Elvin Jones

A rhythmic force of nature, drummer Elvin Jones elevated the role of the drummer in the modern jazz tradition, both on his own and as a key member of saxophonist John Coltrane's classic '60s quartet. Jones cultivated a singularly edgy style, often playing along with rather than behind a soloist, making bold, out-of-meter accents, and favoring a propulsive, polyrhythmic flow over simply keeping time, traits that bridged hard bop, modal jazz, and the avant-garde and influencing even rock artists like John Bonham and Ginger Baker. He brought all of these elements to fruition with...