James Hawthorne Bey (April 17, 1913 – April 8, 2004)
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. new ...
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', April 13, 2004. Retrieved October 28, 2016.Jenkins, Todd S "Chief Bey: Master of African drums." ''www.jazzhouse.org.'' Retrieved October 28, 2016. was an American jazz percussionist and African folklorist. He played under the name of Chief Bey.
Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
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 Ha ...
, where he began playing drums and singing in church choirs. He also served in the
Navy
A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It in ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
In the 1950s, 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'', ...
Art Blakey
Arthur Blakey (October 11, 1919 – October 16, 1990) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. He was also known as Abdullah Ibn Buhaina after he converted to Islam for a short time in the late 1940s.
Blakey made a name for himself in the ...
Sounds of Africa
''Sounds of Africa'' is the fourth album by double bassist and oud player Ahmed Abdul-Malik featuring performances recorded in 1962 (with one track from 1961) and originally released on the New Jazz label.Harry Belafonte
Harry Belafonte (born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr.; March 1, 1927) is an American singer, activist, and actor. As arguably the most successful Jamaican-American pop star, he popularized the Trinbagonian Caribbean musical style with an internati ...
, Miriam Makeba and Pharoah Sanders, among others. He took his stage name after joining the Moorish Science Temple of America, a Muslim sect. Then he taught the shekere, a West African percussion instrument, at the Griot Institute at Intermediate School 246 in Brooklyn.
Bey died at his home in Brooklyn of stomach cancer at the age of 91.Carlson, Russell "Percussionist Chief Bey Dies." ''www.jazztimes.com'', April 15, 2004. His widow, Barbara Kenyatta Bey (born Barbara Ann Coleman in Harlem on June 9, 1944), was a priestess of Yemaja in the
Yoruba
The Yoruba people (, , ) are a West African ethnic group that mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba constitute ...
religion. She collapsed at his funeral 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
''Dangerously Suite'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Hamiet Bluiett recorded in 1980 and released on the Italian Soul Note label.Frohne, M.Soul Note discographyaccessed November 18, 2014
Reception
In his review for AllMusic, Milo Fine ...
'' (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
Harry Belafonte (born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr.; March 1, 1927) is an American singer, activist, and actor. As arguably the most successful Jamaican-American pop star, he popularized the Trinbagonian Caribbean musical style with an internati ...
Art Blakey
Arthur Blakey (October 11, 1919 – October 16, 1990) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. He was also known as Abdullah Ibn Buhaina after he converted to Islam for a short time in the late 1940s.
Blakey made a name for himself in the ...
Solomon Ilori
Solomon Gbadegesin Ilori (born c. 1934) is a Nigerian drummer and percussionist who moved to New York City in 1958 and collaborated with jazz artists such as Art Blakey and Harry Belafonte before recording his debut album for Blue Note Records in ...
Herbie Mann at the Village Gate
''Herbie Mann at the Village Gate'' is a 1961 live album by jazz flutist Herbie Mann which was his third album for Atlantic Records, the main label for much of his career. The album was recorded at legendary club The Village Gate.Liner notes to At ...
'' (Atlantic, 1962)
* Herbie Mann, ''
Herbie Mann Returns to the Village Gate
''Herbie Mann Returns to the Village Gate'' is a live album by American jazz flautist Herbie Mann recorded in 1961 for the Atlantic label but not released until 1963.Miriam Makeba, ''Makeba Sings!'' (RCA Victor, 1965)
* Howard Roberts, ''Lord Shango'' (Bryan, 1975)
* Pharoah Sanders, ''Thembi'' (ABC Impulse!, 1971)
* Pharoah Sanders, ''
Izipho Zam (My Gifts)
''Izipho Zam (My Gifts)'' is the third album led by saxophonist Pharoah Sanders recorded in 1969 but not released on the Strata-East Records, Strata-East label until 1973. It features Sanders with a large ensemble.
Reception
In his review for ...
'' (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
The World Saxophone Quartet is an American jazz ensemble founded in 1977, incorporating elements of free jazz, R&B, funk and South African jazz into their music.
The original members were Julius Hemphill (alto and soprano saxophone, flute), O ...
, ''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