Jazz Drummer Jack DeJohnette Has Died

Renowned jazz drummer Jack DeJohnette died at age 83. The NEA Jazz Master passed away peacefully at Kingston Hospital in New York, surrounded by his wife, family, and close friends, according to a statement released by his representatives.

DeJohnette collaborated with numerous pivotal figures in jazz and beyond, including Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Sonny Rollins, Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans, Stan Getz, Keith Jarrett, Chet Baker, George Benson, Herbie Hancock, Dave Holland and Betty Carter, among others.

DeJohnette was a recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Jazz Master Fellowship in 2012 — the nation’s highest honor for jazz musicians — he was celebrated for his innovative approach to rhythm and his role in shaping the sound of contemporary jazz over more than 50 years.

His musical journey began in Chicago, where he was born in 1942. Piano was his first instrument, which he began studying at age 4 at the Chicago Conservatory of Music. He didn’t pick up drumsticks until joining his high school concert band at 14.

The late 1960s proved transformative for DeJohnette. His work with the Charles Lloyd Quartet brought him international attention, and in 1968 he joined Miles Davis’s band at a pivotal moment. His drumming anchored the groundbreaking album Bitches Brew, helped reconfigure jazz for years to come. During his tenure with Davis, DeJohnette appeared on other notable recordings including Live-Evil and A Tribute to Jack Johnson.

While working as a sideman, DeJohnette simultaneously built his own discography as a leader, beginning with 1968’s The DeJohnette Complex. Throughout the 1970s, he led several influential groups, most notably Special Edition, which became a launching pad for then-emerging artists like David Murray, Arthur Blythe, and Chico Freeman.

His musical partnerships were remarkably diverse. He formed the Gateway Trio alongside bassist Dave Holland and guitarist John Abercrombie in the mid-1970s.

DeJohnette’s decades-long collaboration with pianist Keith Jarrett and bassist Gary Peacock became one of jazz’s most celebrated trios. In the 1990s, he joined forces with Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, and Holland for tours and the 1992 album, Music for a Fifth World.

DeJohnette founded his own label, Golden Beams Productions, in 2005, exploring everything from African music to meditation soundscapes. His 2009 album Peace Time earned him a Grammy Award in the New Age category.

Honors accumulated throughout his later years: an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music (1991), induction into the Percussive Arts Society’s Hall of Fame (2010), and numerous appearances in reader and critic polls. His 70th birthday in 2012 sparked a year-long celebration featuring performances at Newport and Monterey jazz festivals.

Recently, DeJohnette remained active with projects including his trio with Matthew Garrison and Ravi Coltrane, and the supergroup Hudson with John Scofield, John Medeski and Larry Grenadier.