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Harry Pepl * 1945  † 2005

drums

Jack DeJohnette

1942 – † 2025

Third man of the ECM (the renowned European jazz label) trio (ECM 1237, 1983); in September 1980 he spontaneously joined Jazzzwio in Saalfelden and played in Michel Portal's group.

Played with him

Black-and-white photo: Werner Pirchner, the Austrian composer and vibraphonist, Jack DeJohnette and Harry Pepl arm in arm, all three smiling into the camera. From left: Werner Pirchner, Jack DeJohnette and Harry Pepl.
Werner Pirchner, Jack DeJohnette and Harry PeplPhoto: musical estate, private collection

American drummer and pianist (1942 to 2025). Pepl described him as the musician with whom he found an understanding at the very first or second rhythmic impulse. For Harry Pepl's 75th birthday in 2020 he sent a written statement for Ö1 through his management.

More about Jack DeJohnette: jackdejohnette.com

Voices

On Harry Pepl

He was an amazing guitarist, pianist and composer. His harmonic, rhythmic and sound concepts were very unique!

Jack DeJohnette, Ö1 Written statement for Ö1 on Harry Pepl's 75th birthday, requested by Daniel Pepl through his management, e-mail of 14 September 2020 (archive of Daniel Pepl)

I had the great pleasure to have recorded and performed with Harry.

Jack DeJohnette, Ö1 Written statement for Ö1 on Harry Pepl's 75th birthday, requested by Daniel Pepl through his management, e-mail of 14 September 2020 (archive of Daniel Pepl)

Harry made a great contribution to music. His legacy will continue to live on.

Jack DeJohnette, Ö1 Written statement for Ö1 on Harry Pepl's 75th birthday, requested by Daniel Pepl through his management, e-mail of 14 September 2020 (archive of Daniel Pepl)

Harry made a great contribution to experimental music. His legacy will continue to live on.

Jack DeJohnette, Ö1 Written statement for Ö1 on Harry Pepl's 75th birthday, requested by Daniel Pepl through his management, e-mail of 14 September 2020 (archive of Daniel Pepl)

Harry Pepl on Jack DeJohnette

This is the first time that we are really looking over the wall

In 1983, on the Jazzzwio’s ECM album with Jack DeJohnette, the American drummer known from Miles Davis’s and Keith Jarrett’s bands

Harry Pepl, Jazzlive On the ECM album with Jack DeJohnette; interview “Erster Blick über die Mauer”, Jazzlive no. 1, July 1983, p. 7, quoted in Kohler 2006, p. 82

I played one note, then the second, and by the third at the latest Jack knew exactly where I was, and we were together.

On a festival concert with Jack DeJohnette without any joint preparation, in conversation in 1998

Harry Pepl, Wiener Zeitung 1998

That was simply the Jazzzwio plus somebody else. With Dave Holland, though, it would have been completely different music.

On the 1983 album for ECM, the renowned European jazz label, on which the Jazzzwio duo played with the American drummer Jack DeJohnette; with a bassist such as Dave Holland, Pepl says, there would have been more room for soloing

Harry Pepl On the ECM album of 1983; conversation with Nikolaus Kohler (Interview 3-22), quoted in Kohler 2006, p. 81

understood immediately at the first or second rhythmic impulse, so that everyone knew where the other was

On playing with the American drummer Jack DeJohnette; looking back in 2005

Harry Pepl On Jack DeJohnette; conversation with Nikolaus Kohler (Interview 2-25), quoted in Kohler 2006, p. 140

Recordings together

Listen and watch

Werner Pirchner, Harry Pepl, Jack DeJohnette: Air, Love And Vitamins (Werner Pirchner, Harry Pepl, Jack DeJohnette, 1983)

1983 · ECM Records, 1983

“Air, Love And Vitamins” (Harry Pepl), track 2 of the ECM album by Werner Pirchner, the Austrian composer and vibraphonist, Harry Pepl and Jack DeJohnette (1983, digitally remastered and reissued digitally in 2019), 7:19. The version with Jack DeJohnette, prepared in 2020 for the Ö1 radio programme.

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Harry Pepl and Jack DeJohnette, duo at the Raab Jazz Festival

1994 · live recording, Raab, 22 May 1994, restored by Daniel Pepl

Harry Pepl (guitar, MIDI guitar synthesiser) and Jack DeJohnette (drums). Live recording from the hall, without a direct signal, processed as well as possible.

In the chronology

In the press

All 30 press items on Jack DeJohnette