It would be interesting to know the back story on why he had that drum.

He was a real dynamo. At the DeCordova, he had a rather young Ravi Coltrane with him. It was a nice outdoor afternoon of great music.

Correction to my memory (all too often nowadays). I thought DeCordova was late 80's. Actually early 90's. Sad to see it is a "defunct" venue:

Elvin Jones Jazz Machine

DeCordova Museum

Lincoln, MA

8-23-1992

FM>cass>LP Recorder>LP Ripper>wav>FLAC

taped and transferred by steve slslbsATmsnDOTcom

1-Introduction

2-Afro Blue

3-Body & Soul

4-Sophisticated Lady

5-Shinjitsu (Truth)*

6-Mr Day

7-applause, stage announcements

8-Three Card Monty

Personnel

Elvin Jones-drums

Nicholas Payton-trumpet

Ravi Coltrane-tenor, soprano sax

Javon Jackson-tenor sax

Willie Pickens-piano

Any McKee-bass

From the now defunct Sunday afternoon summer jazz series at Decordova Museum, Lincoln MA. Many great shows. This was initially broadcast by WGBH FM, the local PBS station. Radio announcements with Eric Jackson were edited out.

Apologies for misstating the color Kona.

Here's an illustration of one of the situations in which you see an odd floor tom in use. At first it is behind the matching FT and then the matching FT is removed in favor of what appears to be a WMP or white version.

Could be he just found that drum, liked the sound and went with it.

Hi Dan

The only 'back story' I personally have regarding the drum is what Donn Bennett told me.

He said after Elvin passed he met with Keiko Jones a few times to learn all he could about Elvin. He said her stories were fascinating and he thoroughly enjoyed listening to her talk about Elvin. Donn negotiated a price to buy everything ..... a room filled from floor to ceiling full of Elvin's drums and drum gear. Donn told me Keiko told him Elvin leant out a lot of gear over the years.

Elvin leant out the set before he met Keiko and only the floor tom was returned after he met Keiko.

Donn told me he does not know any more about the drum than that.

I haven't been able to find a photo showing Elvin playing the drum but according to what Keiko told Donn (and her letter of Provenance signed by her) the drum and fiber floortom case was Elvin's.

Gary

Even that much is a great back story. Wouldn't we all have loved to see the room where he had all that stuff?

There was something about Elvin's open and normally smiling face that you can sense he would be the kind of person to loan things, but not go looking to get them back.

Thanks for letting us in on that history.