Jack DeJohnette – A one man revolution.
The late and profoundly missed Jack DeJohnette this weekend. A concert from Lyon, France recorded on June 14, 1979 and featuring his New Directions confreres Lester Bowie on trumpet, Eddie Gomez on bass and John Abercrombie on guitar.
To say Jack DeJohnette revolutionized the way Jazz drumming was perceived is to put it mildly. He took what was historically considered “a time keeper” and made it an instrument of expression and color and changed the role of drummer to the role of soloist – communicator – painter of sonic tapestries.
That his list of collaborators is almost a who’s who in the Jazz community is testament to his vision. That his passing a few weeks back is a profound and deep loss is an understatement. He left an example and a legacy and live performances like this one – legacies that can be listened to, absorbed and studied. There is a wealth to be had.
So many tributes have been written about him since his passing that anything I can possibly add would be superfluous and just a repeat of what has already been known and expressed.
So I won’t – all I can say is press play and flow into this journey with an open mind – the heart will follow.