A Zoom Hang with Neal Wilkinson featuring Jack DeJohnette

Jack DeJohnette, named a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master in 2015, has established an unchallenged reputation as one of the greatest drummers in the history of the genre. In a career spanning five decades, he has collaborated with some of the most iconic figures in modern jazz: John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman, Sonny Rollins, Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans, Stan Getz, Keith Jarrett, Chet Baker, George Benson, Stanley Turrentine, Herbie Hancock, Dave Holland, Joe Henderson, Freddy Hubbard, Betty Carter and many more. Along the way, he has developed a versatility that moves effortlessly between hard bop, R&B, world music and avant-garde.

“I see myself as a colourist, not as a drummer per se… I tune my drums in such a way so that no matter what I play, whatever I hit on it is a melody and that makes me think differently, it makes me think more melodically.”

Born in Chicago in 1942, DeJohnette grew up in a family where music was highly valued. He took up classical piano at the age of four, and later studied it at the Chicago Conservatory of Music. He added the drums to his repertoire when he joined his high school concert band aged 14. “As a child, I listened to all kinds of music and I never put them into categories,” he recalls. “I had formal lessons on piano and listened to opera, country and western music, rhythm and blues, swing, jazz, whatever. To me, it was all music and all great. I've kept that integrated feeling about music, all types of music, and just carried it with me. I've maintained that belief and feeling.”

Do not miss this rare opportunity to interact directly with this legendary musician.