Jon Hiseman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jon Hiseman
Hiseman with Collosseum in 2015
Background information
Birth name	Philip John Albert Hiseman
Born	(1944-06-21)21 June 1944 Woolwich, London, England
Died	12 June 2018(2018-06-12) (aged 73) Sutton, England
Genres	Blues-rock, jazz fusion, progressive rock
Occupation(s)	Musician, songwriter, producer, recording engineer, music publisher
Instruments	Drums, percussion
Years active	1965–2018
Labels	Decca
Associated acts	Colosseum, Tempest, Colosseum II, John Mayall, Graham Bond Organisation

Jon Hiseman (born June 21, 1944 – died June 12, 2018) was a super talented English drummer. He was also a recording engineer, producer, and music publisher. He played drums for famous bands like the Graham Bond Organisation and John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. Later, he started his own important jazz-rock and progressive rock band called Colosseum. In 1975, he formed another band, Colosseum II.

Jon Hiseman was married to the amazing saxophonist Barbara Thompson. They were married from 1967 until he passed away in 2018. He died after having surgery for a brain tumor.

Growing Up and Learning Music

Jon Hiseman was born in Woolwich, a part of south-east London. His mom, Lily, worked with music at the Bank of England. His dad, Philip, taught printing at an art school. Music was a big part of his family. His mom played both piano and flute.

Jon went to the Addey and Stanhope School. He first learned to play the violin and piano. But soon, he decided that drums were his favorite instrument. At school, he played in a music group with his friends Dave Greenslade on piano and Tony Reeves on double bass.

A Career in Music

In the mid-1960s, Jon Hiseman was a busy musician. He played drums for many recording sessions. One of his early recordings was for Arthur Brown's song "Devil's Grip." He was also in a band called the "Wes Minster Five." He even helped start the New Jazz Orchestra.

In 1966, he took over from Ginger Baker in the Graham Bond Organisation. He also played for a short time with Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames. In 1964, a music magazine called Melody Maker spelled his name "Jon." He liked it and decided to use that spelling from then on.

Joining John Mayall and Forming Colosseum

In 1968, Jon joined John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. He played on their album called Bare Wires. In April 1968, he left that band to create his own group. This new band was Colosseum, known for its jazz-rock and progressive rock sound. Colosseum broke up in November 1971. However, Jon later formed Colosseum II in 1975. He played with Don Airey and Gary Moore in this new version of the band.

Other Bands and Projects

Between the two Colosseum bands, Jon Hiseman started a group called Tempest. He played with Allan Holdsworth, Paul Williams, and Mark Clarke from Colosseum. Later, Ollie Halsall joined Tempest.

In the mid-1970s, Jon played with Dave Greenslade on his album Cactus Choir. Jon also played in many jazz groups. He often played with his wife, the talented saxophonist Barbara Thompson. They recorded and produced more than 15 albums together!

Jon Hiseman also worked with famous composer Andrew Lloyd Webber. Andrew Lloyd Webber needed a special sound for an album. He found Colosseum II and brought the whole band into his "Variations" project. This started a ten-year partnership with Jon. Jon's drumming can be heard on many of Andrew Lloyd Webber's recordings, TV shows, and musicals.

Building a Studio and Reuniting Colosseum

In 1982, Jon Hiseman built a very modern recording studio next to his home. With Barbara Thompson's amazing music skills, they created many recordings. These recordings were used for movie and TV soundtracks. Jon was also a founding member of the United Jazz and Rock Ensemble. This was a German group made up of band leaders, and Barbara Thompson was also a part of it.

Jon Hiseman in 2010

Colosseum got back together in June 1994. The same musicians from when they first broke up 23 years earlier reunited. They played at a festival and had a German TV special. This was recorded and released as a CD and DVD. They also released new studio albums. Barbara Thompson joined the band more often after Dick Heckstall-Smith passed away in 2004. She then became a full-time member. Colosseum played their last concert on February 28, 2015.

In October 2010, a book about Jon Hiseman was published. It was called Playing the Band. Martyn Hanson wrote it, and Colin Richardson, Colosseum's first manager, edited it.

In 2017, Jon Hiseman formed a new trio band called JCM. He played with guitarist Clem Clempson and bass player Mark Clarke. The band recorded an album called Heroes in late 2017. It was released in April 2018. JCM started touring on April 7.

Personal Life and Passing Away

Jon Hiseman was married to the saxophonist Barbara Thompson since 1967. In May 2018, his family shared that he was dealing with a brain tumor. He passed away at age 73 on June 12, 2018, in Sutton, London. He died from a brain hemorrhage after surgery for the tumor. He was just nine days short of his 74th birthday.

Selected Music Albums

• A Night in the Sun (1982)
• About Time Too! (1991)

With Jack Bruce

• Songs for a Tailor (1969)
• Things We Like (recorded 1968, released 1970)

With Colosseum

• Those Who Are About to Die Salute You (1969)
• Valentyne Suite (1969)
• The Grass Is Greener (1970)
• Daughter of Time (1970)
• Colosseum Live (1971)
• Colosseum Live – The Reunion Concerts (1994)
• Colosseum Live – Live Cologne (1994)
• The Complete Reunion Concert - Cologne (1994) (DVD)
• Bread and Circuses (1997)
• Tomorrow's Blues (2003)
• Live05 (2005)
• Time On Our Side (2014)

With Colosseum II

• Strange New Flesh (1976)
• Electric Savage (1977)
• War Dance (1977)

With JCM

• Heroes (2018)

With Tempest

• Tempest (1973)
• Living in Fear (1974)
• Under The Blossom: The Anthology (2005) [includes both albums + BBC session recordings]

Tribute Albums

• Mike Taylor Remembered (1973), a tribute to Mike Taylor with Ian Carr, Barbara Thompson, Tony Reeves (2007)

With United Jazz + Rock Ensemble

• Live Im Schützenhaus (1977)
• Teamwork (album)|Teamwork (1978)
• The Break Even Point (1979)
• Live in Berlin (1981)
• United Live Opus Sechs (1984)
• Highlights (1984)
• Round Seven (1987)
• Na Endlich! (1992)
• Highlights II (1994)
• Die Neunte Von United (1996)
• The UJRE plays Albert Mangelsdorff (1998)
• X (1999)
• The UJRE plays Wolfgang Dauner (2002)
• The UJRE plays Volker Kriegel (2002)

With John Mayall

• Bare Wires (1968)