Midnight Walk

Though by this point in jazz history it should be clear that drummer Elvin Jones was very much his own man, he’s still considered primarily as a force in John Coltrane’s mid-'60s quartet. From the middle of the decade onward, the Detroit-born Jones led his own groups. Some were more conservative than his previous employer’s, while others found him navigating a very personal path through the avant-garde. Recorded in 1966, Midnight Walk was Jones’ first for Atlantic. It featured his brother Thad on trumpet, a rare non–Blue Note appearance from tenorman Hank Mobley, South African pianist Dollar Brand, bassist Walter Booker, percussionist George Abend, and electric keyboardist Steve James. All the pieces here are by group members, with Brand’s rolling, chant-like “Tintiyana” taking center stage on the album’s first half. Mobley’s “H.M. on F.M.” maintains a loose Latin feel that would've fit in well on any of his Blue Note dates. Whether on boogaloo-type tunes or Thad Jones’ knottier themes, Elvin’s skipping triplets and volcanism provide an excellent match