Jack DeJohnette (August 9, 1942 – October 26, 2025) was an American jazz drummer, pianist, and composer.
Known for his extensive work as leader and sideman for musicians including Charles Lloyd, Freddie Hubbard, Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, John Abercrombie, Alice Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Miles Davis, Joe Henderson, Michael Brecker, Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, and John Scofield, DeJohnette was inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 2007. He won two Grammy Awards and was nominated for six others.
Early life and musical beginnings
DeJohnette was born on August 9, 1942, in Chicago, Illinois, to Jack DeJohnette (1911–2011) and Eva Jeanette DeJohnette (née Wood, 1918–1984). Although of predominantly African-American heritage, he stated that he had some Native American ancestry, specifically Seminole and Crow. He began his musical career as a pianist, studying from age four with Antoinette Rich, the leader of an all-female symphony orchestra in Chicago, and first playing professionally at the age of 14. When Jack was 13, he switched to drums and was taught drumming techniques from a local jazz drummer, Bobby Miller Jr, who lived in the same neighborhood. DeJohnette credits his uncle, Roy Wood Sr. (1915–1995), a Chicago disc jockey and vice president/co-founder of the National Black Network of Black Broadcasters, as his inspiration to play music.
DeJohnette played R&B, hard bop, and avant-garde music in Chicago. He led his own groups in addition to playing with Richard Abrams, Roscoe Mitchell and other eventual core members of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (founded in 1965). He also occasionally performed with Sun Ra and his Arkestra, and later in New York as well.
