Stephen Paul Motian (March 25, 1931 – November 22, 2011) was an American jazz drummer, percussionist, and composer of Armenian descent. He played an important role in freeing jazz drummers from strict time-keeping duties.
Motian first came to prominence in the late 1950s in the piano trio of Bill Evans, later was a regular in pianist Keith Jarrett's band for about a decade (c.
