David Liebman

Liner Notes

When an interviewer asks the stock question concerning notable gigs one might recall, a concert I will always remember was during my tenure with Elvin Jones at the L’Olympia Theater in Paris. The feature was a “drum battle” with Elvin, Art Blakey, and Roy Haynes. As you can hear, we (Elvin, Steve Grossman, and Gene Perla) played a few
tunes in front and then accompanied these masters on their journey that evening. I can recall that set clearly, remembering the vibes between these three masters, love, respect, and competition. Here are the top guys in their field and in their prime playing their butts off. When Art hits that “Night In Tunisia” bell of the cymbal beat that we
all know, I still remember the thrills going up and down my spine. This is spontaneous jazz at its best, mistakes and all. What a memorable night!! – David Liebman