Jack DeJohnette

Jack DeJohnette, born in 1942, is a renowned jazz drummer, pianist, and composer known for his innovative work in jazz, fusion, and new-age music. A career that spanned five decades and included collaborations with some of the most iconic figures in modern jazz, NEA and Grammy winner – Jack DeJohnette had established an unchallenged reputation as one of the greatest drummers in the history of the genre. The list of creative associations throughout his career is lengthy and diverse: John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman, Sonny Rollins, Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans, Stan Getz, Keith Jarrett, Chet Baker, George Benson, Stanley Turrentine, Herbie Hancock, Dave Holland, Joe Henderson, Freddy Hubbard, Betty Carter and so many more. Along the way, he has developed a versatility that allows room for hard bop, R&B, world music, avant-garde, and just about every other style to emerge in the past half-century.

Jack had also composed soundtracks for both TV and video. These include a soundtrack in collaboration with Pat Metheny for a PBS play called “Lemon Sky”; a soundtrack for a documentary called “City Farmers” by Meryl Joseph and a video production with fellow percussionist Don Alias on Homespun tapes, “Talking drummers”, which includes a documentary that was made of the whole process. Jack also enjoyed a cameo appearance as a member of the“Alligator Blues Band” in the Blues Brothers 2000 movie.

We are filled with gratitude for the life and legacy of Jack DeJohnette — forever iconized as one of the greats. Godspeed, Jack!