Jack DeJohnette, Jazz Drumming Innovator and miles Davis Collaborator, dies at 83
A towering figure in jazz, Jack DeJohnette, celebrated for his dynamic and versatile drumming alongside legends like Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, and Charles Lloyd, has died at the age of 83. The news was confirmed by a press representative for ECM, the record label that released many of his recordings, though a cause of death was not disclosed.
DeJohnette possessed a rare ability to seamlessly navigate diverse musical landscapes, from the avant-garde to R&B-infused grooves. He is perhaps most widely recognized for his pivotal role in Davis’s groundbreaking fusion period, contributing to seminal albums such as Bitches Brew, Jack Johnson, and On the Corner. He also garnered acclaim as a frequent sideman and bandleader, releasing a series of elegant and progressive fusion albums thru ECM in the 1980s.
Born in Chicago in 1942,DeJohnette’s musical journey began with piano lessons around the age of five or six,an instrument he continued to play alongside the drums,which he picked up in his early teens.He eloquently articulated the connection between the two, stating, “Piano and drums are part of the percussion family. There’s no separation: learning one thing feeds the other.”
His early musical experiences were diverse, encompassing doo-wop vocals and rock ‘n’ roll before he gravitated towards jazz in the late 1950s, forming his own trio. He collaborated with pioneering figures like Sun Ra and his Arkestra, and forged connections with Chicago’s avant-garde scene, including Muhal Richard Abrams and Roscoe Mitchell. A especially memorable experience involved substituting for Elvin Jones in John Coltrane’s band during a chicago performance, which DeJohnette described as “a realy great, physical and spiritual experience.”
in the mid-1960s, DeJohnette relocated to New York City with a mere $28 to his name, resolute to pursue music professionally. He quickly established himself, working with artists such as Freddie Hubbard and Jackie McLean, and then embarked on a sustained collaboration with Charles Lloyd in his quartet, alongside Keith Jarrett – a frequent collaborator throughout his career.
A connection with pianists, including Jarrett, Bill Evans, and Herbie hancock, was a hallmark of DeJohnette’s career. he also formed the influential group Gateway with John Abercrombie and dave Holland, among countless other projects.He even made a cameo appearance in the film Blues Brothers 2000.
throughout his career,DeJohnette approached the drums with a deeply musical sensibility,viewing them as more than just a rhythmic foundation. “I am hearing orchestrally,” he once said. “I guess one example would be the cymbals are to my drum set what the sustain pedal is on the acoustic piano. So I am hearing colours.”
A two-time Grammy winner, most recently in 2022 with Skyline (a collaboration with Ron Carter and Gonzalo Rubalcaba) for best jazz instrumental album, DeJohnette was also honored as a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master in 2012.
DeJohnette was married twice, first to Deirdre Davenport, whom he met in junior college in Chicago. He met his second wife, Lydia, backstage at Ronnie Scott’s in London in 1966, and she later joined him in the United States. They had two daughters, Farah and Minya. He even dedicated a track to Lydia on his 2001 album Time & Space, made with Dave Holland.
Jack DeJohnette’s influence on jazz drumming and his contributions to the genre’s evolution will undoubtedly resonate for generations to come.
