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Jazz Legend Jack DeJohnette Dies at 83
The Grammy-winning drummer passed away in Kingston, New York after a career that was a celebration of the collaborative work with some of jazz’s greatest.
Famed jazz drummer Jack DeJohnette passed away on Sunday, October 26, at a hospital in Kingston, New York. He was 83 years old.
According to a spokesperson for the family, DeJohnette died of congestive heart failure, The New York Times reported. The family also took to social media to share the news.
The late Grammy winner made the most of his time on earth with his groundbreaking collaborations energy with Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, and Charles Lloyd.
A Musical Gift from Childhood
DeJohnette, born in Chicago on Aug. 9, 1942, was brought up by his mother and maternal grandmother, who officially adopted him. The grandmother was the one who really promoted and encouraged his love of music — she bought him a spinet piano and signed him up for lessons at the age of 5.
Additionally, DeJohnette’s uncle Roy Wood Sr., a radio announcer and jazz disc jockey, also played a significant role in the development of the young DeJohnette’s musical passion by taking him to clubs throughout the city, where he was introduced to the vibrant Chicago jazz scene.
From Piano to Percussion
When he was in high school, DeJohnette was a rock ’n’ roll piano player with a doo-wop group. After listening to pianist Ahmad Jamal’s 1958 live album At the Pershing: But Not for Me, DeJohnette’s musical direction changed back to jazz.
In 1961, DeJohnette after graduating from Chicago Vocational School — where he met his first wife, Deatra Davenport — changed to drums when a friend’s drum set was left in his family’s basement. He learned jazz drum technique by playing along with records of jazz drummers.
DeJohnette took the advice of pianist Muhal Richard Abrams and in 1966 he went to New York. In the same year, he started his professional career as a member of Charles Lloyd’s quartet, performing alongside saxophonist-flutist Lloyd and bassist Cecil McBee. They toured worldwide, opening concerts for bands like Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead.
A Defining Era with Miles Davis In 1969
DeJohnette was brought into Miles Davis’ band by Davis himself, which was a turning point in his career. Consequently, he was part of the Davis’ revolutionary 1970 album Bitches Brew. In his memoir, Davis acknowledged the drummer, saying that DeJohnette “gave me a certain deep groove that I just loved to play over,” as reported by The New York Times.
Later on, DeJohnette both founded and featured in the different groups such as New Directions, the Special Edition, and the Standards Trio, which were all critically acclaimed. Along with pianist Keith Jarrett and bassist Gary Peacock, he established the Standards Trio which made their first album Standards, Vol. 1 in 1983 — a trio that would later be recognized as one of the most influential in the jazz genre of the 20th century.
Genre-Bending and Recognition
DeJohnette was constantly on the lookout for fresh sounds and styles throughout his career. By 1992, he was playing as a rock drummer, thus demonstrating his cross-genre versatility. In 2006, he was awarded the Grammy Award for Peace Time, a recording of serene soundscapes that very much brought to light his side of the experiment.
The 2015 release of Made in Chicago saw him going back to his avant-garde roots.
During his later years, DeJohnette was showered with various awards for his musical contributions, one of which was the title of National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master he was given in 2012. In 2016, he came back to the very first instrument with Return, his debut solo piano album.
Tributes from Music Industry
On Instagram, after the news of his passing was shared, the response of tributes from the friends and musicians was overwhelming. Music drummers and musicians mostly went out of their way to express their condolences and tributes in the comments section.
“Rest in power MAESTRO. Our hearts are broken yet full of what you have given us. Thank you, Sir,” expressed the drummer Vinnie Colaiuta.
“Rest in Peace, Power, and Paradise Maestro, till we meet again,” echoed Johnathan Blake.
“Rest in Paradise maestro @jackdejohnette_. Thank you for everything you shared with us! Light to your soul,” said Dafnis Prieto.
Remembering Jack DeJohnette’s Legacy
Fellow musicians honor the innovative one-of-a-kind Grammy-winning drummer’s creativity and his lasting influence on jazz.
“It is very difficult to find the right words to describe what Jack was as a musician, a pioneering figure, and a wonderful human being,” said drummer Antonio Sanchez. “He was always, without exception, the creative eye of the storm whatever the context was. In a very effortless way, he opened up countless new and almost magical paths for musicians to follow while at the same time he kept on challenging and pushing them. He was so singular in our music that if I told you just his first name, you would be the one to immediately understand not only the sound but the energy as well that I was referring to.”
DeJohnette’s legacy lives on through his wife Lydia, whom he was married to for 57 years, and their two daughters, Farah and Minya.
