Joseph Jarman was an American saxophonist and percussionist who drew on influences for his avant-garde jazz from various styles including blues, ritual and folklore. A Buddhist priest and akido instructor, he was a key member of the Art Ensemble of Chicago and founder of the Brooklyn Buddhist Association and the Jikishinkan Aikido Dojo in Brooklyn. He died aged 81 on 9th January 2019.
Born in Arkansas, he grew up in Chicago and learned to play the drums from tutor Walter Dyett. He turned to the alto saxophone and clarinet during military service and played in the 11th Airborne Division Band. Upon discharge, he studied with Richard Wang and had a stint with pianist Muhai Richard Abrams's band along with fellow saxophone players Roscoe Mitchell, Henry Threadgill and Anthony Braxton and bassist Malachi Favors. He formed a band with trumpeter William Brimfield, tenor saxophonist Fred Anderson, pianist Christopher Gaddy and bassist Charles Clark joined alternately by Thurman Barker or Steve McCall on drums and in 1966 released the album 'Song For' followed in 1968 by 'As If It Were the Seasons'.
Clark and Gaddy both died in 1969 and Jarman went on to found the Art Ensemble of Chicago with Mitchell, Favors and trumpeter Lester Bowie, releasing many albums over the next two decades. Jarman also released many other recordings including 'Together Alone' (1971) with multi-instrumentalist Anthony Braxton and 'Sunbound' (1976). Jarman moved away from music through the 1980s while he pursued a spiritual life and spent his time teaching. He returned in the '90s and released albums including 'Calypso's Smile' (1991) with percussionist Famoudou Don Moye, 'Inheritance' (1994) with bassist Fred Hopkins, 'Connecting Spirits' (1996) with pianist Marilyn Crispell and 'Out of the Mist' with violinist Leroy Jenkins in 1997. He died following cardiac arrest at the Lillian Booth Actors Home in Englewood, New Jersey.
