
Jack DeJohnette

Excerpted from the October 1989 issue “I’m having more fun with music,” says Jack DeJohnette. “Now that I’m in my mid-40s, I don’t take everything so seriously. As I let go of a lot of past fears and false illusions about what music is supposed to be, rather than just …

New releases from Charles Lloyd Quartet, Antoine Fafard, Dor Herskovitz, and more.

We take a look at the latest music featuring Jonathan Barber, Kobie Watkins Grouptet, the Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band, Jack DeJohnette, and more!

It was a jazz drumming summit of epic proportions. Roy Haynes, the last of the great drummers of the bebop era; Jack DeJohnette, the most recognizably artful and exploratory drummer of modern times; and Terri Lyne Carrington,

We are excited to present the Modern Drummer 2018 Readers Poll winners!
As Airto takes the stage, his presence fills the room. The large and powerful looking man appears almost gruff, unwelcoming, austere, intimidating at initial glance.

Some well-known drummers, who have never taken lessons, play very well. Other well-known drummers, who have studied for years, also play very well. Drummers who have not studied sometimes tend to be critical of those who have. The following defensive statements were taken from interviews of well-known drummers who have …

Mark Egan is one of the most highly regarded bassists in the history of electric jazz. Performing and recording with many of the prominent drummers of our time—a short list would include Steve Gadd, Jack DeJohnette, Vinnie Colaiuta, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Steve Jordan, Billy Cobham, and Dave Weckl—he’s gained rare …

RECORDINGS Dig These Dug-Ups Three discs of previously unreleased sessions capture jazz giants swung by drumming greats. It’s not uncommon for “unearthed” recordings issued long after an artist’s passing to be shoddy affairs. But three recent jazz releases take the high road, offering quality audio with beautifully designed and informative …

Album: She Wax Too Good To Me, Chet Baker CT1 6050 SI

Jazz supergroups don’t come along often, but when they do—and especially when they include this legendary drummer—kaboom!

The ’80s might not be anyone’s first reference point for the golden age of jazz, but a closer examination reveals wonders under the surface. Sure, traditional acoustic jazz was no longer in favor, though some of the established innovators of the ’60s and ’70s were still playing at a high …

Xavier Muriel, Jack DeJohnette, David Garibaldi, Brian Frasier-Moore, Martin Valihora, Sean Paddock, Frank Briggs, Greg Upchurch, Matt Barrick, Bryan Keeling, Mitch Mitchell, Matt Cameron, Derek Bloom, Jojo Mayer, Brian Chase, Bryan Hitt

Glenn Kotche, Neil Peart, Jim Keltner, Greg Saunier, Kim Plainfield, Seven Antonopoulos, Robin Diaz, Sam Loeffler, Shawn Glyde, Christian Welter, Chris Pennie, Yogi Horton, Roy Mayorga, Jack DeJohnette, Gavin Harrison, Jeff Hamilton, Stanton Moore

Stephen Perkins, Chris McHugh, Jeff Hamilton, Adam Carson, Mark Guiliana, Paul Motian, Scott Rockenfield, Abe Fogel, Thomas Pridgen, Trevor Friedrich, Jack DeJohnette, Brian Tichy, Myles Heskett, Tony Williams, Jason McGerr, Butch Miles, Ed Shaughnessy, Bruce Gary

Jack DeJohnette, Scott Underwood, Tommy Sickles, Rob Bourdon, Charlie Benante, Sam McCandless, Stix Hooper, J.R. Conners, Stan Frazier, Joey Kramer, Aaron Montgomery, Mike Portnoy, Danny Carey, Terry Bozzio

Tré Cool, Wuv, Nicko McBrain, Dave Krusen, Phil Ehart, Trey Gray, Steve Gadd, Joe Morello, Rod Morgenstein, Peter Erskine, Neil Peart, Mel Lewis, Roy Burns, Mark Parsons, Rick Van Horn, Tony Williams, Buddy Rich, John Bonham, Tito Puente, Alan Dawson, Gary Chester, Eric Carr, Larrie Londin, Art Blakey, Philly Joe …
Abe Laboriel Jr., Matt Chamberlain, Jack DeJohnette, Don Alias, Nir Zidkyahu, Jeremy Taggart, Brendan Hill, Ben Perowsky, Pat McGann, Denny Weston Jr., Ken Tondre, Eric Singer, Roy Haynes
Chad Sexton, Don Lombardi, Herb Brochstein, Roy Burns, Vic Firth, Ron Spagnardi, Virgil Donati, John Tempesta, Charlie Benante, Steve Gadd, Giovanni Hidalgo, Bill Stewart, Tony Royster Jr. , Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, Paul Wertico, Jack DeJohnette, Steve Ferrone, Papa Jo Jones, Chad Smith, Mario Calire, Jeff Porcaro, Jason Bonham, Bun …
In this Issue: Jack DeJohnette, Owen Hale

In this Issue: Charlie Watts, Frederick Waits, Deen Castronovo, Dave Weckl, Jack DeJohnette, Vinnie Colaiuta, Danny Gottlieb, Gregg Bissonette, Liberty DeVitto, Chad Wackerman, Michael Shrieve, David Beal, Carl Palmer
In this Issue: Jack DeJohnette, Pat Mastelotto, Richard Bailey

Matt Frenette, Joey Kramer, Ronald Shannon Jackson, Art Taylor, Ed Shaughnessy, John Stacey, Murray Spivack, Fred Gruber, Jim Blackley, Peter Magadini, Keith Killgo, Dennis Wilson, Chad Wackerman, Steve Smith, Jack DeJohnette, Larrie Londin, Paul T. Riddle

Jack DeJohnette, Artimus Pyle, Gary Chester, Joe Jackson, Simon Phillips, Carl Palmer, Bill Bruford, Russ Kunkel, Sheila Escovedo, Paul Humphrey

Max Weinberg, Narada Michael Walden, Danny Gottlieb, Prairie Prince, Hal Blaine, Gina Schock, Jack DeJohnette, Bill Bruford, Ed Shaughnessy

Peter Criss, John Bonham, Rick Marotta, Mel Lewis, Art Blakey, Rod Morgenstein, Bill Bruford, Jack DeJohnette, Don Lamond, Peter Hoorelbeke

Buddy Rich, Clem Burke, Bruce Gary, Stan Lynch, Alan Myers, Louis Hayes, Alan Dawson, Joe Morello, Elvin Jones, Jack DeJohnette, Tony Williams, Danny Seraphine, Bobby Colomby, Lenny White, Billy Cobham, Roberto Petaccia, Les DeMerle, Hal Blaine, Charles Collins

Carmine Appice, Mel Lewis, Jack DeJohnette
Posted: September 1, 2020

Modern Drummer Festival 2020
Modern Drummer is rebooting its world-famous Drum Festival on September 12 at 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time with a live-streaming event honoring the late, great Rush drummer Neil Peart. Proceeds of ticket sales will benefit brain tumor research at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. The event, which will be produced and distributed …
Posted: October 24, 2017

Sabian Appoints Mark Love to Director of R&D
Mark Love has been promoted to the position of Director of Research and Product Development at Sabian.
Posted: April 26, 2017
Web Exclusive: Producer Russ Titelman on 10 of His Favorite Drummers
The June issue of Modern Drummer magazine features an interview with three-time Grammy Award–winning producer Russ Titelman who in his long career has worked with musical giants including Little Feat, Randy Newman, James Taylor, Brian Wilson, Cyndi Lauper, Graham Central Station, Rickie Lee Jones, George Harrison, Chaka Khan, the Bee …
Posted: July 1, 2016
James Muschler on Moon Hooch’s Red Sky
Jazz-meets-house trio Moon Hooch’s third album, Red Sky, expands the group’s danceable sound while maintaining a spirit of spontaneity. Modern Drummer Online asked drummer James Muschler about making the record and bringing its electro-acoustic blend to a live audience.
Posted: March 31, 2016

May 2016 Issue of Modern Drummer featuring Andrés Forero of Hamilton
(Available digitally March 31, 2016; in print April 1, 2016) Print Copy ○ iTunes ○ Amazon ○ GooglePlay ○ Subscribe On the Cover Andrés Forero “Andrés Forero is one of the most creative and versatile players of our time, and his participation in Hamilton solidifies his stature as one of …
Posted: March 31, 2016
May 2016 Issue of Modern Drummer featuring Andrés Forero of Hamilton
(Available digitally March 31, 2016; in print April 1, 2016) Print Copy ○ iTunes ○ Amazon ○ GooglePlay ○ Subscribe On the Cover Andrés Forero “Andrés Forero is one of the most creative and versatile players of our time, and his participation in Hamilton solidifies his stature as one of …
Posted: November 2, 2015
Dom Famularo’s Teachers List
Over the course of his forty-year career traveling the globe to teach, perform, and conduct clinics, Dom Famularo has interacted with some of the finest drummers and drum instructors in the world. The following list contains many of those names, organized by country/continent. If you’re looking for top-notch drum instruction, …
Posted: June 11, 2015
A Six-Pack of Jazz and Fusion
Half a dozen top-shelf 2015 jazz and fusion releases still in high rotation at Modern Drummer HQ.
Posted: May 11, 2015
Modern Drummer Education Team Weighs In On: Learning Other Instruments
We asked the members of the Modern Drummer Education Team if they felt that it’s important for drummers to learn to play other instruments (piano, bass, guitar, etc.), or should they focus on honing their craft at the kit exclusively? Here’s what they had to say….
Posted: February 6, 2015
Drummer Blog: Vince Wilburn Jr. Talks Heroes, Projects, and Uncle Miles
Hello, MD readers. Vince here. I consider myself eternally blessed. From an early age, I was able to experience music from the very best seat in the house—backstage. My mom took me to all the greatest gigs, giving me a rare chance to see, hear, and really experience music, unlike …
Posted: October 14, 2014
The Essence of Progressive Drumming
What is the rhythmic essence of progressive music? What makes prog so different from other genres? Does it require a specific skill set on the drumkit, or does the nature of the music make it open to interpretation? MD posed these and other questions to the drummers in Spock’s Beard, …
Posted: April 8, 2014
Modern Drummer Education Team Weighs In On: Developing Independence
We asked the members of the Modern Drummer Education Team to share their thoughts on their favorite methods for developing independence. Here’s what they had to say.
Posted: January 10, 2013
MD Education Team Weighs In On: Learning Jazz
We asked the members of the MD Education Team if they think it’s important for their students to study jazz. Here’s what they had to say….
Posted: January 3, 2013
Mark Egan On…
The star bassist reflects on 15 world-class drummers
The February 2013 issue of Modern Drummer magazine features renowned bassist Mark Egan sharing some of the lessons he’s learned from working with drumming royalty. Here he focuses the discussion on the unique qualities and skills each of these players brings to the table….
Posted: December 4, 2012
Dave King of the Bad Plus: Web-Exclusive Interview
An exclusive web-interview with Dave King of the Bad Plus.
Posted: August 15, 2012
Nate Smith
As a member of Dave Holland’s big band, quintet, and octet, Nate Smith holds, well, three of the most cherished gigs in jazz. Holland, a revered bass player who started his own musical quest with Miles Davis in the ’60s, has nurtured many a drummer in his high-octane ensembles, and …
Posted: April 26, 2012
International Jazz Day to be Celebrated with All-Star Concerts in Paris, New Orleans, and New York
On Friday, April 27, UNESCO director-general Irina Bokova and UNESCO goodwill ambassador Herbie Hancock will kick-off the first annual International Jazz Day with a full day of events including live performances, master classes, and discussions.
Posted: March 21, 2012
Get Good: Tuning—Bob Gatzen’s “The Tonal Drummer??? Video
For the May 2012 issue of Modern Drummer, we talked to MD Pro Panelists Gil Sharone and Bob Gatzen, as well as jazz great Jack DeJohnette, about the subtleties of drum tuning. Bob has posted many insightful You Tube lessons on the subject over the past few years, including this …
Posted: January 20, 2012
25 Great Double-Drumming Tracks
Two drummers working it out, face to face—trading licks, contributing to a massive groove, spurring each other on—it’s one of the great musical traditions, and surely it goes back to the very invention of the drumkit at the beginning of the last century. This group of tunes focuses on tracks …
Posted: December 9, 2011
National Music Workshop’s 2012 Pat Metheny Summer Music Workshop
For intermediate and advanced jazz musicians, all instruments (limited enrollment) — Event to be held August 20-24, 2012, The Spa at Norwich Inn, Norwich, CT– The National Music Workshop is proud to announce the 2012 Pat Metheny Summer Music Workshop. World-renowned guitarist, composer and bandleader Pat Metheny will return to …
Posted: September 16, 2011
The Evolution of Jazz Drumming by Danny Gottlieb
Educator and renowned player Danny Gottlieb chronicles the history of jazz drumming in an entertaining and educational workbook format.
Posted: August 18, 2011
Tony Williams:
The Game Changer
Living Colour’s drummer reminisces about his hero Tony Williams, the jazz and fusion great whose story kicks off Modern Drummer magazine’s brand-new Influences feature series.
Posted: August 3, 2011
SABIAN has just announced the launch of a Band & Orchestral curriculum on SABIAN U!
As a result of the tremendous success of SABIAN U, SABIAN has just announced the launch of a Band & Orchestral curriculum. Comprised of 4 brand new courses, the new curriculum is specifically designed for retailers who sell Band & Orchestral instruments…
Posted: July 5, 2011
Joao Lencastre
My name is Joao Lencastre and I was born in Lisbon, Portugal. I started to play the drums at the age of thirteen. Since I started playing I’ve been collaborating with many different groups in all styles of music, including metal, reggae, Afrobeat, electronic, big band, alternative rock, and all …
Posted: July 1, 2011
MD Readers Poll 2011 Results
Welcome once again to the MD Readers Poll, where the greatest drummers on the planet are honored by the most educated drum fans around. Let’s get right to it: the envelope, please….
Posted: December 20, 2010
Danny Frankel — The Interplanetary Note/Beat Conference
Hey, you people! Hope everyone is happy and healthy in this crazy world, striving to help out. I want to talk about my new record, The Interplanetary Note/Beat Conference, with Nels Cline (Nels Cline Singers, Wilco) and Larry Goldings (who’s played with stellar musicians like Jack DeJohnette and John Scofield). …
Posted: August 25, 2010
Steve Jordan: Web Exclusive
If you ask Steve Jordan who his favorite drummer is, be prepared to get hit with a never-ending list of influences, ranging from the obvious—like jazz greats Kenny Clarke and Philly Joe Jones and funk innovators David Garibaldi and Stephen Ferrone—to the more obscure, like Motown/disco session drummer Andrew Smith, …
Posted: May 8, 2010
Bill Laswell: Famed Bassist/Producer
Famed bassist/producer/remix engineer Bill Laswell on Ginger, Tony, Elvin, Zigaboo, and more…
Posted: April 7, 2010
The Greats: Jack DeJohnette
When Jack DeJohnette hooked up with trendsetting trumpeter Miles Davis in 1969, the drummer was immediately thrust into the media spotlight as he became a main rhythmic catalyst behind Davis’s revolutionary electronic jazz sound. With that band, Jack appeared on one of the most controversial…
Posted: March 26, 2010
Dennis Chambers: Fiercely Comin’ At You From Multiple Directions
Dennis Chambers was born on May 9, 1959, and started playing the drums at the young age of four. By his sixth birthday he was already playing in nightclubs. Strictly self-taught, at the age of eighteen Dennis went straight from high school to playing with George Clinton’s Parliament Funkadelic, where …
Posted: December 17, 2009
Roy Haynes: The Hippest Of The Hip
It’s taken the jazz community nearly half a century to catch up with the inventive and super-hip stylings of Roy Haynes—the oft-proclaimed “father of modern drumming.???
Posted: November 24, 2009
On Tour And On Stage: 9 Lives (+9, +9 More)
On Tour And On Stage: 9 Lives (+9, +9 More). MD’s editors just can’t keep a list of their favorite albums short–even in service of a can’t-resist pun. Twenty-seven live albums you gotta have.
Posted: September 27, 2008
Frank Briggs
Best known for his top-selling instructional book/DVD, The Complete Modern Drum Set, LA-based drummer/educator Frank Briggs exposes his jazz-fusion roots on his first solo recording, China Ranch.
Posted: January 16, 2008
Best Of ’07
I’m convinced that, ten years from now, we’re going to look back at 2007 as an unusually fertile time in music and in drumming.
Posted: December 15, 2007
Allison Miller: Freedom Jazz-Folk-Pop-Rock Dance
Since moving to New York in 1996, Allison Miller has thrived by refusing to acknowledge musical borders. Alli, as she likes to be called, has allowed her sincere love of pop and rock music to ground her jazz playing–and her passion for jazz to elevate her pop prowess….
Posted: October 19, 2007
Max Roach
Simply put, Max Roach brought jazz drumming into the modern age. Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Bud Powell revolutionized jazz with new melodies and concepts; Max matched these musical geniuses with startling rhythms and reactive, action-packed drumming that still influences drummers on a profound level today….
Posted: May 18, 2007
Jeff Ballard
This much is unanimously agreed upon: In the hierarchy of jazz drummers, Jeff Ballard has climbed so high he can clearly see the summit….
Posted: September 25, 2006
Joe Morello: Revisiting A Master
The Dave Brubeck Quartet was the most popular jazz group of that time. “Take Five,” featuring a drum solo by Joe Morello, was a million-seller. This group toured the world playing concerts instead of location club gigs. I can’t think of one jazz group today that approaches the level of …
Posted: August 19, 2005
Jon Christensen
The title of this piece is a cryptic warning that appears in the liner notes of Jon Christensen: Selected Recordings, a recent tribute CD on ECM’s Rarum series. Over the past thirty years, the Norwegian drummer has played drums and percussion on fully fifty-five releases from the esteemed German jazz …
Posted: May 12, 2004
Eric Harland
When twenty-five-year-old Eric Harland was a teenager, he weighed an astonishing 380 pounds, making him a target of cruel children, mean-spirited teachers, and sometimes, his own family. “I would walk into a clothing store and the employees would just laugh,” recalls the Texas native. “Man,” they would say, “we don’t …
Posted: May 12, 2004
Adam Deitch with John Scofield
“He’s a bad boy, that’s for sure,” says guitar star John Scofield of his talented young sideman Adam Deitch. On the Sco gig, Deitch comes across like a composite of two great drummers that the guitarist has worked with before’the original funky drummer himself, Clyde Stubblefield, and highly regarded jazz …
Posted: May 12, 2004
Elvin Jones
On the eve of his seventy-fifth birthday, Elvin Ray Jones exhibits the relaxed demeanor and lean physique of a weathered–but still dangerous–championship athlete. When he smiles, which is often, he still looks like he’s twenty-five. His sense of humor is sharp, his intellect acute. And as anyone who has seen …
Posted: May 12, 2004
Billy Kilson
At a 1999 Birdland performance with The Dave Holland Quintet, Billy Kilson led band and audience in a rousing chorus of drum worship. Holland, one of jazz’s most celebrated bassists and composers, has played with all the innovators, from Tony and Elvin to Jack DeJohnette and Billy Higgins. So you …
Posted: May 12, 2004
Jack DeJohnette
Jack DeJohnette has remained one of the world’s premier drummers by always looking forward, and never losing the passion. Oh, and by playing some of the most uniquely beautiful drums ever.
Posted: May 12, 2004
Airto Moreira: Live Rhythms
He’s typically surrounded by a multitude of percussion instruments. In the course of a tune he might incorporate any number of sounds and timbres, often creating unique colors and effects by combining instruments in non-traditional ways. He sometimes appears to be grabbing instruments at random, and yet the resulting sound …
Posted: May 12, 2004
Ben Perowsky: Beyond Labels
The scene: a cold night in Williamsburg, Brooklyn at North On Sixth, a multi-level hole in the wall jook joint where the bathroom graffiti is more political than obscene. Attracting a crowd of Manhattan intellectuals and Brooklyn deadheads, North On Sixth is tonight showcasing Ben Perowsky’s Moodswing Orchestra. A collection …
Posted: September 1, 2017

Modern Drummer Podcast Episode 107: Preshow Rituals, Jack DeJohnette, Paiste Masters Thins, and More
In this episode, Mike and Mike discuss some of the ways they prepare themselves mentally and physically for gigs and clinics.