{"id":421,"date":"2011-07-24T17:44:35","date_gmt":"2011-07-24T21:44:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/?p=421"},"modified":"2019-09-13T11:39:22","modified_gmt":"2019-09-13T15:39:22","slug":"free-funk-electric-bassist-gets-60k-pew-fellowship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2011\/07\/free-funk-electric-bassist-gets-60k-pew-fellowship.html","title":{"rendered":"Free funk electric bassist gets $60k Pew Fellowship"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

Jamaaladeen Tacuma – photo supplied by artist, no copyright infringement intended<\/p><\/div>\n

Jamaaladeen Tacuma, free-funk electric bass virtuoso<\/a>, protege of Ornette Coleman<\/a> and one of the dancingest musicians on the planet, has been named one of 12 Philadelphia artists<\/a> receiving $60,000 fellowships from the Pew Center for Arts and Heritage.<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0Two other musicians are also 2011 Pew fellows: electronic music improviser Charles Cohen<\/a> and exploratory folk\/rock\/goth guitarist Chris Forsyth<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Pew’s level of financial support is comparable to the Herb Alpert Award<\/a> ($75k) though not as much as the MacArthur Fellows Program<\/a> ($500k over five years), more than a Guggenheim Fellowship<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0(reportedly averaging around $43k in 2008) and more than the National Endowment for the Art’s Jazz Masters <\/a>each receive as lifetime achievement prizes ($25k).<\/p>\n

While Alperts, MacArthurs, Guggenheims and foreign prizes such as Denmark’s JazzPar<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0(discontinued in 1984) have in recent years been bestowed on assertively experimental, innovative and avant-garde improvisers — and Tacuma can stand as an equal among them — he is still a surprising grant recipient. On the face of things, a 55-year-old electric bassist with the verve to get people on their feet might seem too “pop” for foundation money. However, Forsyth and Cohen\u00c2\u00a0are uncommon award winners, too. Pew fellows do not apply but are selected through a nomination process.<\/p>\n

Tacuma’s latest album demonstrates the breadth and depth of his interests:\u00c2\u00a0For The Love of Ornette<\/a> <\/em>is\u00c2\u00a0self-produced, only available through the artist’s own means of distribution and\u00c2\u00a0fun to listen to, dramatic and varied, but far from the formulas of pop music. <\/em>Ornette is (of course)\u00c2\u00a0Ornette Coleman, the internationally acclaimed American iconoclast, mentor\/inspiration to Tacuma (among legions of others), subject of a suite on the album and featured throughout the album playing alto saxophone. He is the very prophet<\/a> of “free jazz.”<\/p>\n

“Fellas, can you hear me?” Coleman says to Tacuma’s ensemble of seven, opening the title track of Tacuma’s album. “Forget the note and get to the idea<\/em>.” That’s a characteristic dictum of the “harmolodic” world-view Coleman has pro-offered and Tacuma has practiced some 35 years, since the relentless “freely” improvised electronic funk rave-up Dancing In Your Head<\/a>, <\/em>released in 1977. <\/em>There are other worthy contributors to For the Love of. . . <\/em>including Tony Kofi on tenor saxophone, Wolfgang Puschnig on flute and the double-reed hojak, and Yoichi Uzeki playing piano, Coleman’s concept dominates this album.<\/p>\n

What “free” means in this context is that music isn’t ruled by rules — categories, conventions, constraints — but is foremost an expression an individual’s personal views and truths, in conjunction, usually, with other individuals’ equally unique statements. Furthermore: All those individuals (participatory listeners included) can come together through collective improvisation.<\/p>\n

<\/object><\/p>\n

Jamaaladeen Tacuma talks about himself<\/a><\/p>\n

The logical basis of harmolodics is often doubted by musicians trained in Western classical style, though its precepts as articulated by Coleman uncover zen-like wisdom in allusion and contradiction, and would appear to be applicable across many performing arts. Tacuma may have an inherent inclination to realize harmony, melody and motion as inseparable elements of lively musical self-expression — Coleman took him as a harmolodic natural when they first met, and relied upon him for his electrically-infused projects from 1976 through ’87. They have not recorded together for 24 years.<\/p>\n

In the ’80s Jamaaladeen released\u00c2\u00a0several<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0albums<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0of his own with infectious rhythms, hot licks and classical accents from winds and string sections. Readers of my book Miles Ornette Cecil – Jazz Beyond Jazz<\/a> and articles over the years (even before I was managing-edited\u00c2\u00a0Guitar World<\/a><\/em>, 1982 – 83) know of my enthusiasm for Tacuma’s bass playing and upbeat, direct immediacy. He’s one of those rare and valuable people who bring bounce to life, apparently possessed with bold, joyous engagement. He seems to have been overlooked by the jazz press and public over the past decade (perhaps because he lives in Philadelphia, heading his large family). If so, it’s the press’s fault — he’s been busy, popular at festivals in Europe, recording with an array of collaborators ranging from phenomenological atonalist Derek Bailey<\/a> to black rockateer Vernon Reid<\/a>, opera singer Wilhelmina Fernandez <\/a>to Belgian Arabic hip-hop stylist Natacha Atlas<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Tacuma’s foundational, rubbery, striding sounds give a lift to almost every situation, and he puts himself into some odd ones, seldom sounding predictable, never dull. Here’s hoping the Pew Award gives him a bit of financial security and an extra infusion of energy he’ll pass on to the rest of us.<\/p>\n

howardmandel.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Subscribe by Email or RSS<\/a><\/p>\n

All JBJ posts<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jamaaladeen Tacuma, free-funk electric bass virtuoso, protege of Ornette Coleman and one of the dancingest musicians on the planet, has been named one of 12 Philadelphia artists receiving $60,000 fellowships from the Pew Center for Arts and Heritage.\u00c2\u00a0Two other musicians are also 2011 Pew fellows: electronic music improviser Charles Cohen and exploratory folk\/rock\/goth guitarist Chris […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":424,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-421","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-main","8":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/jt2.jpeg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1i3CL-6N","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2609,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2019\/07\/transcending-toxic-times-with-street-poetry-music.html","url_meta":{"origin":421,"position":0},"title":"Transcending Toxic Times with street poetry & music","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"July 10, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"My DownBeat article about Transcending Toxic Times, the compulsively listenable, critically political album by the Last Poets produced by electric bassist\/composer Jamaaladeen Tacuma, includes a lot of quotes from my interviews with him and poet Abiudon Oyewale. from left: Baba Donn Babatunde, Jamaaaladeen Tacuma (in front), Umar Bin Hassan, Abiodun\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "main"","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Jamaaladeen-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Jamaaladeen-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Jamaaladeen-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1606,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2014\/05\/celebrating-ornette-from-philly-in-photos.html","url_meta":{"origin":421,"position":1},"title":"Celebrating Ornette! from Philly, in photos","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"May 6, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Ornette Coleman recognizes beauty everywhere and in everyone.","rel":"","context":"In "main"","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/ornette-portrait-santa-e1398543336666.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":557,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2011\/10\/funky-freqs-and-other-blues-derivations-in-nyc.html","url_meta":{"origin":421,"position":2},"title":"Funky freqs and other blues derivations in NYC","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"October 14, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"There's not enough hard-core blues 'n' funk in New York City -- that's the premise of my new City-Arts column, prompted by the Free Form Funky Freqs (Vernon Reid, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, G. Calvin Weston) performing at the Stone two Fridays ago. If this kind of power trio (or quartet --\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "main"","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":75,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2008\/03\/ornette_at_town_hall_and_in_ja.html","url_meta":{"origin":421,"position":3},"title":"Ornette at Town Hall and in Japan","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"March 25, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Further Ornette sightings: the prophet of life-beyond-conventions returns on Friday to New York's Town Hall, where he's suffered and triumphed throughout his career. Internationally acclaimed as an enquiring multi-instrumentalist, composer and conceptualist, Ornette has a special place in his heart for Town Hall, the historic midtown Manhattan venue where he\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "main"","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2410,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2018\/01\/jazz-congress-winter-jazzfest-shape-of-jazz-to-come.html","url_meta":{"origin":421,"position":4},"title":"Jazz Congress, Winter JazzFest, shape of jazz to come","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"January 28, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"The first Jazz Congress co-hosted by Jazz at Lincoln Center and JazzTimes magazine Jan 11 and 12, 2018 and the 14th annual\u00c2\u00a0Winter JazzFest Marathon produced in downtown Manhattan Jan 12 and 13, offered contrasts and prompted crosstalk. It wasn't like these were conventions of different parties, but different narratives were\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"\" Space Is The Place\"","block_context":{"text":"\" Space Is The Place","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/tag\/space-is-the-place"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_8309.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_8309.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_8309.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_8309.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":58,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2008\/02\/jazz_beyond_jazz_in_philly_for.html","url_meta":{"origin":421,"position":5},"title":"Jazz beyond jazz in Philly, for instance","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"February 2, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"A day in Philadelphia demonstrated hard-core support for music stretching genres thrives, and a young audience seems ripe for such attractions. Having been invited to the City of BroLo to present Miles Ornette Cecil -- Jazz Beyond Jazz and illustrative video clips by Ars Nova Workshop, the sort of heroic\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "main"","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/421","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=421"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/421\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/424"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=421"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=421"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=421"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}