J. R. Mitchell

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J. R. Mitchell
J. R. Mitchell, Kool Jazz Festival, New York 1982
Background information
Birth name	James Roland Mitchell
Also known as	Phumelela
Born	(1937-04-13)April 13, 1937 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	January 25, 2004(2004-01-25) (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."