James Mtume dead at 76 – Grammy-winning percussionist who performed in Miles Davis’ band passes away

PERCUSSIONIST James Mtume, a trailblazer within the jazz and R&B scenes, died on the age of 76.

Mtume was a staple in various jazz, R&B, hip hop and movie scoring. He used his abilities to attach tradition and artwork with politics. 

James Mtume has handed away at age 76Credit score: Getty

He died Sunday however the reason for his loss of life is unknown at the moment.

“A whole lot of of us didn’t know that Mtume was so political and savvy in so many alternative areas,” stated Fatiyn Muhammad, the host government producer of the WBLS radio present Open Line.

“I felt just like the air obtained sucked out the room. Mtume was a particular particular person.”

Mtume was recognized for 1983’s Juicy Fruit which was sampled by The Infamous B.I.G. in his first official single Juicy in 1994. 

Mtume celebrated the music’s thirty fifth anniversary in 2018 by returning to his hometown of Philadelphia.

“I might say I had a really particular childhood rising up,” stated Mtume to The Philadelphia Tribune in 2018. The musician was born James Forman in 1946.

His father was James Heath, a world-famous saxophonist of the Heath Brothers.

Nonetheless, Mtume was raised by James Forman, additionally a jazz musician. “He performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker and all these individuals,” stated Mtume.

“So, once I’m rising up, possibly at dinner one night time, there’s Dizzy Gillespie, one other night time, there’s John Coltrane [or] Thelonious Monk.

“I used to be solely 10 years previous, so I didn’t understand how deep it was, however I did comprehend it was extraordinary listening to these conversations with these nice jazz musicians,” he instructed the Tribune.

“On the identical time, I’m rising up listening to the start of R&B and soul — there’s James Brown, The Temptations, Motown — so I had a really attention-grabbing musical background arising.”

Whereas attending Pasadena School within the mid-Sixties, Mtume was drawn to civil rights. He later joined the Black Energy Motion and was given the surname “Mtume”, which implies “messenger” or “prophet” in Swahili. 

He later moved from California to New York Metropolis, enjoying at golf equipment in Greenwich Village. He was found by Miles Davis in 1971 and the 2 toured collectively for 5 years.

Mtume stated Davis taught him to “maintain urgent the boundaries of music.”

Mtume wrote scores for movies and hits for artists from Phyllis Hyman to Teddy Pendergrass. He additionally carried out with icons reminiscent of Duke Ellington, Lonnie Liston Smith, Dizzy Gillespie and Sonny Rollins.

Within the Eighties, Mtume teamed up with Reggie Lucas to create hits reminiscent of By no means Knew Love Like This earlier than which received Stephanie Mills a Grammy.

Mtume was recognized for his music Juicy Fruit, which was later sampled by The Infamous B.I.G.Credit score: Getty