There’s a few good stories in these autographs, at the very least I was in the same room with some of my drumming heroes. Here’s some masters I managed to coax an autograph from.
Elvin Jones
Detroit Jazz Festival (1991)
Elvin Jones was playing the Detroit Jazz Festival Labour Day weekend 1991. I was perched right up front of the open-air show. I remember Ravi Coltrane was late catching a plane to the show. Elvin played alone for the first 15-20 minutes until the saxophonist arrived and the show began. After the show I hurried to the side of the gate where I thought he may exit and had the opportunity to shake his leathery hand and tell him what a fan I was. All I had was a business card for my oldies band. He was kind, said ‘no problem kid’ and signed my card. The band for the show was, I believe, Coltrane and Sonny Fortune on tenor, Chip Jackson on bass and I want to say Willie Pickens on piano, but I honestly can’t remember.
Elvin Jones, Detroit Jazz Festival 1991 (before the band played, shot on my trusty Minolta X700), Sonny Fortune bottom left.
Roy Haynes
Bird of Paradise,Ann Arbor (1998)
Roy Haynes at my favourite jazz club, the Bird of Paradise on South Ashley St. in Ann Arbor Michigan. Doesn't get much better than that. I was 5 feet from him while he played with his quartet. He also signed a copy of Out of the Afternoon, my favourite album of his. I know it was David Kikowski on piano, Ron Blake (whom I had become familiar with via the Roy Hargrove group) and I cannot remember the bass player’s name. I should write these details down. It was an incredible evening.
Max Roach
State Theatre, Detroit (1996)
Max Roach was playing with his classic quartet including Odeon Pope on tenor, Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet and Tyrone Brown on bass. The State Theatre in Detroit was a good music venue. I’d just seen Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis and Liza Minelli there not long ago. Anyway at this particular show they were supported by Straight Ahead, a wonderful group of musicians from Detroit including Gayelynn McKinney on drums, the great Marion Hayden on bass and Eileen Orr on piano. They were, as always, amazing. Anyway just how I got Max’s autograph (and failed to get the great Roy Brooks’) is the topic of a blog post here.
No pictures of Max sadly but did get to see him again in 2003 for the 50th anniversary of the Massey Hall concert with Herbie Hancock, Roy Hargrove, Kenny Garrett, Dave Holland, and Roy Haynes. Max played ‘Hr. Hi-Hat’, it was an incredible evening.
Jimmy Cobb
Top O’ the Senator, Toronto (2004)
Jimmy Cobb was performing a few nights at the Top O’ the Senator, a very good room on top of the Senator restaurant. He was playing with Mark Eisenman and Pat Collins, 2 legends of he Toronto/Canadian jazz scene. I went for 3 nights. It was, I think, on the second night, I decided to book a table at the Senator, as I often ate at venues where I was attending a show, sort of a ritual I guess you could say.
Anyway I arrived and who do I see in the restaurant but Jimmy Cobb sitting at a table by himself. I wandered up and asked him to sign a showbill. He graciously did, then invited me to sit down and join him for dinner. What a blessing that was, and he showed me a brush rhythm I still use today, the same rhythm in fact that Archie Alleyne showed me when I took a lesson at his house (in summary this rhythm involves a straight sweep with the left hand. The right hand plays the swing rhythm but digs in for a sweep on the 1 and 3, creating a very legato, smooth feel).
After the show I again walked up to Mr Cobb and asked a friend I had just met that night to take a photo (no iPhone on 2004 I’m afraid). The guy vanished after the show and never made contact to send the photo. Then, in 2005 I was in NYC with a friend, and who do I see at the Popover Cafe on 86th St. but Jimmy Cobb!
This time I got the photo. Jimmy Cobb died last week at 91, rest in peace, truly one of the greats and a tremendous inspiration to myself and many, many others.
With Jimmy Cobb, New York City 2005 (photo by Rob Jackson)
Chico Hamilton
Bird of Paradise (Ann Arbor) 1999
Another great show at the Bird of Paradise. I’m an enormous fan of Chico Hamilton, admittedly not knowing much about him before I saw Jazz on a Summer’s Day, but since then becoming quite aware of his enormous contribution. And I loved watching him in the Burt Lancaster movie The Sweet Smell of Success.
Anyway I remember he had this ‘gadget’ which suspended rivets above his cymbal, held by the centre nut. I remember the interaction with his guitar player, and the beauty of his mallet and brush work. I’m unsure of the players, as Chico tended to work with emerging talent but I believe Paul Ramsey was on bass and Eric Person was on tenor. I wish I could remember who the guitar player was as he was tremendous.
I saw the Quintet at the Detroit Jazz festival in 2003, Paul Ramsey was still on bass.
Chico Hamilton Quintet, Detroit Jazz Festival 2003
Louis Hayes
Detroit Jazz Festival (1998)
The great Louis Hayes was performing with a ‘Supergroup’ at the Detroit Jazz festival which included Barry Harris, Curtis Fuller, Charles McPhearson, Robert Hurst and Marcus Belgrave. I saw him standing with Curtis Fuller and made my way over for an autograph. I love his playing, so many great records, African Waltz with Cannonball Adderley, The Artistry of Freddie Hubbard (which has my favourite Louis Hayes track Happy Times), and Curtis Fuller with Red Garland, among many others. A true legend.
Louis Hayes with Barry Harris, Jim Gallert and Ira Gitler, Detroit Jazz Festival 1998
Curtis Fuller, Charles McPhearson, Barry Harris and Marcus Belgrave Detroit Jazz Festival 1998. Somehow I’ve misplaced the negative which shows Louis Hayes and Robert Hurst.
Andrew Cyrille
Village Vanguard, New York (2013)
On my honeymoon in October 2013 we went to New York City. We did all the things tourists do of course. We knew we were heading back to Australia after being in Canada for a while, and were looking forward to the return. One thing I definitely wanted to do was take Michelle to the Village Vanguard. I’d been before and have seen, among others, the Monday night Vanguard Orchestra and a terrific gig with Bobby Hutcherson. This time Andrew Cyrille was playing with his quartet. I’ll have to try and remember who was in the group, although I’m certain it was Eric Revis on bass. it was a stunning show. I’ve been a huge admirer of Cyrille since I heard the album To My Queen, by Walt Dickerson. Still one of my absolute favourite albums and Cyrille plays with felicity and gentleness with boundless creativity throughout. it was a joy to hear him in person.
Incidentally because we arrived a bit early we watched as he was interviewed and photographed for Modern Drummer magazine, with the article appearing in the February 2014 issue.
Andrew Cyrille at the Village Vanguard, October 2013