Jamaaladeen Tacuma - Renaissance Man (2022)

When Jamaaladeen Tacuma first learned about Paul Robeson’s life, he got angry. “I was absolutely furious,” says the Philadelphia free jazz and funk bass player. What fueled Tacuma’s rage back in 1982 was a public television program about Robeson, a Black man born in Princeton in 1898 who died in Philadelphia in 1976. The then-25-year-old Tacuma had grown up without having ever learned anything about the towering figure in 20th-century American history.
“I was mad because I didn’t know anything about him, because his story had been erased and I hadn’t been taught about him in school,” says Tacuma, who at the time was the bassist in Ornette Coleman’s band Prime Time, one of the greatest and most adventurous jazz groups of all time.
“I went to my record label at the time, Gramavision Records, and I said: ‘Look at this cat. I never knew about this guy before,’ ” recalls Tacuma, 65. ”I mean, goodness gracious, everything he put his hands on, he was unbelievable at. I said, look, I got to do something about this.”- Dan DeLuca Philadelphia Inquirer 2022

Renaissance Man is 25 year old Jamaaladeen Tacuma’s tribute to beloved black historical icon Paul Robeson. As producer on his sophomore album Tacuma shines ,selecting an eclectic cast of musicians to fulfill his dynamic and heartfelt musical vision. Don’t be shocked when you hear rock drumming legend Bill Bruford along side David Murray , or Classical music’s celebrated Eboni Strings Quartet on another track. At the time he was completely immersed in Ornette Colemans Harmolodic world. He had been touring and working intensely with Coleman since he was 18 and he is showing no restraint in letting Harmolodic concepts shine through his own unique musical language seeing no boundaries and no categories worth keeping. Just as the real “Renaissance Man” Paul Robeson did. At the time the music business didn’t know what box to put these LP’s in when the got to the music store. Today most listeners do not need a box .

Bill Bruford: Drums
Daryl Burgee: Drums, Drums (African), African Drums
Ornette Coleman: Sax (Alto)
Olu Dara: Flute, Cornet, African Flute
Charles Ellerbee: Guitar (Electric)
Verna Gillis: Handclapping
Aaron Henderson: Cello
Ron Howerton: Percussion, Electronic Percussion
Rick Iannacone: Guitar (Electric)
Gregg Mann: Programming, Engineer, Drum Programming, Mixing, Dmx
David Murray: Sax (Tenor)
Daniel Ponce: Percussion, Handclapping, Clapping
Vernon Reid: Guitar (Electric)
Cornell Rochester: Drums
Cynthia Shoats: Violin
Jamaaladeen Tacuma: Bass, Arranger, Bass (Electric), Guitar (Bass), Guitar (Electric), Programming, Electronic Sounds, Handclapping, Producer, Fretless Bass, Clapping, Drum Programming, Electronics, Dmx, 5-string Bass, 5-string Banjo
Kathleen Thomas: Violin
James Watkins: Sax (Alto)
Nina Wilkenson: Viola
Bob Zollman: Percussion, Conductor, Tympani