His favorite drummer, Elvin Jones, played polyrhythmically (multiple rhythm streams that maintain more than one pulse at the same time) and with great intensity. Elvin was playing on his drum set what an African drum ensemble with four or five drummers would play. Elvin was always changing the flow of the rhythm as Trane soloed and would change his accompaniment for each soloist in the band.
	He and his quartet played like they were having a four way conversation, where everyone had space to say something at any moment. Trane would go high and Elvin would cymbal bash to send him higher. Elvin would roll and Trane would play a repetitive rolling pattern to match Elvin's figures. Elvin would play a pattern on his low drums and Trane would honk low to get down there with him. At the strongest moments, all four men would together spin the music like a giant man getting ready to throw a huge weight for miles.
	His sound was very vocal. He wasn't trying for the clean sound that Westerners idolize. He was willing to moan, sob, shout and scream with his horn.