Bill Summers (born June 27, 1948) is an American

Afro-Cuban jazz Afro-Cuban jazz is the earliest form of Latin jazz. It mixes Afro-Cuban clave-based rhythms with jazz harmonies and techniques of improvisation. Afro-Cuban music has deep roots in African ritual and rhythm. The genre emerged in the early 1940s ...

Latin jazz Latin jazz is a genre of jazz with Latin American rhythms. The two main categories are Afro-Cuban jazz, rhythmically based on Cuban popular dance music, with a rhythm section employing ostinato patterns or a clave (rhythm), clave, and Afro-Brazil ...

percussionist A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Ex ...

, a

multi-instrumentalist A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays two or more musical instruments, often but not exclusively at a professional level of proficiency. Also known as woodwind doubler, doubling, the practice allows greater ensemble flexibility and mor ...

who plays primarily on

conga The conga, also known as tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed drum from Cuba. Congas are staved like barrels and classified into three types: quinto (lead drum, highest), tres dos or tres golpes (middle), and tumba or salidor (lowest ...

drums.

Career

In the 1970s, he founded Bill Summers & Summers Heat together with Bo Freeman, Calvin Tillery, Carla Vaughn,

Claytoven Richardson Claytoven Richardson (born May 23, 1956) is an American singer, instrumentalist, producer, songwriter, and author. His musical career spans nearly three decades, during which he has been awarded several gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards. ...

, Earl Freeman, Freddie Washington, George Spencer, Hadley Caliman, James Levi, Jeff Lewis, Larry Batiste, Leo Miller, Lori Ham, Michael Sasaki, Munyungo Jackson, Paul Van Wageningen, Ray Obiedo, Rodney Franklin, Scott Roberts and Tom Poole. The group produced 7 albums between 1977 and 1983 : * ''Cayenne'' * ''Straight to the bank * ''On Sunshine'' * ''Jam the box'' * ''Call it what you want'' * ''Seventeen'' * ''London Style'' During the 1990s, Summers played with Los Hombres Calientes along with co-leader of the group,

trumpeter The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz musical ensemble, ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest Register (music), register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitche ...

Irvin Mayfield Irvin Mayfield Jr. (born December 23, 1977) is an American trumpeter, composer, bandleader and educator. On November 3, 2021, Mayfield was sentenced to 18 months in prison for defrauding the New Orleans Public Library, New Orleans public librar ...

and

Jason Marsalis Jason Marsalis (born March 4, 1977) is an American jazz drummer, vibraphone player, composer, producer, band leader, and member of the Marsalis family of musicians. He is the youngest son of Dolores Ferdinand Marsalis and the late Ellis Marsalis ...

. However, Summers has a much longer musical career, often working behind the scenes on

film scores A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film. The score comprises a number of orchestral, instrumental, or choral pieces called cues, which are timed to begin and end at specific points during the film in order to ...

for various movies such as ''

The Color Purple ''The Color Purple'' is a 1982 epistolary novel by American author Alice Walker that won the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award for Fiction.Roots A root is the part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors the plant body, and absorbs and stores water and nutrients. Root or roots may also refer to: Art, entertainment, and media * ''The Root'' (magazine), an online magazine focusin ...

'' with

Quincy Jones Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (March 14, 1933 – November 3, 2024) was an American record producer, composer, arranger, conductor, trumpeter, and bandleader. Over the course of his seven-decade career, he received List of awards and nominations re ...

. He also played with

Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer. He started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. Hancock soon joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he helped to redefine the role of ...

during

The Headhunters The Headhunters was an American jazz fusion band formed by Herbie Hancock in 1973. The group fused jazz, funk, and rock music. History and band name Hancock had grown dissatisfied with his prior band, Mwandishi, and wanted to make a band with ...

years, and is mentioned in passing by the liner notes of The Headhunters' 2003 release ''Evolution Revolution'' as contributing to that recording. His former wife is Yvette Bostic-Summers, who often sings on Los Hombres' albums.

Discography

As leader

* ''Feel the Heat'' (

Prestige Prestige may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Films *Prestige (film), ''Prestige'' (film), a 1932 American film directed by Tay Garnett: woman travels to French Indochina to meet up with husband *The Prestige (film), ''The Prestige'' (fi ...

, 1977) * ''Cayenne'' (Prestige, 1977) * ''Straight to the Bank'' (Prestige, 1978) * ''On Sunshine'' (Prestige, 1979) * ''Call it What You Want'' ( MCA, 1981) U.S. No. 129 * ''Jam the Box'' (MCA, 1981) U.S. No. 92 * ''Seventeen'' (MCA, 1982) * ''London Style'' (MCA, 1983) * ''Iroko'' (Vital, 1992) * ''The Essence of Kwanzaa'' (Monkey Hill, 1997) * ''Studies in Bata: Sacred Drum of the Yoruba, Havana to Matanzas'' (Bilsum, 2002) With Los Hombres Calientes * ''Los Hombres Calientes'' (Basin Street, 1998) * ''Vol. 2'' (Basin Street, 2000) * ''Vol. 3 New Congo Square'' (Basin Street, 2001) * ''Vol. 4: Vodou Dance'' (Basin Street, 2003)

As sideman

With

Terry Garthwaite Joy of Cooking was an American music ensemble formed in 1967 in Berkeley, California. Associated with the hippie culture, the band's music combined rock & roll with folk, blues, and jazz. The band released three studio albums on Capitol Records ...

* ''Terry'' (Arista Records, 1975) With Johnny Hammond * ''Forever Taurus'' (Milestone, 1976) * ''Storm Warning'' (Milestone, 1977) * ''Don't Let the System Get You'' (Milestone, 1978) With

* ''

Head Hunters ''Head Hunters'' is the twelfth studio album by American pianist, keyboardist and composer Herbie Hancock, released October 26, 1973, on Columbia Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in the evening at Wally Heider Studios and D ...

'' ( Columbia, 1973) * ''

Thrust Thrust is a reaction force described quantitatively by Newton's third law. When a system expels or accelerates mass in one direction, the accelerated mass will cause a force of equal magnitude but opposite direction to be applied to that ...

'' (Columbia, 1974) * ''

Man-Child ''Man-Child'' is the fifteenth studio album by jazz pianist Herbie Hancock. The record was released on August 22, 1975, by Columbia Records. It was the final studio album to feature the Headhunters, and a number of guest musicians including sax ...

'' (Columbia, 1975) * ''

Flood A flood is an overflow of water (list of non-water floods, or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are of significant con ...

'' (Columbia, 1975) * ''

Sunlight Sunlight is the portion of the electromagnetic radiation which is emitted by the Sun (i.e. solar radiation) and received by the Earth, in particular the visible spectrum, visible light perceptible to the human eye as well as invisible infrare ...

'' (Columbia, 1978) * '' Directstep'' (Columbia, 1979) * ''

Feets, Don't Fail Me Now ''Feets, Don't Fail Me Now'' is the twenty-second album by jazz pianist Herbie Hancock. The record was released in February 1979 by Columbia Records. Overview This was the first of Hancock's albums to discard jazz completely in favor of a more ...

'' (Columbia, 1979) * '' Mr. Hands'' (Columbia, 1980) * ''Autodrive'' (Columbia, 1983) * ''

Dis Is Da Drum ''Dis Is da Drum'' is Herbie Hancock's thirty-fourth album and his first solo album since leaving Columbia Records. Guests include saxophonist Bennie Maupin, trumpeter Wallace Roney and flautist Hubert Laws. Tracks like "Bo Ba Be Da" and "Dis ...

'' (Mercury, 1994) * ''Omaha Civic Auditorium, 17th November 1975'' (Hi Hat, 2015) With

* ''

Survival of the Fittest "Survival of the fittest" is a phrase that originated from Darwinian evolutionary theory as a way of describing the mechanism of natural selection. The biological concept of fitness is defined as reproductive success. In Darwinian terms, th ...

'' (Arista, 1975) * ''Straight from the Gate'' (Arista, 1977) * ''Return of the Headhunters'' (Verve Forecast, 1998) * ''Evolution Revolution'' (Basin Street, 2003) * ''On Top: Live in Europe'' (BHM, 2008) * ''

Platinum Platinum is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a density, dense, malleable, ductility, ductile, highly unreactive, precious metal, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name origina ...

'' (Owl Studios, 2011) With Eddie Henderson * '' Inside Out'' ( Capricorn, 1974) * '' Mahal'' ( Capitol, 1978) * ''Runnin' to Your Love'' (Capitol, 1979) With

* ''

Roots A root is the part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors the plant body, and absorbs and stores water and nutrients. Root or roots may also refer to: Art, entertainment, and media * ''The Root'' (magazine), an online magazine focusin ...

'' (A&M, 1977) * ''The Color Purple'' (Qwest, 1986) * ''Back On the Block'' (Qwest, 1989) With

David "Fathead" Newman David "Fathead" Newman (February 24, 1933 – January 20, 2009) was an American jazz and rhythm-and-blues saxophonist, who made numerous recordings as a session musician and leader, but is best known for his work as a sideman on seminal 1950s an ...

* '' Concrete Jungle'' (Prestige, 1978) * '' Keep the Dream Alive'' (Prestige, 1978) * '' Scratch My Back'' (Prestige, 1979) With

Sonny Rollins Walter Theodore "Sonny" Rollins (born September 7, 1930) is an American retired jazz tenor saxophonist who is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians. In a seven-decade career, Rollins recorded over sixt ...

* ''The Way I Feel'' (Milestone, 1976) * ''Easy Living'' (Milestone, 1978) * ''Don't Ask'' (Milestone, 1979) * ''Love at First Sight'' (Milestone, 1980) * ''Silver City'' (Milestone, 1996) With

Patrice Rushen Patrice Louise Rushen (born September 30, 1954) is an American jazz pianist, R&B singer, record producer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and music director. At the 25th Annual Grammy Awards, her 1982 single, "Forget Me Nots", received a no ...

* '' Shout It Out'' (Prestige, 1977) * ''

Patrice Patrice is a given name meaning ''noble'' or '' patrician'', related to the names Patrick and Patricia. In English, Patrice is often a feminine first name. In French, it is used as a masculine first name. Popularity In the United States, the popul ...

'' (Elektra, 1978) * ''

Pizzazz ''Pizzazz'' is the fifth album by American singer Patrice Rushen, released in 1979 on Elektra Records. Critical reception ''The Boston Globe'' called ''Pizzazz'' a "really a good disco album, with a few non-disco numbers to break the monotony. ...

'' (Elektra, 1979) With Vinx * ''Rooms in My Fatha's House'' (PANGAEA, 1991) * ''I Love My Job'' (PANGAEA, 1992) * ''The Storyteller'' (PANGAEA, 1993) * ''Lips' Stretched Out'' (H.O.E. Heroes of Expression, 1996) * ''The Mood I'm In'' (Peermusic, 2002) With others *

Bar-Kays The Bar-Kays is an American funk band formed in 1964. The band had dozens of charting singles from the 1960s to the 1980s, including " Soul Finger" (US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 number 17, R&B number 3) in 1967, "Son of Shaft" (R&B number 10) in ...

, ''Money Talks'' (Stax, 1978) *

Gato Barbieri Leandro "Gato" Barbieri (November 28, 1932 – April 2, 2016) was an Argentine jazz tenor saxophonist who rose to fame during the free jazz movement in the 1960s and is known for his Latin jazz recordings of the 1970s. His nickname, Gato, is Spa ...

, ''Tropico'' (A&M, 1978) * Gato Barbieri, ''Passion and Fire'' (A&M, 1984) *

Gary Bartz Gary Bartz (born September 26, 1940) is an American jazz saxophonist. He has won two Grammy Awards. Biography Bartz was first exposed to jazz as the son of the owners of a jazz nightclub in Baltimore. In 1958 he left Baltimore to study at the J ...

, ''Music Is My Sanctuary'' (Capitol, 1977) * Gary Bartz, ''Love Affair'' (Capitol, 1978) * John Beasley, ''Cauldron'' (Windham Hill, 1992) * John Beasley, ''A Change of Heart'' (Windham Hill, 1993) *

George Benson George Washington Benson (born March 22, 1943) is an American jazz fusion guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He began his professional career at the age of 19 as a jazz guitarist. A former child prodigy, Benson first came to prominence in the ...

, ''

Love Remembers "Love Remembers" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Craig Morgan. It was released in May 2008 as the first single from his fifth studio album '' That's Why'', his first release for the BNA Records label, as well a ...

'' (Warner Bros., 1993) * Carmen Bradford, ''With Respect'' (Evidence, 1995) *

Brass Fever Brass Fever was an American jazz musical ensemble, which recorded two albums for Impulse! Records. Consisting of both session musicians and leaders such as Shelly Manne, their two albums covered jazz and R&B genres. Their second album charted at ...

, '' Time Is Running Out'' ( Impulse!, 1976) *

Dee Dee Bridgewater Dee Dee Bridgewater (née Denise Garrett, May 27, 1950) is an American jazz singer and actress. She is a three-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, as well as a Tony Award-winning stage actress. For 23 years, she was the host of National ...

, '' Dee Dee's Feathers'' (Okeh, 2015) *

Cachao Israel López Valdés (September 14, 1918 – March 22, 2008), better known as Cachao ( ), was a Cuban double bassist and composer. Cachao is widely known as the co-creator of the mambo (music), mambo and a master of the descarga (improvised ...

, ''Master Sessions Volume I'' (Epic, 1994) * Jim Clayton, ''Songs My Daughter Knows'' (Clay-Tone, 2013) *

Jon Cleary Jon Stephen Cleary (22 November 191719 July 2010) was an Australian writer and novelist. He wrote numerous books, including '' The Sundowners'' (1951), a portrait of a rural family in the 1920s as they move from one job to the next, and '' The ...

, ''Moonburn'' (Pointblank, 1999) *

Con Funk Shun Con Funk Shun (formerly known as Project Soul) is an American R&B and funk band from Vallejo, California, formed in 1969. They were influenced by funk progenitors James Brown and Sly and the Family Stone. Signed to Mercury Records in 1976, the ...

, ''Candy'' (Mercury, 1979) *

Harry Connick Jr. Joseph Harry Fowler Connick Jr. (born September 11, 1967) is an American singer, pianist, composer, actor, and former television host. As of 2019, he has sold over 30 million records worldwide. Connick is ranked among the top60 best-selling ma ...

, ''Every Man Should Know'' (Columbia, 2013) * Harry Connick Jr., ''Smokey Mary'' (Columbia, 2013) *

Norman Connors Norman Connors (born March 1, 1947) is an American jazz drummer, composer, arranger, and producer who has led a number of influential jazz and R&B groups. He also achieved several big R&B hits of the day, especially with love ballads. He is poss ...

, ''Love from the Sun'' (Buddah, 1973) * Norman Connors, ''Saturday Night Special'' (Buddah, 1975) *

Michael Des Barres Michael Philip Des Barres, 26th Marquis Des Barres, (born 24 January 1948) is an English actor and pop singer. He appeared as Murdoc in the original ''MacGyver'', Lenny Stoke in '' Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman'', and Murdoc's m ...

, ''Somebody Up There Likes Me'' (Gold Mountain, 1986) *

Djavan Djavan Caetano Viana (; born 27 January 1949) is a Brazilian singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest singers in Brazilian history. Early life and career Djavan was born in Maceió, Brazil to a whit ...

, ''Bird of Paradise'' (Columbia, 1988) *

Lamont Dozier Lamont Herbert Dozier (; June 16, 1941 – August 8, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Detroit. He co-wrote and produced 14 US '' Billboard'' number-one hits and four number ones in the UK. Career Dozier was a ...

, ''Peddlin' Music On the Side'' (Warner Bros., 1977) *

Pete Escovedo Peter Michael Escovedo Jr. (born July 13, 1935 in Pittsburg, California) is an American percussionist. Career With his two brothers, he formed the Escovedo Bros Latin Jazz Sextet, before Carlos Santana hired Pete and Coke Escovedo for his grou ...

Sheila Escovedo Sheila Cecilia Escovedo (born December 12, 1957), known under the stage name Sheila E., is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. Regarded as one of the greatest musicians of her generation; she is known for skills as a multi-instrumental ...

, ''Solo Two'' (Fantasy, 1977) *

Eddy Grant Edmond Montague Grant (born 5 March 1948) is a Guyanese in the United Kingdom, Guyanese-British singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known for his genre-blending sound and socially conscious lyrics; his music has blended elements of p ...

, ''Love in Exile'' (ICE, 1980) * Nigel Hall, ''Ladies & Gentlemen... Nigel Hall'' (Round Hill, 2015) *

Joe Henderson Joe Henderson (April 24, 1937 – June 30, 2001) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and very occasional flute player. In a career spanning more than four decades, Henderson played with many of the leading American players of his day an ...

, ''Black Miracle'' (Milestone, 1976) * Joe Henderson, ''Black Narcissus'' (Milestone, 1976) * George Howard, ''Attitude Adjustment'' (GRP, 1996) *

Bobbi Humphrey Barbara Ann "Bobbi" Humphrey (born April 25, 1950) is an American jazz flautist and singer. She has recorded twelve albums over the course of her career, mostly playing jazz fusion, funk, and soul-jazz. In 1971, she was the first female instrume ...

, ''Tailor Made'' (Epic, 1977) *

Bobby Hutcherson Robert Hutcherson (January 27, 1941 – August 15, 2016) was an American jazz vibraphone and marimba player. "Little B's Poem", from the 1966 Blue Note Records, Blue Note album ''Components (album), Components'', is one of his best-known composi ...

, ''Conception: the Gift of Love'' (Columbia, 1979) *

Phyllis Hyman Phyllis Linda Hyman (July 6, 1949 – June 30, 1995) was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Hyman's music career spanned the late 1970s through the early 1990s, and she was best known for her expansive contralto range. Some of her most ...

, ''Somewhere in My Lifetime'' (Arista, 1978) *

Ahmad Jamal Ahmad Jamal (born Frederick Russell Jones; July 2, 1930 – April 16, 2023) was an American jazz pianist, composer, bandleader, and educator. For six decades, he was one of the most successful small-group leaders in jazz. He was a NEA Jazz Ma ...

, ''One'' (20th Century Fox, 1978) * Kimiko Kasai, ''Round and Round'' (CBS, 1978) * Kimiko Kasai, ''Butterfly'' (CBS, 1979) *

Salif Keita Salif Keïta () (born 25 August 1949) is a Malian singer-songwriter, referred to as the "Golden Voice of Africa". He is a member of the Keita royal family of Mali. Early life Salif Keita was born a traditional prince in the village of Djolib ...

, ''Amen'' (Island, 1991) *

Babatunde Lea Babatunde Lea (born Michael Wayne Lea; February 18, 1948) is an American percussionist who plays Afro-Cuban jazz and worldbeat. He took his name from Nigerian drummer Babatunde Olatunji. Biography Michael Lea was raised in Englewood, New Jerse ...

, ''March of the Jazz Guerrillas'' (Ubiquity, 2000) *

Kenny Loggins Kenneth Clark "Kenny" Loggins (born January 7, 1948) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. His early songs were recorded with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1970, which led to seven albums recorded with Jim Messina (musician), Jim Mess ...

, ''

Leap of Faith In philosophy, a leap of faith is the act of belief, believing in or accepting something not on the basis of reason. The phrase is commonly associated with Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard. Idiomatic usage As an idiom, ''leap of faith'' ca ...

'' (Columbia, 1991) * Kenny Loggins, '' The Unimaginable Life'' (Columbia, 1997) *

Jon Lucien Lucien Leopold Harrigan (January 8, 1942 – August 18, 2007), known professionally as Jon Lucien, was a singer from Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. Life and career Born in Tortola in 1942, Lucien was raised in St. Thomas. His parents we ...

, ''Listen Love'' (Mercury, 1991) *

Bobby Lyle Robert Lyle (born March 11, 1944) is an American jazz pianist/organist and educator. Early life Lyle was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on March 11, 1944, to parents Robert and Elise Lyle. He grew up in a musical household after the family moved fr ...

, ''The Journey'' (Atlantic, 1990) *

Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal ( ; ; ) is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was commissioned in 1631 by the fifth Mughal Empire, Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan () to house the tomb of his belo ...

, '' Like Never Before'' (Private Music, 1991) *

Wade Marcus Wade Marcus was a music producer and arranger associated with the Motown (music style), Motown sound during the 1970s. He composed the music to the film ''The Final Comedown'' with Grant Green. He also produced albums by The Blackbyrds, Gary Bartz ...

, ''Metamorphosis'' (ABC Impulse!, 1976) *

Harvey Mason Harvey William Mason (born February 22, 1947) is an American jazz drummer, record producer, and member of the band Fourplay. He was the original drummer for Herbie Hancock's band The Headhunters. Life and career Mason was born and grew ...

, ''Chameleon'' (Concord, 2014) *

Bennie Maupin Bennie Maupin (born August 29, 1940) is an American jazz multireedist who performs on various saxophones, flute, and bass clarinet. Biography Maupin was born in Detroit, Michigan. He is known for his participation in Herbie Hancock's Mwandish ...

, ''The Jewel in the Lotus'' (ECM, 1974) *

Country Joe McDonald Joseph Allen "Country Joe" McDonald (born January 1, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter and musician who was the lead vocalist of the 1960s psychedelic rock group Country Joe and the Fish.Richard Brenneman"Country Joe McDonald Revives Anti ...

, ''Goodbye Blues'' (Fantasy, 1977) *

Idris Muhammad Idris Muhammad (; born Leo Morris; November 13, 1939 – July 29, 2014) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. He had an extensive career performing jazz, funk, Rhythm and blues, R&B, and Soul music, soul music and recorded with musicians s ...

, ''You Ain't No Friend of Mine!'' (Fantasy, 1978) *

Maria Muldaur Maria Muldaur (born Maria Grazia Rosa Domenica D'Amato; September 12, 1942) is an American folk and blues singer who was part of the American folk music revival in the early 1960s. She recorded the 1973 hit song " Midnight at the Oasis" and h ...

, '' Fanning the Flames'' (Telarc, 1996) *

Meshell Ndegeocello Meshell Ndegeocello ( ; born Michelle Lynn Johnson on August 29, 1968) is an American singer-songwriter, poet, and bassist. She has gone by the name Meshell Suhaila Bashir-Shakur which is used as a writing credit on some of her mid-career work. ...

, ''Plantation Lullabies'' (Sire, 1993) *

Shawn Phillips Shawn Phillips (born February 3, 1943) is an American singer-songwriter and musician, primarily influential in the 1960s and 1970s. His work is rooted in folk rock but straddles other genres, including jazz fusion and funk. Phillips has reco ...

, ''Rumplestiltskin's Resolve'' (A&M, 1976) * Shawn Phillips, ''Spaced'' (A&M, 1977) *

The Pointer Sisters The Pointer Sisters are an American female vocal group from Oakland, California, who achieved mainstream success during the 1970s and 1980s. They have had a repertoire with many genres, they have sold around 50 million records throughout their ...

, ''That's a Plenty'' (Blue Thumb, 1974) * The Pointer Sisters, ''Steppin' ABC'' (Blue Thumb, 1975) *

Dianne Reeves Dianne Elizabeth Reeves (born October 23, 1956) is an American jazz singer, who has won five Grammy Awards for her albums. Early life and education Dianne Reeves was born in Detroit, Michigan, into a musical family. Her father sang, her mothe ...

, ''Never Too Far'' (Emi, 1989) * Dianne Reeves, ''I Remember'' (Blue Note, 1991) *

Merl Saunders Merl Saunders (February 14, 1934 – October 24, 2008) was an American multi-genre musician who played piano and keyboards, favoring the Hammond B-3 console organ. Biography Born in San Mateo, California, United States, Saunders attended Poly ...

, ''Fire Up'' (Fantasy, 1973) * Seawind, ''Window of a Child'' (CTI, 1977) *

Wayne Shorter Wayne Shorter (August 25, 1933 – March 2, 2023) was an American jazz saxophonist, composer and bandleader. Shorter came to mainstream prominence in 1959 upon joining Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, for whom he eventually became the primary comp ...

, ''Phantom Navigator'' (Columbia, 1987) *

Nina Simone Nina Simone ( ; born Eunice Kathleen Waymon; February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003) was an American singer, pianist, songwriter, and civil rights activist. Her music spanned styles including classical, folk, gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, and po ...

, '' A Single Woman'' (Elektra, 1993) *

Sting Stimulator of interferon genes (STING), also known as transmembrane protein 173 (TMEM173) and MPYS/MITA/ERIS is a regulator protein that in humans is encoded by the STING1 gene. STING plays an important role in innate immunity. STING induces typ ...

, ''

The Soul Cages ''The Soul Cages'' is the third full-length studio album by English musician Sting. Released on 21 January 1991, it became Sting's second No. 1 album in the United Kingdom. It spawned four singles: " All This Time", " Mad About You", "The S ...

'' (A&M, 1990) * Kevin Toney, ''Special K'' (Fantasy, 1982) *

Allen Toussaint Allen Richard Toussaint (; January 14, 1938 – November 10, 2015) was an American musician, songwriter, arranger, and record producer. He was an influential figure in New Orleans rhythm and blues from the 1950s to the end of the century, descr ...

, ''Connected'' (NYNO, 1996) *

Stanley Turrentine Stanley William Turrentine (April 5, 1934 – September 12, 2000) was an American jazz tenor saxophone, tenor saxophonist and record producer. He began his career playing R&B for Earl Bostic and later soul jazz recording for the Blue Note Reco ...

, ''Everybody Come On Out'' (Fantasy, 1976) *

McCoy Tyner Alfred McCoy Tyner (December 11, 1938March 6, 2020) was an American jazz piano, jazz pianist and composer known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet from 1960 to 1965, and his long solo career afterwards. He was an NEA Jazz Masters, NEA J ...

, ''Together'' (Milestone, 1979) *

The Wailing Souls The Wailing Souls (originally The Renegades) are a Jamaican reggae vocal group whose origins date back to the 1960s. The group has undergone several line-up changes over the years with Winston "Pipe" Matthews and Lloyd "Bread" McDonald the only ...

, ''All Over the World'' (Columbia, 1992) *

Lenny Williams Leonard Charles Williams (born February 16, 1945)"Biography by Alex Henderson"
AllMus ...

, ''Rise Sleeping Beauty'' (Motown, 1975) *

Bobby Womack Robert Dwayne Womack ( ; March 4, 1944 – June 27, 2014) was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. Starting in the early 1950s as the lead singer of his family musical group the Valentinos and as Sam Cooke's backing guitarist, Womack's ...

, ''Safety Zone'' (United Artists, 1975) *

Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris (; Judkins; born May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American and Ghanaian singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th c ...

, '' Conversation Peace'' (Motown, 1995) * Zawinul Syndicate, ''Lost Tribes'' (Columbia, 1992)

Singles

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Summers, Bill 1948 births Living people Afro-Cuban jazz percussionists Jazz fusion percussionists Jazz-funk percussionists Latin jazz percussionists Los Hombres Calientes members The Headhunters members MCA Records artists