John Von Ohlen Explained

John Von Ohlen (May 13, 1941, Indianapolis, Indiana – October 3, 2018) was an American jazz drummer who worked for Woody Herman in 1967 and 1969 as well as with Stan Kenton from 1970 to 1972.^[1] He began playing trombone in middle school and played in band through high school.^[2] He graduated from North Central High School in Indianapolis in 1960.^[3] He briefly attended North Texas State University in Denton, Texas and returned to Indianapolis.

Von Ohlen led the Blue Wisp Big Band in Cincinnati from 1980 to 2018^[4] and his own groups under his name; they ranged from quartets to big band. From 1967 to 1968, he toured with Billy Maxted’s Manhattan Jazz Band. In the 1980s and 1990s, Von Ohlen was a member of a big band led by the pianist Steve Allee.^{[5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]}

Von Ohlen died on October 3, 2018 in Cincinnati, Ohio at the age of 77.^[11]

Discography

• John Von Ohlen – The Baron
• John Von Ohlen & Steve Allee Big Band – Live

With Blue Wisp Big Band

• The Blue Wisp Band of Cincinnati
• Butterfly
• The Smooth One
• Live at Carmelo's
• Rollin' with Von Ohlen
• Tribute
• 20th Anniversary

With Stan Kenton

• Live at Redlands University
• Today
• Live at Brigham Young University
• The Ballad Style of Stan Kenton

With others

• Chuck Carter/Steve Allee Big Band – Downtown Blues
• Woody Herman – Concerto for Herd
• Cal Collins – Crack'd Rib

Notes and References

1. Web site: John Von Ohlen . AllMusic . 16 December 2018 .
2. Web site: John Von Ohlen. Modern Drummer Magazine. en-US. 2020-04-27.
3. Web site: John Von Ohlen - North Central High School - Indianapolis, IN. northcentralhighschool.net. 2020-04-27.
4. Web site: The Blue Wisp Big Band - Cincinnati's premier big band. Bluewispbigband.com. 3 October 2018.
5. [Leonard Feather]
6. Biographical Dictionary of Jazz, by Charles Eugene Claghorn (1911–2005), Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ (1982)
7. The Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Third edition, Eight volumes, edited by Colin Larkin, Muze, London (1998)
8. The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, First edition, Two volumes, edited by Barry Kernfeld, Macmillan Press, London (1988)
9. The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, Edited by Barry Kernfeld, St. Martin's Press, New York (1994)
10. The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, Second edition, Three volumes, edited by Barry Kernfeld, Macmillan Publishers, London (2002)
11. Web site: John Von Ohlen, acclaimed jazz drummer, dies at 77. Bizjournals.com. October 3, 2018.