James Hawthorne (April 17, 1913 – April 8, 2004), also known as James Hawthorne Bey and Chief Bey, was an American jazz percussionist and vocalist, a visual artist and folklorist of African traditions. He was also ordained in Nigeria as a Shango Priest.

Early life

Born James Hawthorne in Yemassee, South Carolina,

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"Chief Bey, 91 Jazz Drummer."
''

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'', April 13, 2004. Retrieved October 28, 2016.Jenkins, Todd S
"Chief Bey: Master of African drums."
''www.jazzhouse.org.'' Retrieved October 28, 2016. Bey moved with his family to

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

and then to

Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and Central Park North on the south. The greater ...

, where he began playing drums and singing in church choirs. He also served in both the Army and

Navy A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...

and during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, and believed to have another daughter in Germany. He attended cosmetology school.

Later life and career

In the 1950s, Chief Bey performed in an international tour of ''

Porgy and Bess ''Porgy and Bess'' ( ) is an English-language opera by American composer George Gershwin, with a libretto written by author DuBose Heyward and lyricist Ira Gershwin. It was adapted from Dorothy Heyward and DuBose Heyward's play ''Porgy (play), ...

'' along with his wife Louise Hawthorne, starring Leontyne Price and Cab Calloway. He also began a busy recording career, performing with flautist

Herbie Mann Herbert Jay Solomon (April 16, 1930 – July 1, 2003), known by his stage name Herbie Mann, was an American jazz Flute, flute player and important early practitioner of world music. Early in his career, he also played tenor saxophone and clarinet ...

's ''At the Village Gate'' (1961), Art Blakey's ''The African Beat'' (1962), Ahmed Abdul-Malik's '' Sounds of Africa'' (New Jazz, 1961), as well as albums by Harry Belafonte, Miriam Makeba, Miriam Greaves and Pharoah Sanders, among others. He took his stage name after joining the Moorish Science Temple of America, a Muslim sect whose practitioners often add the suffix "Bey" to their names. Then he taught the Shékéré, a West African gourd percussion instrument, at the Griot Institute at Intermediate School 246 in Brooklyn. He performed on Baba Olatunji albums as a vocalist and played African drums and Percussion, Agbé/large Shékéré, Agogo/Bells. As a drum maker, he invented the No Whole Tension Technique of roping skin onto drums. He worked with

Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and the ...

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous Big band, jazz orchestra from 1924 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D ...

, Nina Simone, Geoffrey Holder, Randy Weston,

Reggie Workman Reginald "Reggie" Workman (born June 26, 1937) is an American avant-garde jazz and hard bop double bassist, recognized for his work with both John Coltrane and Art Blakey, in addition to Alice Coltrane, Mal Waldron, Max Roach, Archie Shepp, Tri ...

, Sonny Morgan, Mongo Santamaria,

Eddie Palmieri Eddie Palmieri (born December 15, 1936) is an American Grammy Award-winning pianist, bandleader, musician, and composer of Corsican and Puerto Rican ancestry. He is the founder of the bands La Perfecta, La Perfecta II, and Harlem River Drive. ...

John Coltrane John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the Jazz#Post-war jazz, history of jazz and 20th-century musi ...

Personal life and death

James Hawthorne died in his Brooklyn home of stomach cancer at the age of 90.Carlson, Russell
"Percussionist Chief Bey Dies."
''www.jazztimes.com'', April 15, 2004. His first wife passed 3 years before him, Louise Hawthorne, soprano opera singer traveled the world together, while she sang operas like Aida and Madame Butterfly leaving their 3 children, David, Denise and Carolyn with just their father. His youngest daughter Carolyn who’s on his last CD followed him in death. His common law wife Barbara Kenyatta (born Barbara Ann Coleman in Harlem on June 9, 1944), was a priestess of Yémaya in the Yoruba religion. She collapsed and died four days later.

Discography

As leader

* ''Children of the House of God'' ( Mapleshade, 1997)

As sideman

With Hamiet Bluiett * ''Orchestra, Duo & Septet'' (Chiaroscuro, 1977) * '' Dangerously Suite'' (Soul Note, 1981) * ''Nali Kola'' (Soul Note, 1989) * ''Bearer of the Holy Flame'' (Black Fire, 1994) * ''Bluiett's Barbeque Band'' (Mapleshade, 1996) * ''Live at Carlos 1'' (Just a Memory, 1997) * ''Live at Carlos 1: Another Night'' (Just a Memory, 1997) * ''Live at Carlos 1: Last Night'' (Just a Memory, 1998) With Babatunde Olatunji * ''Zungo!'' (Columbia, 1961) * ''High Life!'' (Columbia, 1963) * ''Drums! Drums! Drums!'' (Roulette, 1964) With others * Ahmed Abdul-Malik, ''Sounds of Africa'' (New Jazz, 1962) * Ray Barretto, ''Mysterious Instinct'' (Charlie Parker, 1962) * Harry Belafonte & Miriam Makeba, ''An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba'' (RCA Victor, 1965) * Art Blakey, '' The African Beat'' (Blue Note, 1962) * Solomon Ilori, ''African High Life'' (Blue Note, 1963) *

, '' Herbie Mann at the Village Gate'' (Atlantic, 1962) * Herbie Mann, '' Herbie Mann Returns to the Village Gate'' (Atlantic, 1963) * Miriam Makeba, ''Makeba Sings!'' (RCA Victor, 1965) *

Howard Roberts Howard Mancel Roberts (October 2, 1929 – June 28, 1992) was an American jazz guitarist, educator, and session musician. Early life Roberts was born in Phoenix, Arizona to Damon and Vesta Roberts, and began playing guitar at the age of 8 — a ...

, ''Lord Shango'' (Bryan, 1975) * Pharoah Sanders, ''Thembi'' (ABC Impulse!, 1971) * Pharoah Sanders, '' Izipho Zam (My Gifts)'' (Strata-East, 1973) * Warren Smith, ''Cats Are Stealing My $hit'' (Mapleshade, 1998) * Guy Warren, ''Themes for African Drums'' (RCA Victor, 1959) * Randy Weston, '' Khepera'' (Verve, 1998) * Judd Woldin, ''Raisin'' (Columbia, 1973) * World Saxophone Quartet, ''Metamorphosis'' (Elektra Nonesuch, 1991) * World Saxophone Quartet, ''Selim Sivad. Tribute to Miles Davis with African Drums'' (Justin Time, 1998)

References

Jo Anna Hunter Iyanifa Omotinuwe, My Journey To Aganjú: The Orisa so Hard to Find http://www.blackmadonnaenterprises.com

External links

Chief Bey discographyChief Bey at allmusic.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bey, Chief 1913 births 2004 deaths American jazz drummers United States Navy personnel of World War II People from Yemassee, South Carolina Musicians from Brooklyn Jazz musicians from New York City Deaths from stomach cancer in New York (state) 20th-century American drummers American male drummers 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians African-American drummers 20th-century African-American musicians Drummers from New York City Drummers from South Carolina