Jack DeJohnette facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jack DeJohnette
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DeJohnette in 2015
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| Background information | |
| Born | August 9, 1942 Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Genres | Jazz, jazz fusion, new-age |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instruments | Drums, piano, percussion, melodica |
| Years active | 1961–present |
| Labels | Milestone, Prestige, ECM, MCA, Blue Note, Columbia |
| Associated acts | Miles Davis, Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Sonny Rollins, Charles Lloyd, Michael Brecker, Pat Metheny, John Abercrombie, McCoy Tyner, Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, Don Byron, Compost (band) |
Jack DeJohnette (born August 9, 1942) is an American jazz drummer, pianist, and composer. He is famous for playing with many great musicians. These include Miles Davis, Keith Jarrett, and Herbie Hancock.
DeJohnette was recognized for his amazing drumming when he joined the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 2007. He has also won two Grammy Awards for his music.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Musical Start
Jack DeJohnette was born in Chicago, Illinois. He started playing music at a very young age. He began studying piano when he was just four years old. He even played piano professionally by the time he was 14.
When Jack was 13, he switched to playing the drums. A local jazz drummer named Bobby Miller Jr. taught him how to play. Jack's uncle, Roy Wood Sr., who was a disc jockey, inspired him to pursue music.
In Chicago, DeJohnette played different styles of music. These included R&B, hard bop, and avant-garde jazz. He led his own bands and also played with other musicians. He even performed with the famous musician Sun Ra. In the early 1960s, he got to play with John Coltrane, a very important jazz artist.
Moving to New York and Gaining Fame
In 1966, DeJohnette moved to New York City. There, he joined the Charles Lloyd Quartet. This band was important because it mixed rock and roll ideas with jazz. In this group, Jack met pianist Keith Jarrett, who became a long-time musical partner.
DeJohnette left Lloyd's group in 1968. He then played with other artists like Jackie McLean and Bill Evans. He joined Bill Evans's trio in 1968. That same year, their group performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival. They also made a famous album called Bill Evans at the Montreux Jazz Festival.
Playing with Miles Davis
In 1969, Jack DeJohnette joined Miles Davis's band. Miles Davis was a legendary jazz trumpeter. Davis saw that DeJohnette could combine rock and roll rhythms with jazz improvisation. This was a new and exciting sound.
DeJohnette was a main drummer on Davis's album ... Brew. The musicians felt these recording sessions were very creative. Miles Davis would get new ideas as they played, and the music would just flow. DeJohnette was a key part of the rhythm section for this album. He also played on live albums that followed, from concerts in New York and San Francisco.
DeJohnette continued to work with Miles Davis for three more years. During this time, he also played with other members of Davis's band. These included John McLaughlin and Chick Corea. He also brought Keith Jarrett into the band. DeJohnette played on other Miles Davis albums like Live-Evil and Jack Johnson. He left Davis's group in 1971.
Leading His Own Bands in the 1970s and 80s
Jack DeJohnette released his first album, The DeJohnette Complex, in 1968. On this album, he played the melodica as well as drums. He later released more albums like Have You Heard and Cosmic Chicken. He then started recording with ECM, a record label that gave him a lot of creative freedom.
This freedom allowed DeJohnette to start his own groups. In 1972, he formed a group called Compost. He also continued to play as a sideman for other artists. He rejoined Stan Getz's quartet and helped form the Gateway Trio. This trio included his long-time friends Dave Holland and John Abercrombie.
DeJohnette formed other groups like Directions and New Directions. His group Special Edition became very popular. This group helped many young horn players become known.
During this time, DeJohnette's drumming was praised for being both powerful and subtle. He also started playing with Keith Jarrett's trio in 1983. This trio focused on playing classic jazz songs. The group, with Jarrett and bassist Gary Peacock, played together for over 25 years.
In the early 1980s, DeJohnette also played on the album 80/81 with Pat Metheny. He also performed at the Woodstock Jazz Festival in 1981.
From the 1990s to Today
DeJohnette continued to work with Special Edition in the 1990s. He also toured with Herbie Hancock and Pat Metheny. In 1992, he released Music for the Fifth World. This album was inspired by Native American teachings.
He also started playing the piano again in the 1980s. In 1994, he toured as a solo pianist. He also reunited with the Gateway trio. In 1990, he received an honorary music degree from Berklee College of Music.
In 2004, he was nominated for a Grammy for his work with Keith Jarrett. In the following years, DeJohnette started new projects. These included the Latin Project and the Jack DeJohnette Quartet. He also formed Trio Beyond, which honored his friend Tony Williams.
In 2005, DeJohnette started his own record label, Golden Beams Productions. He released an electronic album called Music in the Key of Om on this label. This album was made for relaxing and meditating. It was nominated for a Grammy in the Best New Age Album category.
DeJohnette continued to make albums and tour. In 2008, he toured with Bobby McFerrin and Chick Corea. In 2009, he won a Grammy Award for Best New Age Album for Peace Time. In 2010, he formed the Jack DeJohnette Group.
In 2012, DeJohnette released Sound Travels, which featured many guest artists. That same year, he received the NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship. This award recognized his important contributions to jazz music.
Musical Style
Jack DeJohnette's drumming style is very unique. It combines elements of jazz, free jazz, world music, and R&B. Many people consider him one of the best drummers. He started playing with a traditional grip but later switched to a matched grip because of a hand problem.
Critics say he is more than just a drummer. They call him a "percussionist" and a "colorist." This means his drumming adds many different sounds and feelings to the music. Modern Drummer magazine described his drumming as "beyond technique."
DeJohnette sees himself as an "abstract thinker" when he plays solos. He likes to be "in the flow" of the music. He says that when he plays, he enters a "different headspace." He feels like he connects to a "cosmic library of ideas." When playing with Keith Jarrett's trio, he uses a lot of control. This helps him play with the delicate touch the music needs.
Even though he is famous as a drummer, DeJohnette is also a trained pianist. He started piano lessons at age four. He later studied at the Chicago Conservatory of Music. He has released solo piano albums and toured as a pianist. He also plays piano and other keyboards on his albums.
He has been influenced by many other great drummers. These include Max Roach, Art Blakey, and Tony Williams.
Awards
- Fellow of United States Artists (2012)
- NEA Jazz Master (2012)
- Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Skyline, 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards
- Grammy Award for Best New Age Album, Peace Time, 51st Annual Grammy Awards
- Five additional Grammy Award nominations
Images for kids
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DeJohnette in 2015
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Jack DeJohnette in 2006
See also
In Spanish: Jack DeJohnette para niños
