John Densmore Jam Sessions Bring Generational Harmony to Homeboy Art Academy

Doors drummer John Densmore, already an admirer of Father Greg Boyle’s work, visited Homeboy Art Academy in August and spontaneously joined students playing ‘Stand By Me,’ keeping perfect time at age 81. Inspired, he proposed returning for music workshops and drum circles, plans now materializing with regular jam sessions involving instructors from the Young Musicians Foundation’s Music Heals program, funded largely by Mike Stoller.

At a recent session, Densmore co-led an ensemble with guitar, percussion and bass, opening with ‘Got My Mojo Working,’ then moving into ‘Stand By Me’ and Cream’s ‘Sunshine of Your Love.’ Students, many decades younger than the Doors legend, responded eagerly, with some sharing how their families connected deeply to Doors music.

Densmore reflected on Jim Morrison’s artistry versus his self-destructive tendencies and emphasized music’s meditative power: ‘You can enter a state of timelessness… A little bit of infinity creeps in.’ After the performance, he recorded a video tribute for the family of a student’s girlfriend, learning that ‘Riders on the Storm’ was among their go-to tracks. Instructors noted how Densmore fostered not only artistic growth but also connection and hope among participants rebuilding their lives.