![]() Blige‘s 1997 “Share My World” album, K-Ci and Jo-Jo’s “Love Always” and R. ![]() In 1978 Mtume formed his self-named “sophistifunk” R&B-jazz ensemble with Lucas and vocalist Tawatha Agee, releasing the albums “Kiss This World Goodbye” (1978), “In Search of the Rainbow Seekers” (1980), “Juicy Fruit” (1983), “You, Me and He” (1984, also the title of their second biggest single), and “Theater of the Mind” (1986).Īfter the band split in the late 1980s, Mtume maintained his profile in activist causes as well as music, working as a producer on such projects as Mary J. Around this time Mtume joined Miles Davis’ band for a four-year stint that included some of the jazz legend’s most adventurous material, including “Dark Magus” and “Pangaea.” Organization (whose founder, Maulana Karenga created the holiday Kwanzaa), and recorded his earliest solo albums starting with “Alkebu-Lan – Land of the Blacks.”Īfter returning to the East Coast, Mtume (whose name translates as “messenger” in Swahili), played with jazz band leaders such as McCoy Tyner and Freddie Hubbard as well as recording with his uncle, Albert “Tootie” Heath on the “Kawaida” album. There, he joined the Black empowerment group, the U.S. Raised by his stepfather, Philly jazz pianist James Forman, the young musician grew up with activist roots (he saw Malcolm X speak as a child) and moved to California in the mid-‘60s on a swimming scholarship. Mtume was born into jazz royalty in Philadelphia as the son of saxophonist Jimmy Heath. ![]() “Juicy Fruit,” the biggest hit from his self-titled R&B group, has been sampled countless times, most famously on Notorious B.I.G.’s classic “Juicy.” Mtume also produced and co-wrote hit singles for Stephanie Mills (“Never Knew Love Like This Before”) and Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway (“The Closer I get To You”) in collaboration with his musical partner and fellow Davis alum Reggie Lucas. ![]() In his solo music, Mtume ran the gamut from disco to avant-garde jazz, as well as dramatic compositions for television (“New York Undercover”) and film (“Native Son”). Mtume’s affiliation with Davis began with 1972’s funk-driven “On the Corner,” and he also worked with jazz greats such as pianist McCoy Tyner, trumpeter Art Farmer, keyboardist Lonnie Liston Smith Jr., saxophonists Gato Barbieri and Pharoah Sanders and even Duke Ellington. The news was confirmed by his son to Pitchfork, among other sources no cause was cited. James Mtume, the R&B and jazz percussionist, recording artist and producer best known for the 1983 smash “Juicy Fruit” and his work with Miles Davis and other top jazz musicians, has died at the age of 76. ![]()
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February 2023
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