John Von Ohlen

John Von Ohlen (b. Indianapolis, May 13, 1941 - d. October 3, 2018) – Drummer. Born in Indianapolis in the early 1940s, John Von Ohlen played piano and as a child and later the trombone, but he didn’t start playing drums until age fourteen. His switch to the drum set came in 1955 after being mesmerized by the outstanding playing of Stan Kenton’s drummer Mel Lewis at a local performance. After high school graduation, he had the opportunity to study at the esteemed jazz program at North Texas State, while learning further during gigs with jazz groups. Following a year and a half traveling with Ralph Marterie’s band and serving two years in the Army, Von Ohlen returned to Indianapolis, where he was recruited to play for Billy Maxted’s New York-based band. After a year, he joined Woody Herman’s band for extensive tours of the United States and Europe. During a break from Herman’s band in 1970, his lifelong dream came true, when his hero Stan Kenton called him to join his legendary group. After two years of playing with Kenton, who gave Ohlen the nickname “Baron,” he returned to Indy and formed the Baron Von Ohlen Quartet, a progressive electric group. Also in the 1970s, he started an Indy-based big band with Steve Allee and otherwise split time between Indy and Cincinnati. In 1979, he co-founded the Blue Wisp Big Band, which has played weekly at the Cincy club of the same name ever since. In Cincinnati, Von Ohlen has earned a great reputation as a drummer and has served as an adjunct faculty member at the prestigious Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.