Jack DeJohnette, dynamic and instantly recognizable jazz drummer, dies at 83
toggle caption Peter Van Breukelen/Redferns/Redferns
Jack DeJohnette, one of the most daring and dynamic jazz drummers of the last 60 years, with a loose-limbed yet exacting beat that propelled a limitless range of adventurous music, died on Sunday at HealthAlliance Hospital in Kingston, N.Y. He was 83.
The cause was congestive heart failure, Lydia DeJohnette, his wife and manager, tells NPR.
DeJohnette had a singular voice at the drums: earthy and elastic, instantly recognizable. Rather than focus the articulation of tempo on his ride cymbal, he often distributed his emphasis around the drum set. He adapted this flowing approach from modern jazz innovators like Roy Haynes as well as avant-garde pioneers like Rashied Ali, devising what he called a multidirectional style.
Sponsor Message
In another sense, he moved in multiple directions throughout his career. He played with impeccable sensitivity in acoustic small groups, like a pair of illustrious piano trios led by Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett. He exuded combustible intensity in other settings, including the quartet that brought saxophonist Charles Lloyd to The Fillmore in San Francisco, and the larger confab
Continue Reading on NPR
This preview shows approximately 15% of the article. Read the full story on the publisher's website to support quality journalism.