J. R. Mitchell
J. R. Mitchell | |
|---|---|
J. R. Mitchell, Kool Jazz Festival, New York 1982 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | James Roland Mitchell |
| Also known as | Phumelela |
| Born | April 13, 1937 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | January 25, 2004 (aged 66) New York, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Drummer, Composer, Percussionist |
| Instrument(s) | Drums, Congas, Piano |
| Years active | 1960–2004 |
| Labels | Dogtown, Doria, CIMP |
James Roland "J. R." Mitchell (April 13, 1937 – January 25, 2004) was an American jazz drummer and educator who sought to promote awareness of the African American music experience. In the early 1980s, jazz journalist and Washington Post music critic W. Royal Stokes wrote, "J. R. Mitchell is the renaissance man of jazz."