5/22/04

As you may have heard, legendary drummer Elvin Jones passed away this week. I'd like to share a story about a brief encounter I had with him.

I met Elvin Jones once.

I was in another city and I didn't know anybody there. I opened up the local paper and saw that Elvin Jones was playing that night about an hour away. Although I was unfamiliar with the area, I was determined to see this larger than life legend live. I got in my car. 

After several wrong turns and dead ends, I finally arrived at the club and I was even a little early. I wandered aimlessly around the premises but soon I could no longer resist the temptation to sneak backstage. Mr. Jones' dressing room door was open. He was in there relaxing, surrounded by family members and old friends. Instinctively, I craned my curious neck out, trying to catch a glimpse of greatness. Among the soft, intimate conversations and family hugs, I suddenly realized that being a complete stranger, I was intruding on Mr. Jones' personal life and sure as hell did not belong backstage uninvited. As I turned around to leave, Elvin Jones approached me and in a voice as distinctive as his groove said

"So...do you play drums?" 

I laughed. Every single body in that whole place played drums. And every single body in that whole place, in their brightest day or in their darkest night, aspired to play drums like Elvin Jones.

We spent the next few minutes talking about drums and jazz. It didn't really matter. When I left he wished me luck and extended his hand. His shake engulfed my entire grip. It was as if every ounce of experience and beauty he had behind the drum set physically manifested itself in that enormous hand. And like every drummer who shakes hands with Elvin Jones, I hoped that through some sort of osmosis, Elvin's inimitable touch had rubbed off.

When the show began, I witnessed why Elvin Jones was such a phenomenal drummer...colors...

However, what I'll cherish most about Elvin Jones is not his rolling triplets or intense circular rhythms, but that when he saw this stranger outside his backstage door, clearly out of place and uncomfortable, Mr. Jones left the warmth of his family and friends, and with the simplest of questions, compassionately welcomed a stranger into his life.  

And although I only met him once, Elvin Jones seemed like the kind of guy who would want drummers to celebrate his life, and to celebrate our lives through playing...

 "Yes, Mr. Jones, I do play drums..."

Gerry                                                                              Pictures of Elvin Jones