Jazz Anniversary: August 15, 1957 @ Stockholm “Relaxin’ at Camarillo” by Tommy Flanagan

August 15, 1957 “Relaxin’ at Camarillo”
by Tommy Flanagan Trio (Wilbur Little, Elvin Jones) at Metronome Studio, Stockholm for Prestige (Overseas)

It is a masterpiece, but one that gives me chills no matter how many times I listen to it. Even though it is summer, this is a hot piano trio performance recorded in the cool, refreshing air of Stockholm, Scandinavia. Above all, the charm lies in how the overflowing technique of Elvin Jones’s brushwork on the drums and his powerful sense of drive are captured with such freshness and vividness. If someone were to unleash such an intense performance, their fellow musicians would surely be overwhelmed. However, as the leader of this work, the master supporting pianist Tommy Flanagan, a true craftsman, stands his ground, playing with a more forward-leaning and powerful touch than usual, which is the wonderful, tension-filled highlight of this performance.

In works of this kind, rather than focusing on the instruments that stand out, a sophisticated way to enjoy jazz is to listen closely to the bass played by Wilbur Little, which bridges the gap between the two and often gets overlooked. The three of them becoming one, swinging intensely with the tenacity and power of the East Coast style composed of Black musicians, is the highlight of this work.

That said, I am in awe of the virtuoso performance by the drummer, Elvin, the key player in this session, who pushes with his power and back-beat, sending out waves of fluctuation and surging energy.

Despite the intensity of the drumming, he uses wire brushes instead of sticks. The “shushing” sound like flowing sand is created by rubbing the snare drum with both hands in a figure-eight motion. While usually used for ballads or softer moments, Elvin’s brilliance lies in his ability to daringly apply this technique to a fast-paced, intense song, perfectly adjusting the dynamics.

Elvin is known for his power and dynamism, but his endlessly varied rhythms, delivered with exquisite shifts in tempo and tight hits, show that he is actually quite dexterous. In the midst of this, just when you think the performance has settled down, an unexpected strike—like at 2:55—suddenly descends, making the thrilling unpredictability of Elvin’s playing a true highlight.

The song is a standard by Charlie Parker, which requires a high level of performance skill typical of Parker, but I take my hat off to the trio for their ability to develop it at a speed that is even more overwhelming.

The label is the US-based Prestige, but this is a rare overseas recording, which is why the album is titled “Overseas.” The album cover is memorable for its excessive use of the letter “C.” Along with Flanagan’s name, the word “Over” is written above these multiple “C”s, a pun that deserves several cushions for its cleverness in representing “Over Cs (seas).”

And here is the album cover from the reissue featuring the Prestige logo. The second from the left is Flanagan.

Here are the previously introduced songs featuring Flanagan’s playing. All of them are masterpieces with high historical value in jazz. Flanagan’s true essence lies in his ability to perform high-quality music with anyone, regardless of the style, without any awkwardness or unpleasantness.

The definitive hard bop masterpiece, one of Sonny Rollins’s best.

A landmark of early modal jazz by John Coltrane.

A soul jazz masterpiece by Chicago tenor great Gene Ammons.

By the way, Stockholm, the recording location, has long been a city with ties to jazz. It has hosted many great performances, and there is also a famous standard called “Dear Old Stockholm,” which I will introduce later this month.

You can also enjoy a great brush performance on drums in a piano trio by listening to this brilliant handling that gently accompanies the mellow piano.

For the same clear, Scandinavian atmosphere as this work, please listen to this piano trio performance recorded in Oslo with high sound quality.

Finally, if you are interested in the composer Charlie Parker, please check out this article.