29/10/2025
Jack DeJohnette 1942-2025
Jack DeJohnette, multi-directional master musician, improvisational drumming genius, and a major contributor to the evolution of jazz at ECM, has died, aged 83. His first of many appearances at the label was on the 1971 recording “Ruta and Daitya”, a series of duets with Keith Jarrett. The last, as it stands today, was as a member of Anouar Brahem’s quartet on "Blue Maqams", recorded in 2017. In between: a multitude of recordings as leader, co-leader or energizing participant across a broad range of styles and idioms. What Jack brought to any session invariably transcended a ‘sideman’’s role; he was always at the heart of the musical action and the soul of things.
On Sunday 26 October, the day of Jack’s passing, Manfred Eicher attended a screening of his film “Holozän” at the Theatiner movie theatre in the context of the Swiss film week in Munich – Jack features prominently in the score, as part of Keith Jarrett’s “standards” trio with “Ecstacy” off the 1989 album “Changeless”. “I came out of the movie theatre and couldn’t get the scene underscored by Keith, Jack and Gary’s playing out of my head. Jack on toms, propelling the group forward as ever, thoughtfully but with so much quiet energy. It occupied me all day…"
Read the full essay on Jack at ECM’s website: https://ecmrecords.com/jack-dejohnette-1942-2025/