Jamaaladeen Tacuma

Jamaaladeen Tacuma (born Rudy McDaniel, June 11, 1956) is an American free jazz bassist born in Hempstead, New York, perhaps best known for his albums as bandleader on the Gramavision label and for his work with Ornette Coleman during the 1970s and 1980s (particularly in Coleman's Prime Time band). Jamaaladeen's 1988 album Jukebox was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1989, but did not win.

Biography
Tacuma was raised in Philadelphia and showed interest in music at a young age, performing with the organist Charles Earland in his teens. Through Earland Tacuma came to know the record producer Reggie Lucas, who introduced Jamaaladeen to Ornette Coleman in 1975 at age 19. As the electric bassist for Coleman's funky Prime Time group, Tacuma rose to prominence quickly; another notable band member included the guitarist Bern Nix. While with Prime Time, Tacuma relied mostly on traditional technique, picking with his fingers. Later works showcase a more rhythmic, thumb-slapping funk approach.

The first three Prime Time recordings (Dancing in Your Head, Body Meta, and Of Human Feelings, all recorded in the late 1970s) feature Tacuma's work on a Rickenbacker bass, a model popular among progressive rock musicians but rarely used on jazz recordings. He switched to a Steinberger 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 on Saturday Night Live on April 14, 1979, which Tacuma later cited in Musician magazine as his "best live performance ever". Work with such artists as James "Blood" Ulmer, Walt Dickerson, David Moss, Chuck Hammer, Kip Hanrahan, and David Murray further heightened his reputation. Tacuma's first solo album, "Show Stopper", came in 1983 on the Gramavision label; the album grew out of the jazz/funk style he developed in his work with Coleman. His other works as leader at Gramavision followed that forumala.

In the 1980s Jamaaladeen started to perform with a group called "Cosmetic". 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 the Down Beat magazine critics poll. In the 1990s and 2000s (decade), he has maintained a lower profile. His relatively infrequent recordings in these years include CDs of duets with saxophonist Wolfgang Puschnig. However, Allmusic cited Mirakle, a recording that features Tacuma, drummer Grant Calvin Weston, and guitarist Derek Bailey as one of the "most important recordings of year 2000." In 2006, he returned to the jazz spotlight with an appearance on the World Saxophone Quartet's Political Blues.

In 2011, Tacuma was selected as a Pew Fellowships in the Arts.

As leader

 * Show Stopper (Gramavision, 1983)
 * Renaissance Man (Gramavision, 1984)
 * Music World (Gramavision, 1986)
 * Jukebox (Gramavision, 1988)
 * Boss of the Bass (Gramavision, 1991)
 * Sound Symphony (1992)
 * with Basso Nouveau: The Night of Chamber Music (Moers Music, 1993)
 * Dreamscape (DIW, 1996)
 * Groove 2000 (P-Vine, 1998)
 * Brotherzone (P-Vine, 1999)
 * Flavors of Thelonious Monk Reloaded (Extraplatte, 2007)
 * Coltrane Configurations (Jazzwerkstatt, 2009)
 * For the Love of Ornette (Jazzwerkstatt, 2010)

with Cosmetic

 * Cosmetics / New Complexion (12", Rough Trade, 1981)
 * Get Ready (/ Put It On) (12", Gramavision, 1982)
 * (In the) Nightlife (/ (In the) Nightlife (Instrumental)) (12", Gramavision, 1983)
 * So Tranquilizin' (Gramavision, 1985)
 * So Tranquilizin' (Dance Mix) (/ N-Er-Gize-Me) (12", Gramavision, 1985)

As co-leader

 * and Dennis Alston: Sound Symphony (Moers Music, 1992)
 * and Cornell Rochester: Meet the Podium 3: Live in Köln (Timeless, 1994)
 * Doran - Studer - Tacuma (with Christy Doran and Freddy Studer): Race the Time (Migros, 1997)
 * with Burhan Öçal featuring Natacha Atlas: Groove alla turca (Doublemoon, 1999)
 * with Derek Bailey and Calvin Weston: Mirakle (Tzadik, 2000)
 * Free Form Funky Frēqs (Trio with Vernon Reid and Calvin Weston): Urban Mythology Volume One (Thirsty Ear, 2007)

with Ornette Coleman

 * Dancing in Your Head (A&M, 1975)
 * Body Meta (Artists House, 1976)
 * Of Human Feelings (Antilles, 1982)
 * Opening the Caravan of Dreams (Caravan of Dreams, 1985)
 * In All Languages (Caravan of Dreams, 1987)

with Wolfgang Puschnig

 * Pieces of the Dream (Amadeo, 1988)
 * Gemini-Gemini - The Flavors of Thelonious Monk (ITM, 1991)
 * Alpine Aspects (Amadeo, 1991)
 * Mixed Metaphors w/ Ernst Jandl (Amadeo, 1995)
 * Journey Into the Gemini Territory (ITM Pacific, 1996)
 * Roots & Fruits (Amadeo, 1998)

with Red Sun and Samul Nori
 * Red Sun/Samul Nori (Amadeo, 1989)
 * Then Comes the White Tiger (ECM, 1994)
 * Nanjang - A New Horizon (Amadeo, 1995)

with Linda Sharrock
 * Linda Sharrock & The Three Man Band (Moers Music, 1991)

with others
with Walt Dickerson Trio
 * Serendipity (SteepleChase, 1977)

with James Blood Ulmer
 * Tales of Captain Black (Artists House, 1978)

with Kip Hanrahan
 * Coup de tête (American Clavé, 1981)
 * Desire Develops an Edge (American Clavé, 1983)
 * Conjure: Music for the Texts of Ishmael Reed (American Clavé, 1985)

with Nona Hendryx
 * Nona (RCA, 1982)

with The Golden Palominos
 * The Golden Palominos (Celluloid, 1983)

with David Moss
 * Full House (Moers Music, 1984)

with Jayne Cortez and the Firespitters
 * There It Is (Bola Press, 1982)

with Cashmere
 * Let the Music Turn You On (Philly World, 1983)

with Veronica Underwood
 * Veronica Underwood (Philly World, 1985)

with Khan Jamal
 * Thinking of You (Storyville, 1987)

with Grant Calvin Weston
 * Dance Romance (In+Out, 1988)

with Fool Proof
 * No Friction (Gramavision, 1988)

with James Watkins
 * Intense (ITM, 1989)

with Courtney Pine
 * The Vision's Tale (Antilles, 1989)

with Pink Inc.
 * Alex Deutsch 's Pink Inc. (DIW, 1991)
 * Keys 2 the Kastle (Sweeca, 1995)

with Bazillus
 * The Regulator featuring Eddie Harris (Act/Zero, 1992)

with Fredy Studer and Christy Doran
 * Half a Lifetime (Unit, 1994)

with Sylk 130
 * When the Funk Hits the Fan (Ovum, 1997)

with Ben Schachter
 * Fractals (Ben-Jam, 1999)

with James Carter
 * Layin' in the Cut (Atlantic, 2000)

with Peter Murphy
 * Dust (Metropolis, 2002)