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Jamaaladeen Tacuma | |
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 Tacuma in Vienna, 2008 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Rudy McDaniel (1956-06-11)June 11, 1956 (age 69) Hempstead, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz,free jazz,free funk,jazz fusion |
| Instrument | Electric bass |
| Years active | 1975–present |
| Labels | Gramavision,Thirsty Ear,P-Vine,DIW, Moers Music, Timeless |
| Website | www |
Jamaaladeen Tacuma (bornRudy McDaniel; June 11, 1956)[1] is an American jazz funk avant-gardebassist, composer and producer born inHempstead, New York. He was abandleader on theGramavision label and worked withOrnette Coleman during the 1970s and 1980s, mostly in Coleman'sPrime Time band.
Tacuma showcased a unique style ofavant-garde jazz on Coleman's 1982 albumOf Human Feelings, and became widely viewed as one of the most distinctive bassists sinceJaco Pastorius. Tacuma formed his own group, and recorded albums that incorporated commercially accessible melodies while retaining Prime Time's elaborate harmonies.[2][3]
Tacuma, raised inPhiladelphia,Pennsylvania, showed interest in music at a young age, performing with theorganistCharles Earland in his teens.[1] Through Earland, Tacuma came to know the record producerReggie Lucas, who introduced Jamaaladeen toOrnette Coleman in 1975 at age 19.[1] As theelectric bassist for Coleman'sfunkyharmolodicPrime Time group, Tacuma rose to prominence quickly;[1]guitaristBern Nix was another band member. While with Prime Time, Tacuma relied mostly on traditional technique, picking with his fingers. His later work revealed a master improviser and showcased a more rhythmic, thumb-slapping funk approach.
The first three Prime Time recordings (Dancing in Your Head,Body Meta, andOf Human Feelings, all recorded in the late 1970s)[1] feature Tacuma's work on aRickenbacker bass, a model popular among progressive rock musicians, but rarely used on jazz recordings. He switched to aSteinberger bass in the 1980s, an instrument that helped him create his readily identifiable sound.
Tacuma's work with Prime Time landed him his most high-profile gig to date: an appearance with the band onSaturday Night Live on April 14, 1979, which Tacuma later cited inMusician magazine as his "best live performance ever". Besides the work with such musicians asJames "Blood" Ulmer,Walt Dickerson,Chuck Hammer, andDavid Murray, he collaborated with the upcoming artists of the New YorkDowntown scene likeKip Hanrahan,David Moss,Bill Laswell andAnton Fier (The Golden Palominos,1983) that further heightened his reputation. Tacuma's first solo album,Show Stopper, came in 1983 on theGramavision label; the album grew out of thejazz-funk style he developed in his work with Coleman.[1] His other works as leader atGramavision followed that formula.
In the 1980s, he started to perform in a relatively straightforward funk/R&B setting with his group Cosmetic.[1] He was frequently featured in music magazines thanks to his aggressive, driving playing style and his angular fashion sense. In 1981, Tacuma received the highest number of votes ever for an electric bassist in the "talent deserving wider recognition" category of theDownBeat magazine critics poll.[1]
Since the early 1990s, he has remained active but has maintained a lower profile. He has made numerous solo and collaborative recordings, including several CDs of duets with saxophonistWolfgang Puschnig.AllMusic citedMirakle, a recording that features Tacuma, drummerGrant Calvin Weston, and guitaristDerek Bailey as one of the "most important recordings of year 2000." In 2006, he returned to the jazz spotlight with an appearance on theWorld Saxophone Quartet'sPolitical Blues.
In 2007, he joined with Weston and guitaristVernon Reid (known for his work inLiving Colour and withRonald Shannon Jackson) to form the power trio Free Form Funky Freqs. He has also recorded two albums with Basso Nouveau, a group that features multiple bassists playing together on a variety of instruments, including electric bass, upright bass and acoustic bass guitar, and that also includes bassistGerald Veasley.[4]
Tacuma has received the following awards and fellowships: "Parallel Culture" Award 2009, Marcus Garvey Foundation 50th Anniversary Award 2011, The Pew Fellowship in the Arts 2011 and The Uptown Theater Hall of Fame Award in 2014, Gerald Veasely's Bass Boot Camp "Living The Dream Award - 2016, The Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz Best Bassist 2017. He has received The MacDowell Colony 2011, Headlands Center for the Arts 2012 and Civitella Ranieri 2014 residency fellowship. In 2017, he received The Philadelphia Club Club of Jazz Best Bassist Award, in 2018 he received the City of Philadelphia's Benny Golson Award, The Benny Golson Award includes a City proclamation and the Liberty Bell award – one of the highest honors from the City of Philadelphia. Since 2015, Tacuma presents the annual Outsiders Improvised & Creative Music Festival in Philadelphia and continues to tour, produce and record worldwide.[5]
withJames Carter
withWalt Dickerson
withKip Hanrahan
withNona Hendryx
withDavid Moss
withJayne Cortez and the Firespitters
with Cashmere
with Veronica Underwood
with Khan Jamal
with Fool Proof
with James Watkins
withCourtney Pine
with Pink Inc.
with Bazillus
with Fredy Studer andChristy Doran
with Sylk 130
with Ben Schachter
withPeter Murphy
withMarc Ribot
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