Elvin Jones - Familiar Ground

This is one of my favorite quartets. Elvin Jones with Pat la Barbera on tenor and soprano saxophone, Kenny Kirkland on piano and Reggie Workman on acoustic bass. This band sounds like John Coltrane quartet in the early 60's. Pat La Barbera wrote most of the pieces which are melodic, harmonically interesting. There's a John Coltrane composition (Harmonique) and one by Tadd Dameron. "Necessary Evil", the first track features the composer on tenor sax. It's a modal, medium-up piece and has short but telling solos by piano and bass. Liner notes : "Elvin then comes in for one of those stunning solos that follow the structure of the piece, and display that still astonishing independence of limbs which is a Jones trademark." All the album is like that: modal, blues, no wasted note, no real and strong improvisations (sometimes we wish there had been some). It's first class though, a sort of "Kind Of Blue" concept record. It's perfect for regular listenings.The musicians play short but wow, what a thrill sometimes! - by R. Ralingue, Amazon.com

Artist: Elvin Jones
Album: Familiar Ground
Year: 1982
Label: West Wind (1997)
Total time: 41:44

Personnel:
Elvin Jones (Drums)
Pat La Barbera (Tenor and Soprano Saxophone)
Kenny Kirkland (Piano)
Reggie Workman (Double Bass)

Tracks:
1. Necessary Evil (Pat La Barbera) 4:12
2. October's Child (Pat La Barbera) 5:20
3. Harmonique (John Coltrane) 4:54
4. Whatever Possessed Me (Tadd Dameron) 6:12
5. Familiar Ground (Pat La Barbera) 4:27
6. Why Try to Change Me Now? (Cy Coleman) 6:00
7. Minor Blues (Pat La Barbera) 6:21
8. Brother John (Pat La Barbera) 4:18

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