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Jack DeJohnette R.I.P.
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
I was sad to see this right before bed last night. One of my favorite drummers of all time for sure. I was a massive Jarrett Trio (and DeJohnette) student in high school and college and devoured every recording I could find. I was a drummer first, after all.
In the summer of 1996 I was considering going to Middle Tennessee State University for their audio engineering program. My friend who had already been in the program for a year invited me to come see the campus. We spent the weekend in Nashville and we spent one morning digging for records. As we were driving around, my friend introduced me to a great album on the new Bowers + Wilkins (audiophile) label, Flora Purim Speed of Light. We ended up finding some great recordings and at one shop I was tempted by some very cool VHS tapes of live performances I'd never seen. One of them was the Keith Jarrett Trio Live at Open Theater East (Japan). It was very expensive but I felt it was completely worth it because I couldn't find things like that in my area at the time. I cherished that tape and played it countless times. One of my favorite moments in that performance is when they do Solar and then go off into outer space.
Jack for me was the epitome of restraint. Make no mistake he had monster chops but rather, it was the space he created, the thoughtfulness, and his touch that I admired so much. RIP Jack.
In the summer of 1996 I was considering going to Middle Tennessee State University for their audio engineering program. My friend who had already been in the program for a year invited me to come see the campus. We spent the weekend in Nashville and we spent one morning digging for records. As we were driving around, my friend introduced me to a great album on the new Bowers + Wilkins (audiophile) label, Flora Purim Speed of Light. We ended up finding some great recordings and at one shop I was tempted by some very cool VHS tapes of live performances I'd never seen. One of them was the Keith Jarrett Trio Live at Open Theater East (Japan). It was very expensive but I felt it was completely worth it because I couldn't find things like that in my area at the time. I cherished that tape and played it countless times. One of my favorite moments in that performance is when they do Solar and then go off into outer space.
Jack for me was the epitome of restraint. Make no mistake he had monster chops but rather, it was the space he created, the thoughtfulness, and his touch that I admired so much. RIP Jack.
I always liked Jack’s piano playing, too. Seems like he always managed to get one song on his albums. But he did at least one solo piano recording. This one came out on a limited edition vinyl only label by subscription only (I recall it was an annual subscription, one LP a month for a few hundred bucks)
Here’s a real unusual one from 2011…Esperanza Spalding, Bruce Hornsby, Lionel Loueke, Ambrose Akinmusire…sheesh!
"As he heads into his eighth decade on the planet and approaches his sixth in music, DeJohnette is clearly healthy, happy and on a creative roll. Sound Travels is a powerful celebration, culmination and affirmation of an artist who may be paying it forward to his younger players, but remains the humble and appreciative reciprocal recipient on a collaborative date where there's little to prove but plenty to say"
-John Kelman
Here’s a real unusual one from 2011…Esperanza Spalding, Bruce Hornsby, Lionel Loueke, Ambrose Akinmusire…sheesh!
"As he heads into his eighth decade on the planet and approaches his sixth in music, DeJohnette is clearly healthy, happy and on a creative roll. Sound Travels is a powerful celebration, culmination and affirmation of an artist who may be paying it forward to his younger players, but remains the humble and appreciative reciprocal recipient on a collaborative date where there's little to prove but plenty to say"
-John Kelman
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World is not in a great place. I sometimes feel that many of these great musos are just checking out.
I was a big fan in High School and he really was my favourite drummer. Mind blowing limb independence, the super dark and dry cymbals, just everything. I got to see him performing in the 90's in support of the Parallel Realities album (Pat Metheney, Herbie Hancock, Dave Holland and Jack)
And once more at the Montreal Jazz Festival in 2007 with Keith Jarret and Dave Holland again...
And once more at the Montreal Jazz Festival in 2007 with Keith Jarret and Dave Holland again...
BassBrass,
You reminded me of his long history with John Ambercrombie, too.
My uncle used to have a booth at a flea market and he always had a box or two full of records for sale. I went to visit him after I came back from Korea in 1977 and he told me to go to the basement and pick out anything that I wanted. I picked out a sealed copy of the super-rare (for a reason) Giles Giles and Fripp LP, and John Abercrombie’s acoustic duo album with Ralph Towner Sargasso Sea, but it was Timeless that got a ton of spins. The way it blasts off with “Lungs” sold me instantly.
The four Gateway albums with John and Dave Holland are real standouts, especially the last one which is all improvs in the studio.
You reminded me of his long history with John Ambercrombie, too.
My uncle used to have a booth at a flea market and he always had a box or two full of records for sale. I went to visit him after I came back from Korea in 1977 and he told me to go to the basement and pick out anything that I wanted. I picked out a sealed copy of the super-rare (for a reason) Giles Giles and Fripp LP, and John Abercrombie’s acoustic duo album with Ralph Towner Sargasso Sea, but it was Timeless that got a ton of spins. The way it blasts off with “Lungs” sold me instantly.
The four Gateway albums with John and Dave Holland are real standouts, especially the last one which is all improvs in the studio.
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Then there’s this funky half hour, Jack and Dave are channeling James Brown half the time and heading for deep space with Chick the rest of the time. Keith and Airto look like they got dosed on something before they went on stage 
Miles of course just lets them all go and ropes them back in by playing a single phrase cueing the next tune.
Miles of course just lets them all go and ropes them back in by playing a single phrase cueing the next tune.
RIP Mr DeJohnette… this is one of my favorite recordings with the Jarrett Trio… the totally improvised „Sun Prayer“ from the Album Tribute
Loved Jack . . . One of the greatest of all time, my idol.
One of my favorite shows of all time was in '75 with "Jack DeJohnette's Directions" with Abercrombie & Holland. They ended the evening with a mindblowing extended version of Abercrombie's "Timeless", RIP Jack.
One of my favorite shows of all time was in '75 with "Jack DeJohnette's Directions" with Abercrombie & Holland. They ended the evening with a mindblowing extended version of Abercrombie's "Timeless", RIP Jack.
I know.
The loss list keep growing in 2025.
He was such a master. He was phenomenal. RIP Jack.
The loss list keep growing in 2025.
He was such a master. He was phenomenal. RIP Jack.
I was blessed to see him a few times, sadly never in small venue. A GREAT no doubt. One of my favorite sleeper albums is Grover Washington Jr/Kenny Burrell with Jack Dejohnnett and Ron Carter in the rhythm section.
- Dec 21, 2007
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I think the fact that we're discussing his death so intensely in our forum says a lot about how great a musician and person he was, and not just a masterful drummer. He greatly influenced us as bassists with his music and showed us new aspects of bass/drum interplay and beyond.
