A former jazz percussionist, James
Mtume moved into urban contemporary and funk in the late 70s and became one of the more successful producers and performers in both styles during the 80s. The son of the great jazz saxophonist Jimmy Heath,
Mtume was a conga player and percussionist who recorded and toured with Miles Davis and was featured on albums by the Heath Brothers, Sonny Rollins, Herbie Hancock, Joe Henderson, and Freddie Hubbard. He even recorded as a bandleader for Strata-East before turning to funk in the late 70s.
Mtume's band included the sassy, sultry vocalist Tawatha Agee, keyboardist Phil Field, and bassist Ray Johnson. They had a number one R&B hit with "Juicy Fruit" for Epic in 1983 a...
read more