read. Great work guys!

[@BrandonToews]

Very cool! I would have loved to see him perform live. And good eye noticing those books in the back. I just finished reading “Kick It” a few months ago. Learned a ton.

[@Ale.F.]

Thank you so much for your lesson. Elvin is one of my favorite drummers. I like the afro-waltz and mozambique 🇮🇹

[@ikigomez1407]

My all-time favorite Elvin's recording is "A Love Supreme"! This album BLEW my mind!

[@Diatonic5th]

Elvin on Roland Kirk's *"Rip, Rig and Panic"* is essential. I think it may be Elvin's most underrated work.

[@bholaoates1542]

Haven't listened to that one in quite a while. Time to give it another hearing.

[@Drummer_of_Solace]

That was absolutely excellent! Thank you Brandon.

[@jareczek1980]

finally. There is so little material on YT about the best drummer in the world. The same goes for the rest of the Fantastic Four. Thank you so much!

[@rileyprice8557]

I love Brandon's content! give this guy a raise!

[@BrandonToews]

Hahaha! You’re too kind!

[@LoliveJazz]

Brandon, I want to thank you very much for this great video : you allowed me to discover the extraordinary playing of Elvin. He is such a legend for me that I never imagined being able to play some of his rhythms. You made it possible ! Hello from France !

[@BrandonToews]

Awesome!!

[@jean-pierrethouin2404]

Finely ....you are explaining to perfection.You are a born TEACHER. Of all the videos i watch your is one of the few i learned and retained. Keep it coming and TX. J.p

[@BrandonToews]

Happy to hear! Thank you!

[@luiszuluaga6575]

A solid demonstration of Elvin’s style . ✊🏼🥁

[@FriendlyIndex]

This is awesome! Elvin is quickly becoming my favorite jazz drummer so I was glad to see this pop up!

[@BrandonToews]

Thanks! Elvin is a legend!

[@voronOsphere]

Elvin Jones!!!!! Thank you!!!!!!!!!! Amazing Tutorial!!!! Very helpful!

[@sethcashman1011]

Terrific lesson! Thanks. Those drums sound beautiful. Had the honor of meeting Mr. Jones only once, when he was playing with Dizzy in NYC. He didn't know me from Adam, but he talked to me like an old friend. Sweetest cat on Earth.

[@BrandonToews]

Amazing! I would have loved to meet him. Seemed like he was a very down-to-earth guy.

[@voronOsphere]

His Modern Drummer interviews and tribute are essential reading materials!

[@joshuabolyard7769]

I always love that you have the sheet with it.Mr.Jones is one of my biggest heros thanks for doing this video ,very fun watch.

[@BrandonToews]

Cheers!

[@tatedavis2016]

One track that I always thought Elvin played magnificently on Crescent by Trane. His rolls along the toms make the drums sing so much on that recording.

[@VicDolin]

This lesson is pure gold!

[@BrandonToews]

Thanks, Victor!

[@theskateboardt619]

That second grove was my favorite out of all of them

[@christyler373]

greetings from england and thanks team drumeo

[@BrandonToews]

Greetings from Canada! :D

[@redolentthought7085]

Kit sounds great! I would add that Elvin - in his 3/4 - would often play the hats w/the left foot on the & of 1 (and 3) - to give another dotted-quarter 2-against-3 layer, as well as a cool little syncopation before that cross stick on 2.

[@spears104]

Excellent playing! Well done! Thanks!

[@BrandonToews]

Thanks, Jason!

[@maynardi1836]

This is one of my best drumming jazz lesson

[@BrandonToews]

Thank you!

[@maynardi1836]

@@BrandonToews your Welcome

[@kensheffield343]

Wow I always wondered how he did that Thank You so much

[@BrandonToews]

Enjoy!

[@BinauralFabianRuiz]

What a beautiful kit! 😍

[@davidepentassuglia9234]

Thank you Brandon for thanking attentions to the roots of drumming: jazz drum. A lot of drummer don’t know anything about it, and they miss a lot. Culture is very important! I hope you’ll made more video about jazz drumming. The modern jazz is full of awesome people, real monster. We need more Brian Blade, Ari Hoenig, Jeff Ballard! Were are JD Back or Louis Cole?

[@Rogersdrumvideos]

Thank you for shining a light on my hero and mentor over at Drumeo. Not enough of this

[@BrandonToews]

I thought it was about time we gave Elvin some credit :)

[@spencergsmith]

“Equinox” on the record “Coltrane’s Sound” has always been one of my favorite jazz standards to play. The groove is slow and smooth.

[@marialund6583]

The album "Elvin" from the early 60's contain he's own compositions. Its definitely worth to check out!

[@voronOsphere]

"Oriental Flower" is a great Elvin Jones composition. I forget what album it's from.

[@themole2024]

Tasty little rhythms. Cant wait to play them. And, Love the vintage look with the threads bro. Got that 60's jazz club vibe for sure.

[@mrjohnstgeorge]

The bell thing. I could never get Close to figuring that out. Your analysis is great man. Beautiful. Thank you.

[@BrandonToews]

Glad you found this one helpful!

[@walterthorne4819]

Thanks

[@jgdevoe]

Wonderfully done. Well enjoyed.

[@bpozo1286]

Fantastic video!! Elvin is a true inspiration and not only for those that try to play drums, the whole quartet is one of the best experiences in music

[@cicero73100]

thanks for explaining these grooves

[@FrictionFive]

There are so many phenomenal recordings of the great Elvin Jones. As a Steve Lacy aficionado, I must mention Lacy's 1959 album "Reflections" with Elvin Jones, Mal Waldron, and Buell Neidlinger. This was the first album comprised entirely of Monk compositions which was released by an artist other than Monk himself, and features some fantastic pre-Coltrane Quartet early Elvin. In particular, on the track Bye-Ya, Elvin plays a beautiful groove which is similar to Groove #1 in this video.

[@frozenPizza27]

here to appreciate the setup of the room! 🔥

[@BrandonToews]

Glad you dig it!! Literally emptied my teaching studio to outfit this room😂

[@johnatwell7968]

Brandon… Killer lesson. The Afro-Waltz is my personal favorite. His sound, to me, was very unique and unmistakably just his. Really enjoyed your take and explanations.

[@BrandonToews]

Thank you very much, John! Love the Afro-Waltz groove. So many variations of it as well 👌🏻

[@gagarin3500]

Really love Jazz and fusion. Looking forward to see more. Thx for all the hard work and time Drumeo. Respect

[@vicloyo3928]

Thanks for the wonderful análisis of one of the greatest ever..! Looking forward for more..

[@scottmoyer1357]

Man, I really appreciate your teaching skills. You are spot on!! Loved Elvin....hung out with him over time. You even got the tuning of his drums right on, too.

[@BrandonToews]

Thank you, Scott! Very cool. I would’ve loved to meet him/watch him perform.

[@Philipp_Thielen_510]

This is my first time diving into Jazz drumming (I'm a metal drummer) and this is so cool. Will definitely be practicing these

[@mandymckillop2834]

So great! Thank you!

[@pdxfunk]

That ride cymbal sounds mighty tasty.

[@aidanschram9652]

Its really cool to see jazz stuff on this channel, also this was very well done and authentic!

[@jimkoblick1776]

Awesome !!!! Elvin and you are the coolest !

[@BrandonToews]

Cheers, Jim!

[@bholaoates1542]

I join the many others here in the comments who congratulate you on doing a great job with this video.

[@BrandonToews]

Thank you very much!

[@JB-in3cs]

More of this! Really great.

[@spercoco]

First time I heard a lot of these jazz drummers was when I was a kid and banging on pots and pans around the house; my mother bought me a three record collection called DRUMS thinking it would be instructional but it was a compilation of all the inspirational drummers up to that point in time. Elvin had two tracks on the recording Shiny Stockings which demonstrated his brush playing and something titled The Drum Thing which started off on mallets and snares off eventually evolving into an intense drum solo using sticks then back to mallets and snares off at the end. I would love to see a breakdown of the groove that he plays wit mallets on the toms and the snare (set to tom tom )

[@stamostz]

Yall need to check out "Bopsy"-Elvin Jones, incredible comping and goes to show how well rounded of a musician he was.

[@momohkakulatombo-misoi126]

Alright! Thanks for the rec!

[@cicero73100]

simple and sophisticated

[@augustomarchand]

I liked the chains attached on the cymbal's bells.

[@pg3536]

Just amazing! Thanks for this lesson.

[@alecj3454]

Love the threads and the throw back set up. Great video all around. Well done.

[@BrandonToews]

Much appreciated, Alec!

[@vb2388]

My personal favourite Jazz Drummers.. Buddy Rich Max Roach Joe Morello Art Blakey Gene Krupa Roy Haynes Elvin Jones Steve Gadd Louie Bellson

[@DrumeoOfficial]

Great list.

[@aidanschram9652]

its a crime to not include Philly joe jones

[@nested_King]

About damn time. Bow to your master.

[@InAverySilentWay]

This is such a great breakdown of those grooves! Elvin is an undeniable titan in the world of drumming. Your video did a great job of making these grooves understandable and doable.

[@user-dk3ps1hv8c]

Great Elvin lessons here! Favourite Elvin groove - wow... The way he plays on the Larry Young album "Unity" - song: Monk's Dream (a duet with Young) - just amazing! But also the first song Zoltan with the typical Elvin style, similar to what's shown here - really hot stuff!

[@BrianCole]

Love to see a video talking about Connie Kay’s playing with the Modern Jazz Quartet

[@glynnp42]

Amazing video! Thanks!!!

[@jb111jb111]

This is really well done. Excellent break down, clear, accessible, and knowledgeable.

[@berniediveley625]

Nice work👍 Elvin RIP ✝️