Jack was instrumental to shaping my jazz mind (as a non- musician) basement drummer. My entire Family are excellent players, but I am the obsessive Jazz enthusiast. Jack stunned me once in 2005 with Latin Percussion Ensemble. Never realized his Clave chops! INSANE. Saw him many times live.
Mike - What I found strange was that I knew I counted Jack among my favorite drummers (the list: Max, Art Blakey, Elvin, Tony Williams, Jack - chronological but not any other order), but I didn’t realize how important he was to my understanding of how jazz has been connected since about 1968. He has been everywhere from that moment onward!
Thanks, Will for this affectionate and comprehensive (especially so soon after his transition) remembrance of Jack. I'm especially grateful that you gave appropriate attention to his ECM output. His group with Abercrombie and Holland served as my personal "Gateway" (pun intended) to not only the metaverse of DeJohnette but to an appreciation and journey into "jazz" in general. Before I heard Gateway 2, I of course knew about jazz and that it was probably good for me but the experience of hearing the trio's interaction sparked a connection to the improvisational music (mostly blues and rock) that I was listening to and attempting to play at the time. Jack DeJohnette's life's work will live on and we are blessed to have "been there when".
George - I agree on all counts. In interviews, it is clear that he loved music well beyond “jazz” and saw how all music was connected. Of course. ECM sometimes gets criticized for creating too much Euro-sounding chamber jazz (and who can disagree?), but when DeJohnette was on an ECM album the music was sure to groove and be connected to the heart. I spent an hour this morning trying to get a passable version of “Silver Hollow” under my fingers on the upright in my living room! Thanks, Jack!
Jack was instrumental to shaping my jazz mind (as a non- musician) basement drummer. My entire Family are excellent players, but I am the obsessive Jazz enthusiast. Jack stunned me once in 2005 with Latin Percussion Ensemble. Never realized his Clave chops! INSANE. Saw him many times live.
What a UNIQUE approach.
BRILLIANT 👏. ALL your words validate my obsession & total love for Jack. I started in 1974 buying hus records, seeing him live etc. RIP " JACK"
Mike - What I found strange was that I knew I counted Jack among my favorite drummers (the list: Max, Art Blakey, Elvin, Tony Williams, Jack - chronological but not any other order), but I didn’t realize how important he was to my understanding of how jazz has been connected since about 1968. He has been everywhere from that moment onward!
Thanks, Will for this affectionate and comprehensive (especially so soon after his transition) remembrance of Jack. I'm especially grateful that you gave appropriate attention to his ECM output. His group with Abercrombie and Holland served as my personal "Gateway" (pun intended) to not only the metaverse of DeJohnette but to an appreciation and journey into "jazz" in general. Before I heard Gateway 2, I of course knew about jazz and that it was probably good for me but the experience of hearing the trio's interaction sparked a connection to the improvisational music (mostly blues and rock) that I was listening to and attempting to play at the time. Jack DeJohnette's life's work will live on and we are blessed to have "been there when".
George - I agree on all counts. In interviews, it is clear that he loved music well beyond “jazz” and saw how all music was connected. Of course. ECM sometimes gets criticized for creating too much Euro-sounding chamber jazz (and who can disagree?), but when DeJohnette was on an ECM album the music was sure to groove and be connected to the heart. I spent an hour this morning trying to get a passable version of “Silver Hollow” under my fingers on the upright in my living room! Thanks, Jack!