Jamaaladeen Tacuma facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Jamaaladeen Tacuma
Tacuma in Vienna, 2008
Background information
Birth name	Rudy McDaniel
Born	(1956-06-11) June 11, 1956 (age 69) Hempstead, New York, U.S.
Genres	Jazz, free jazz, free funk, jazz fusion
Instruments	Electric bass
Years active	1975–present
Labels	Gramavision, Thirsty Ear, P-Vine, DIW, Moers Music, Timeless

Jamaaladeen Tacuma (born Rudy McDaniel on June 11, 1956) is an American musician. He is a talented bassist, composer, and producer. He was born in Hempstead, New York.

Tacuma is known for his unique style of jazz and funk music. He led his own band on the Gramavision record label. He also played with the famous musician Ornette Coleman in the 1970s and 1980s. He was a key member of Coleman's band called Prime Time.

Tacuma showed off his special avant-garde jazz style on Coleman's 1982 album, Of Human Feelings. Many people thought he was one of the most original bassists since Jaco Pastorius. Later, Tacuma started his own group. They made albums that mixed catchy tunes with the complex music of Prime Time.

Discovering Music: Early Life and Career
Discography: Albums and Collaborations
See also

Discovering Music: Early Life and Career

Tacuma grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He became interested in music at a young age. As a teenager, he played with the organist Charles Earland.

Through Earland, Tacuma met music producer Reggie Lucas. Lucas introduced Jamaaladeen to Ornette Coleman in 1975. Tacuma was only 19 years old then.

Joining Prime Time: A New Sound

Tacuma quickly became famous as the electric bassist for Coleman's Prime Time group. This band played a mix of funk and harmolodic jazz. Guitarist Bern Nix was another member of the band.

When he first played with Prime Time, Tacuma mostly used traditional finger-picking. Later, he became a master of improvisation. He developed a more rhythmic, thumb-slapping funk style.

Tacuma's Instruments and Sound

The first three Prime Time albums were Dancing in Your Head, Body Meta, and Of Human Feelings. These were all recorded in the late 1970s. On these albums, Tacuma played a Rickenbacker bass. This type of bass was popular with rock musicians but rarely used in jazz.

In the 1980s, he switched to a Steinberger bass. This instrument helped him create his easily recognizable sound.

Big Performances and Collaborations

Playing with Prime Time led to Tacuma's most famous performance. He appeared with the band on Saturday Night Live on April 14, 1979. Tacuma later called this his "best live performance ever."

He also worked with many other musicians. These included James "Blood" Ulmer, Walt Dickerson, and David Murray. He also teamed up with new artists from the New York Downtown scene. These artists included Kip Hanrahan, David Moss, and Bill Laswell.

Solo Career and Recognition

Tacuma's first solo album, Show Stopper, came out in 1983. It was released on the Gramavision label. This album continued the jazz-funk style he developed with Coleman. His other albums as a leader for Gramavision followed this musical path.

In the 1980s, he started playing more straightforward funk and R&B music with his group, Cosmetic. Music magazines often featured him. They noted his strong, energetic playing style and his unique fashion sense. In 1981, he received the most votes ever for an electric bassist in a DownBeat magazine poll. This poll recognized "talent deserving wider recognition."

Later Career and Awards

Since the early 1990s, Tacuma has remained active. He has made many solo and group recordings. This includes several albums of duets with saxophonist Wolfgang Puschnig.

Mirakle was an important recording from 2000. It featured Tacuma, drummer Grant Calvin Weston, and guitarist Derek Bailey. In 2006, he returned to the jazz spotlight. He appeared on the World Saxophone Quartet's album Political Blues.

In 2007, he formed a powerful trio called Free Form Funky Freqs. He played with Weston and guitarist Vernon Reid. Reid is known for his work with Living Colour. Tacuma has also recorded two albums with Basso Nouveau. This group features several bassists playing different kinds of bass instruments. Gerald Veasley is also a member of this group.

Tacuma has received many awards and honors for his music. These include:

"Parallel Culture" Award (2009)
Marcus Garvey Foundation 50th Anniversary Award (2011)
The Pew Fellowship in the Arts (2011)
The Uptown Theater Hall of Fame Award (2014)
Gerald Veasely's Bass Boot Camp "Living The Dream Award" (2016)
The Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz Best Bassist (2017)
The City of Philadelphia's Benny Golson Award (2018)

Since 2015, Tacuma has presented the annual Outsiders Improvised & Creative Music Festival in Philadelphia. He continues to travel, produce music, and record around the world.

Discography: Albums and Collaborations

As a 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/Jam All Productions 2008)
Rendezvous Suite (Jazzwerkstatt, 2011)
For the Love of Ornette (Jam All Productions /P-Vine, 2010)
Legends of The Pipe & Sweater (Jam All Productions, 2015)
Electric Electrico (Jam All Productions 2016)
Gnawa Soul Experience (Jam All Productions, 2017)

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 a 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)
with Uwe Kropinski: Zwei (Jazzwerkstatt, 2009)
The Meeting Trio- Bobby Zankel and Webb Thomas (Jam All Productions, 2016)

with Free Form Funky Frēqs (trio with Vernon Reid and Calvin Weston)

Urban Mythology Volume One (Thirsty Ear, 2007)
Bon Vivant (Jam All Productions, 2013)
Hymn of the 3rd Galaxy (Ropeadope, 2022)

As a Sideman (Playing with Others)

with Ornette Coleman

Body Meta (Artists House, 1976)
Dancing in Your Head (A&M/Horizon Records, 1977)
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 Sean Noonan

Boxing Dreams (Songlines, 2008)
There's Always the Night (noonansmusic, 2014)
Tan Man's Hat (Rarenoise, 2019)

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 other artists

with James Carter: Layin' the Cut (Atlantic, 2000)
with Walt Dickerson: Walt Dickerson 1976 (Whynot, 1976)
with Walt Dickerson: Serendipity (SteepleChase, 1977)
with James Blood Ulmer: Tales of Captain Black (Artists House, 1978)
with James Blood Ulmer: Music Revelation Ensemble (DIW, 1988)
with Kip Hanrahan: Coup de tête (American Clavé, 1981)
with Kip Hanrahan: Desire Develops an Edge (American Clavé, 1983)
with 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)
with Pink Inc.: 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 Peter Murphy: Dust (Metropolis, 2002)
with Marc Ribot: The Young Philadelphians: Live in Tokyo (Yellowbird, 2015)