One of the most influential drummers in jazz, Jack DeJohnette was born on August 9, 1942 in Chicago. DeJohnette incorporated elements of straight-ahead jazz, free jazz, world music and rhythm and blues into his playing.
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Originally a pianist, DeJohnette took classical piano lessons for ten years and graduated from the American Conservatory of Music in his hometown. He began playing the drums in his high school band, having been inspired by hearing Max Roach. In his early 20s Jack was practicing eight hours a day, four at the piano and four on drums, as well as gigging around Chicagoland.

He moved to New York City in 1966 and played with Jackie McLean, Abbey Lincoln, John Coltrane, Freddie Hubbard, Bill Evans and Betty Carter. In the late 1960s DeJohnette was a member of Charles Lloyd’s group and did several world tours with that ensemble. In 1969 he played on Miles Davis’ “Bitches Brew” album and played with the Davis band for over a year.

During the 1970s Jack DeJohnette could be heard regularly as a sideman on ECM recordings and also with his own group New Directions with John Abercrombie, Lester Bowie and Eddie Gomez. DeJohnette was also a founding member of Keith Jarrett’s standards trio in the 1980s. In the 1990s he was in a group called Voicestra with vocalist Bobby McFerrin and keyboardist Lyle Mays. Aside from his work as a percussionist and keyboard player, DeJohnette was an accomplished composer.

DeJohnette won two Grammy Awards was nominated for five others during his career. In addition, he was inducted in the Modern Drummers Hall of Fame in 2007. He was named an NEA Jazz Master in 2012. DeJohnette passed away in October of 2025.

Here is a link to a Jack DeJohnette drum solo:

"DRUM SOLO"