The French series covers major figures by excerpting their work from a large number of albums and, since Elvin did little under his own name until after being with Coltrane (who is only represented by the first version of ‘Impressions’), nearly everything here has him as a sideman. It makes sense that, in a period of prolific freelance recording, Elvin was employed with such a variety of leaders but it's deeply instructive how well he fits in everywhere, with aggressive sticks or discreet brushes and always swinging. Naturally, he's better recorded on the Hamburg concert for NDR radio but the result features just seven numbers, only one of which lasts less than 15 minutes. The format is familiar from his 1980s visits to Ronnie's, with a two-tenor front-line of the late ex-Blakey sideman Jefferson and the still Chicago-resident Armstrong being musically undistinguished (and unidentified). The energy level is naturally high, but the conventional sounds of Karashima and Horne don't add a lot, especially on two lengthy ballads with the saxes absent. Of course, if you never experienced Elvin's own groups live, it's wonderful to hear him at full tilt, but it would have been more impressive with stronger soloists.