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Jo Jones (born October 7, 1911, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.—died September 3, 1985, New York, New York) was an American musician, one of the most influential of all jazz drummers, noted for his swing, dynamic subtlety, and finesse. Jones grew up in Alabama, studied music for 12 years, and became a skilled trumpeter and pianist; he toured with carnivals as a tap dancer as well as an instrumentalist. He played with Southwestern “territory bands” (i.e., those...