BMI Remembers Jazz Legend Jack DeJohnette

BMI was greatly saddened to learn of the passing of revered jazz drummer, pianist, and composer Jack DeJohnette, who died Sunday at the age of 83. A versatile and innovative musician, DeJohnette originally started his musical journey on the piano in his native Chicago but truly distinguished himself behind the drum kit in his early teens. The list of artists he would go on to play with - as both bandleader and sideman - includes Charles Lloyd, Freddie Hubbard, Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, John Abercrombie, Alice Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Stan Getz, Sun Ra, Miles Davis, Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, Joe Henderson, Michael Brecker, Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock and John Scofield, among many others.

Renowned and sought-after for his unique and complex style, DeJohnette was deftly able to fuse elements of jazz, free jazz, world music, rock n' roll and R&B into a rhythmic arsenal that could match and meld with whomever he was playing with. With his keen gift for improvisation and a master's understanding of not simply the drums he was playing, but of the weight and role of each piece of intricate instrumentation, DeJohnette considered himself a complete musician, not simply a drummer.

Having re-located to New York City in the mid-`60s, DeJohnette started playing with the Charles Lloyd Quartet, honing a polyrhythmic style that was aligned with the experimental and psychedelic rock music of the era. DeJohnette went on to play with various luminaries like Bill Evans and Stan Getz before entering the orbit of Miles Davis, who drafted DeJohnette into the ensemble that would record the seismic Bitches Brew. DeJohnette's role on that recording would be a key component to the album's greatness.

From the early `70s through the 2010s, DeJohnette pursued a varied and prolific career of fruitful partnerships and collaborations, releasing 12 albums on the ECM label featuring virtual supergroups. He was named an NEA Jazz Master in 2012, won two GRAMMY awards, and received six additional GRAMMY nominations.

DeJohnette's contributions to the genre of jazz are truly immeasurable. He will be great missed by his friends, fans and family at BMI.