Elvin Jones - Dear John C.

Acoustic Sounds Series reissues from Verve/Universal Music Enterprises!

Monthly releases highlighting the world's most historic and best jazz records!

Mastered by Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab from the original analog tapes

180-gram LPs pressed at Quality Record Pressings!

Stoughton Printing gatefold old-style tip-on jackets

Series supervised by Chad Kassem CEO of Acoustic Sounds

"The variety from cut to cut is engaging, and there's nothing over the top, even the drumming of Elvin Jones. With the musicality at a high level, Dear John C. needs revisiting by drumming students and jazz fans to note how teamwork, shared values, and held-in-check dynamics benefit the overall quality of music. ... Dear John C. is deserving of an excellent rating." — 4 Stars, AllMusic

Capture the raw energy and profound reverence of mid-1960s jazz with Elvin Jones' 1965 masterpiece, Dear John C. Released on the prestigious Impulse! label, this celebrated album stands as a brilliant, deeply personal milestone in the career of one of jazz's most revolutionary drummers. Named in heartfelt tribute to his longtime bandleader and musical soulmate, John Coltrane, the record finds Jones stepping fully into the spotlight, showcasing his polyrhythmic genius not just as a powerhouse engine, but as an incredibly nuanced storyteller.

To bring this vision to life, Jones assembled a stellar, revolving lineup of jazz giants. The album breathes with the lyrical, soaring alto saxophone of Charlie Mariano and the deeply rooted, adventurous bass lines of Richard Davis. The piano chair is brilliantly shared by two distinct masters: Elvin's own brother, the elegant Hank Jones, and the sophisticated Sir Roland Hanna. Together, they create a dynamic, tactile soundscape that ranges from fierce, complex bop to tender, introspective ballads.

Essential for vinyl purists and jazz aficionados alike, Dear John C. is more than a tribute — it is a masterclass in rhythm, a celebration of artistic brotherhood, and an unforgettable snapshot of an era when jazz was reshaping the world.

 

Side A

1. Dear John C.

2. Smoke Rings

3. Love Bird

4. Feeling Good

5. Anthropology

Side B

1. This Love Of Mine

2. Fantazm

3. Ballade

4. Everything Happens To Me

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