Jones, Elvin: When I Was at Aso-Mountain

This is basically a recording of the trio of Japanese pianist Takehisa Tanaka and the stellar rhythm team of bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Elvin Jones, with saxophonist/flautist Sonny Fortune performing on three of the eight selections, which include three Tanaka compositions and three standards. Ironically Fortune plays on all three Tanaka compositions, which are the recording's highlights: "I Was Too Young" is a ballad with the beautiful melody played by Fortune's tenor sax; "My Dream Come True, To E.J.," the only up-tempo selection on this recording, with the melody also played by Fortune's tenor sax; and the title track, a medium-tempo number that features Fortune's flute and Jones on mallets and brushes. The three standards, "Beautiful Love," "You Don't Know Where Love Is," and "Stella By Starlight" are given relatively straightforward readings here. The normally aggressive Jones is more restrained than usual throughout this recording, probably so he doesn't overpower Tanaka, a good pianist who seems out of place playing with musicians the caliber of Jones, McBee, and Fortune. Not an essential recording except for Jones completists.