“After knowing this kind of musical information one can then begin to construct and orchestrate a musical drum part that has some substance along with a musical shape to it.”
With that in mind, we felt it was valuable to demonstrate the fascinating way that Elvin orchestrated his drum part to compliment a song’s melody. Elvin’s composition titled “Three Card Molly” really captured my imagination. I will never forget the time back in May of 1979 when Elvin stayed at my home. I asked if he could show me how he orchestrated that particular drum part, and he graciously sat down behind my drum set and began to demonstrate his rhythmic phrasing of the melody. Needless to say, I asked if he could please play it slowly so I could try to grasp the complexity and nuances of his drumming. With my tape recorder running, I stood there and watched in amazement the work of a true drum genius.
Concerning the following musical transcription, it’s very important to understand that the drumming of Elvin Jones is beyond any transcription. Musical notation has its limits, especially when it comes to jazz performance. One cannot notate such significant and personalized characteristics as pure emotion, human spirit, truth, and intensity, or that incredible loose and relaxed feel that was such an important part of that unmistakable Elvin Jones sound.
Performance Notes. “Three Card Molly” is made up of two different melodic phrases. The A phrases are eight measures in length, while the B phrase (or bridge) is four measures long. Compare the lead sheet melody with the drum transcription and notice how every note of the melody has been orchestrated with Elvin’s unique use of triplet phrasing. The accents notated on both the melody page and the drum part should help provide you with a basic reference point.
Elvin masterfully interprets the “contrast” phrase at letter B, creating almost primal patterns using toms and bass drum. This, along with his shifting accents, both complements and shapes the rising and falling tension of the melodic line. His rhythmic phrasing during the bridge is quite polyrhythmic and highly syncopated, yet he always makes it groove and swing so damn hard — it’s just phenomenal! As mentioned earlier, Elvin plays some things that are beyond notation, and his part during the bridge is one of those instances. The A and B phrases clearly demonstrate Elvin’s uncanny ability to come up with unique textural and rhythmic phrases that “play the music” as only he can.
I do not hear solos even remotely close to this for the past 30 years or more...