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Elvin Jones: Revival: Live At Pookie’s Pub

By Mike Jurkovic
November 11, 2022
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Elvin Jones: Revival: Live At Pookie’s Pub

No matter your format of choice—the deluxe 180g 3-LP set, streaming, or a 2-CD package—there is some serious, late '60s hard bop soul-searching happening on this eye-opening, mind-expanding, previously unreleased Revival: Live at Pookie's Pub.

Elvin Jones

drums
1927 - 2004

" data-original-title="" title="">Elvin Jones cleared the cobwebs just two weeks after

John Coltrane

saxophone
1926 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">John Coltrane's passing and the resounding end to the classic quartet of Coltrane, Jones,

McCoy Tyner

piano
1938 - 2020

" data-original-title="" title="">McCoy Tyner and

Jimmy Garrison

bass, acoustic
1934 - 1976

" data-original-title="" title="">Jimmy Garrison. The writing had been on the wall that Coltrane was more than ready and eager to expand and contract the template as his spiritual needs necessitated to suit his expression, and Jones and Tyner were jamming outside the band as of late 1965, but his passing, as does anyone's, sealed the deal.

So, the remaining three moved on as true shamans do. Garrison went on to record with

Archie Shepp

saxophone, tenor
b.1937

" data-original-title="" title="">Archie Shepp,

Hampton Hawes

piano
1928 - 1977

" data-original-title="" title="">Hampton Hawes,

Alice Coltrane

piano
1937 - 2007

" data-original-title="" title="">Alice Coltrane and often with Jones. Tyner, who was already working with others, went on to quickly record such essential listening as The Real McCoy (Blue Note, 1967), (with Jones behind the drums), Expansions, (Blue Note, 1970), and Sahara, (Milestone, 1972). Jones chose to hit the bandstand at a downtown dive called Pookie's Pub with saxophonist

Joe Farrell

saxophone
1937 - 1986

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Farrell, pianist

Billy Greene

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Billy Greene and bassist

Wilbur Little

bass, acoustic
b.1928

" data-original-title="" title="">Wilbur Little and to let it wail.

And wail. Revival: Live at Pookie's Pub then does a whole lot more. A veritable explosion of bop power and majesty, Farrell plays like a man possessed, flailing away with his big high tone on the expansive and ensnaring cacophony which is Jones' gift to his wife "Keiko's Birthday March" and Farrell's frantic, sky diving "Avenue B." A phone rings, someone takes an order, glasses clink, and ghosts reminisce as Jones batters his set from beginning to end. His fiery, life affirming solo through "Avenue B" is worth the price of the package alone Then marvel at how the quartet jumps the dime so fast to slow things down for "My Funny Valentine" only to rev it all the way back up again for Greene's counter-punching "M.E." (Farrell blows intently Coltrane-like) is just one of those things that is experienced live and nowhere else. Add the swashbuckling "On the Trail" and the swing fueled "Softly As In a Morning Sunrise" and the virtuosity of the quartet becomes most clear and defining.

Under the ever-watchful eyes and ears of

David Weiss

trumpet
b.1964

" data-original-title="" title="">David Weiss,

Zev Feldman

producer

" data-original-title="" title="">Zev Feldman,

Don Was

bass
b.1952

" data-original-title="" title="">Don Was, and Ashley Kahn Revival: Live at Pookie's Pub is a pretty package complete with all the historical notation, analysis, and era-defining photos by Francis Wolff, Ozier Muhammad, and Christian Rose, which listeners truly enjoy engaging with while listening to such exciting, vital music.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Keiko's Birthday March; Gingerbread Boy; 13 Avenue B; My Funny Valentine; M.E..; On the Trail; Softly As In A Morning Sunrise; Raunchy Rita; Oleo.

Personnel

Elvin Jones

drums

Joe Farrell

saxophone

Billy Greene

piano

Wilbur Little

bass, acoustic

Larry Young

organ, Hammond B3

Additional Instrumentation

Joe Farrell: tenor saxophone (1—3, 5, 6, 8, 9), flute (4, 7); Larry Young: piano (2); Billy Greene: piano (1, 3-9).

Album information

Title: Revival: Live At Pookie’s Pub | Year Released: 2022 | Record Label: Blue Note Records

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