Jo Jones (born Jonathan David Samuel Jones; October 7, 1911 – September 3, 1985) was an American jazz drummer. A band leader and pioneer in jazz percussion, Jones anchored the Count Basie Orchestra rhythm section from 1934 to 1948.ones, Basie, guitarist Freddie Green and bassist Walter Page were sometimes billed as an All-American Rhythm section, an ideal team. Jones took a brief break for two years when he was in the military, but he remained with Basie until 1948.