AMG Review of Live at the Village Vanguard

Scott Yanow
All Music Guide

In what was probably the first recording by drummer Elvin Jones' working group (and one of his first after the death of John Coltrane), the focus is very much on tenor saxophonist George Coleman. The trio (which also includes bassist Wilbur Little) stretches out on Coleman's "By George," "Laura" and "You Don't Know What Love Is" and is joined by trumpeter Marvin "Hannibal" Peterson for a 15-minute version of "Mister Jones." The music is very much in the late-'50s/early-'60s modal vein of Coltrane, and although only the length of an LP (just a touch over 40 minutes), the playing on this CD reissue is excellent and reasonably exploratory.