Jack DeJohnette: Time and Space

Any discussion of music with DeJohnette ultimately leads to his belief that there's a social responsibility, incumbent upon musicians, to go beyond the music and do good. "Harry Belafonte has a PBS documentary [Sing Your Song] and a new book out [My Song: A Memoir (Knopf, 2011)], and he's exactly what an artist as an activist is," says DeJohnette. "This man has done so much to keep this country on the right footing, and even now he's trying to work in the prisons. He's in his 80s, and he's just tireless; he doesn't stop. The documentary covers his life; he's an amazing artist and an amazing singer, and what he did and what he continues to do, it's just awesome—the power of what an activist artist can do.

"The artist's role in making a contribution to society is really important," DeJohnette continues. "You have people like Herbie [Hancock], Wayne Shorter, Esperanza and Sonny Rollins, to name a few. When you go into a place, it's important to bring some light into the situation. It turns out my wife and I are invited to the White House next weekend [December 3, 2011], but when we go there we're going to play; Herbie's going to be there, and we'll just come in and bring some light—which Washington definitely needs—and some positive energy, just to leave it there, to try and help things move to a better level of consciousness—to solve the problems that we've created.

"There's one thing that I strive for," continues DeJohnette, "to be creative, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. But I think we have to decide to step up and ask the question: what kind of world do we want to live in, for our future, for our kids? Do we want to leave a world full of nuclear waste and plunder our home to create material and financial gain, or do we want to raise our consciousness and be galactic citizens? Do we want to live out lives in joy and cooperation instead of greed and separation?

"It's a great honor, a great feeling to be recognized as a Jazz Master by the NEA, for doing something that's my passion, and that I get so much joy from doing," DeJohnette concludes, with a chuckle. "It's great just to have that acknowledgement, for people to recognize my contribution, and I hope to continue. At this point, I just want to have fun and enjoy it; I've nothing to prove, I just want to do what excites me and what interests me, and have fun doing it. Hopefully I can bring some sunshine and joy to other peoples' lives, and they can pass it on like a ripple. Every day is a beautiful day."

Selected Discography

Jack DeJohnette, Sound Travels (eOne, 2012)
Jack DeJohnette Group, Live at Yoshi's 2010 (Golden Beams, 2011)
Jack DeJohnette, Music We Are (Golden Beams, 2009)
Keith Jarrett/Gary Peacock/Jack DeJohnette, Setting Standards: New York Sessions (ECM, 2008)
Jack DeJohnette/Bill Frisell, The Elephant Sleeps But Still Remembers (Golden Beams, 2009)
Jack DeJohnette/Foday Musa Suso, Music From the Hearts of the Masters (Golden Beams, 2005)
Trio Beyond, Saudades (ECM, 2005)
Jack DeJohnette, Music in the Key of Om (Golden Beams, 2005)
Keith Jarrett/Gary Peacock/Jack DeJohnette, Always Let Me Go (ECM, 2002)
John Surman/Jack DeJohnette, Invisible Nature (ECM, 2002)
Jack DeJohnette, Oneness (ECM, 1997)
Herbie Hancock, The New Standard (Verve, 1997)
Jack DeJohnette, Music For the Fifth World (Manhattan, 1992)
Jack DeJohnette, Parallel Realities (MCA, 1990)
Jack DeJohnette's Special Edition, Audio Visualscapes (Impulse!, 1988)
Jack DeJohnette, Special Edition (ECM, 1980)
Pat Metheny, 80/81 (ECM, 1980)
Mick Goodrick, In Pas(s)ing (ECM, 1979)
Jack DeJohnette, New Directions (ECM, 1978)
Ralph Towner, Batik (ECM, 1978)
Jack DeJohnette's Directions, New Rags (ECM, 1977)
Kenny Wheeler, Gnu High (ECM, 1976)
John Abercrombie, Timeless (ECM, 1974)
Miles Davis, Bitches Brew (Columbia, 1970)
Bill Evans, At the Montreux Jazz Festival (Verve, 1968)
Charles Lloyd, Dream Weaver (Atlantic, 1966)