Elvin Ray Jones (September 9, 1927 – May 18, 2004) was an American jazz drummer of the post-bop era. Jones' sense of timing, polyrhythms, dynamics, timbre, and legato phrasing helped bring the drum set to the foreground. Whenever Elvin sat down at his kit he played with authority, conviction, and pure raw emotion. His drumming was extremely natural and free-flowing, bursting with spontaneity and endless creativity. Much of Elvin’s playing can be compared to the “sheets of sound” that was used to describe John Coltrane’s solo on “Giant Steps.” In other words, Elvin’s complex, ever-changing style could at times be compared to a wall of sound, which seemed as if two or three drummers were playing at once.

His phrases often avoided the standardized musical constraints of downbeats and bar lines. His groove was relentless, and ride cymbal phrasing was unprecedented. He possessed a keen melodic instinct, an uncanny ability to create and shape musical colors and textures, an individual touch and sound, and endless energy. Elvin’s rhythmic juxtapositions and superimpositions earned him the title of “ the most polyrhythmic drummer in jazz history.” Although Elvin wasn’t the first to use the rate shift, the way he introduced the shifts was unique.

Elvin would make the change in unexpected or uncommon places, like for example on beat 2 or beat 4 of a song, giving the impression of playing odd phrases on top of a 4/4 song. As an example, he would use 8th note notes triplets for most of a phrase, then suddenly in beat 2, he goes into a run of 16th notes. That type of rate shift gives the impression of the phrasing speeding up, and also a feeling of flowing over the tempo. He did this quite a lot, both in his comping and his soloing. Those shift rates from 8th note triplets to 16th notes is one of Elvin’s trademarks. An example would be John Coltrane’s “Acknowledgment” where you can really hear those triplets fills.

Another contribution from Elvin’s playing is his polyrhythmic phrasing. Some of the most common of Elvin’s polyrhythmic ideas were ¾ and 5/4 phrases on top of the 4/4 bar. When playing a drum solo, it may sound like he’s playing free, (no tempo, no structures) but in reality, he’s keeping track of the song’s form. This is another concept for which Elvin is known for is not letting the ride go. He would play intricate rhythmic patterns between his left hand and feet, keeping the jazz ride pattern all the way through.

He would play a polyrhythmic idea, and keep the ride happening, creating contrast by playing the two rhythmic layers, the ride cymbal in for example 4/4 and the motif in ¾ underneath. Finally, another trademark from Elvin’s playing is his use of the second or middle triplet. Throughout Elvin’s playing, he stresses or even lands phrases on the second triplet, he also stresses the second triplet on all of those ideas. He would for example land the phrase on the kick drum in the second triplet of beat four, giving a deceiving resolution. The phrases feel like they’re left open up in the air, creating a lot of tension.

Elvin Jones was one of those drummers who brought many innovations to the drums, and his influence can not only be felt in jazz but in every musical genre.