Last Jones Bros. Session Due in Sept.

Columbia and Eighty-Eight’s will release the Great Jazz Trio’s Someday My Prince Will Come-a recording featuring the final session that paired drummer Elvin Jones (pictured) and pianist Hank Jones-on September 14. The Great Jazz Trio-composed of brothers Elvin and Hank and bassist Richard Davis-intend this collection of 10 standards as a fond farewell to drummer Elvin, who died in May.

“This was our last session together,” Hank recalled. “Elvin and I recorded an album a few years earlier for Verve [1994’s Upon Reflection: The Music of Thad Jones -Ed.]. But we hadn’t done that many over the years really. Of course, Elvin had his own group, so our paths didn’t cross that much. But this time they happened to with Richard Davis on bass.”

Hank also explained the background of the Trio.

“[Producer] Yasohachi Itoh selected the tunes and the personnel,” Hank said. “It was patterned after the so-called Great Jazz Trio, which consisted of Ron Carter, Tony Williams and myself. That was the basic idea behind it.”

Founded in 1976 by Hank with drummer Williams and bassist Carter, the Great Jazz Trio performed regularly at the Village Vanguard resulting in their first album, Love For Sale. The original trio recorded numerous albums including Direct From L.A. and Milestones, but by the mid-’80s the Trio, with Hank Jones at the helm, enjoyed a revolving cast that included such drummers as Al Foster, Roy Haynes and Jimmy Cobb, and bassists Eddie Gomez, George Mraz and Mads Vinding. The Trio has recorded with such guests as Art Farmer, Benny Golson and Nancy Wilson.

Someday My Prince Will Come track list:

Caravan

Softly As In a Morning Sunrise

Moose the Mooche

A Child Is Born

Satin Doll

Someday My Prince Will Come

The Shadow of Your Smile

Long Ago and Far Away

You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

Originally Published July 8, 2004