A pioneer of multidirectional drumming, his influence reshaped modern jazz: Remembering Jack DeJohnette’s multidirectional legacy
Jack DeJohnette, one of the most innovative drummers and bandleaders in modern jazz, has died aged 83. His label, ECM Records, confirmed his passing, with his personal assistant telling The Guardian the cause was congestive heart failure.
A Chicago native born in 1942, DeJohnette’s career spanned more than six decades and bridged generations of jazz. Known for his work on Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew—the groundbreaking 1970 album that fused jazz with psychedelia and rock—DeJohnette’s playing helped reshape the sound of modern improvisation. His loose, hypnotic rhythms and spiritual sensibility made him one of the most versatile and influential drummers of his time.
Raised by his grandmother and poet mother, DeJohnette began as a pianist before discovering the drums almost by accident when a friend left a kit in his basement. From that moment, he was hooked. His early gigs in Chicago bars and encounters with local legends like Sun Ra helped forge his open-minded, experimental approach to music. “John [Coltrane] was like a train,” he once said. “He was like a magnet and you felt this pull.”
By the late 1960s, DeJohnette had become a sought-after player, joining Charles Lloyd’s group alongside pianist Keith Jarrett and later stepping into Miles Davis’ orbit. His polyrhythmic, “multidirectional” style became a defining feature of Davis’ electric era, driving the wild, cosmic grooves of Bitches Brew and On the Corner.
After leaving Davis’ band in the early ’70s, DeJohnette continued to push boundaries as a bandleader and collaborator. His work with Jarrett would yield some of ECM’s most celebrated releases, while his solo and group projects blurred the lines between jazz, ambient, and world music. Even in his later years, he remained restless—recording with younger generations like Ravi Coltrane and Matt Garrison and experimenting with meditative soundscapes on albums like Music in the Key of Om and Peace Time.
DeJohnette often spoke about music as a spiritual force. “I feel like I’m being carried by the creative consciousness,” he said in a recent interview. “I hear Miles in my head sometimes, or I hear Coltrane. I think that corroborates that we never die.… We are immortal already.”
Watch Jack in action: In October 2025, SONOR Drums released SONOR presents: Jack DeJohnette and Steve Smith talk drums! (Part 1), where the two legendary drummers share insights on technique, rhythm, and the philosophy behind their craft. You can watch the conversation here.
Jack DeJohnette’s passing marks the end of an era—but his influence reverberates across jazz, rock, and beyond. From smoky Chicago clubs to interplanetary soundscapes, he never stopped chasing the rhythm of something bigger.
