jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
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 ...
and
band leader
A bandleader is the leader of a music group such as a dance band, rock or pop band or jazz quartet. The term is most commonly used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhyth ...
. Jones's music is influenced by that of
Cuba
Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...
Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood is a city in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Englewood was incorporated as a city by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township and the remaining portions of Engle ...
Max Roach
Maxwell Lemuel Roach (January 10, 1924 – August 16, 2007) was an American jazz drummer and composer. A pioneer of bebop, he worked in many other styles of music, and is generally considered one of the most important drummers in history. He wo ...
. Jones began playing percussion professionally at the age of 13 with a group called Spoonbread, who were signed to
All Platinum Records
All Platinum Records was a record company started in 1967 by singer/writer/producer Sylvia Robinson and her husband, businessman Joe Robinson, who had previously worked in the recording industry.
All Platinum and its subsidiary labels, includi ...
of Englewood, NJ. In 1978, aged 18, he played in a sextet led by Charles McPherson on the album ''
Free Bop!
''Free Bop!'' is an album by saxophonist Charles McPherson which was recorded in 1978 and released on the Xanadu label. He studied music at the
University of Massachusetts
The University of Massachusetts is the Public university, public university system of the Massachusetts, Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The university system includes six campuses (Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, University of Massachusetts Lowell ...
and Jazzmobile simultaneously until 1979, when his Professor, saxophonist
Archie Shepp
Archie Shepp (born May 24, 1937) is an American jazz saxophonist, educator and playwright who since the 1960s has played a central part in the development of avant-garde jazz.
Biography Early life
Shepp was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but ...
, took him on tour to Europe, where he recorded his second album. Just months later he was hired by The Isley Brothers and toured and later recorded a host of records with them.
Jones has performed with, among others,
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer, actress, film producer, model, and philanthropist. Commonly referred to as "Honorific nicknames in popular music, the Voice", she is List of awards and no ...
,
The Isley Brothers
The Isley Brothers ( ) are an American soul group originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, that began as a vocal trio consisting of the brothers O'Kelly Isley Jr., Rudolph Isley and Ronald Isley in the 1950s. With a career spanning over seven decades, ...
,
Jermaine Jackson
Jermaine LaJuane Jacksun (né Jackson; born December 11, 1954) is an American singer, songwriter and bassist. He is known for being a member of the Jackson family. From 1964 to 1975, Jermaine was second vocalist after his brother Michael of the ...
,
Archie Shepp
Archie Shepp (born May 24, 1937) is an American jazz saxophonist, educator and playwright who since the 1960s has played a central part in the development of avant-garde jazz.
Biography Early life
Shepp was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but ...
Ray Copeland
Ray or RAY may refer to:
Fish
* Ray (fish), any cartilaginous fish of the superorder Batoidea
* Ray (fish fin anatomy), the bony or horny spine on ray-finned fish
Science and mathematics
* Half-line (geometry) or ray, half of a line split at an ...
Jones and the pianist Kelvin Sholar formed the band Tenth World in 1999. The band members included Jamieo Brown (drums, percussion),
Brian Horton
Brian "Nobby" Horton (born 4 February 1949) is an English former footballer and manager. He spent 16 years as a professional player and 22 years as a manager, making 689 appearances and managing 1,098 matches. In addition to this, he spent four ...
timbales
Timbales () or pailas are shallow single-headed drums with metal casing. They are shallower than single-headed tom-toms and usually tuned much higher, especially for their size.Orovio, Helio 1981. ''Diccionario de la música cubana: biográfic ...
, percussion, drums).
Bill Milkowski writing in ''
JazzTimes
''JazzTimes'' was an American print magazine devoted to jazz. Published 10 times a year, it was founded in Washington, D.C., in 1970 by Ira Sabin as the newsletter ''Radio Free Jazz'' to complement his record store.
Coverage
After a decade ...
'' described Jones's first album as leader, ''Tenth World'', produced by Babatunde Lea, as combining "the spirit of Africa with modern jazz on his impressive debut." Milkowski wrote of the group's second album, ''Live!'', "Percussionist Bujo Kevin Jones underscores this vibrant sextet with an authentic Afro-Cuban pulse".
''Who's That Lady?''
In 2014, Jones released the album ''Who's That Lady?'' through Motéma Music. The band included singers Derrick Dupree and Christelle Durandy, pianist Zen Zadravec, drummer Jerard Snell, guitarist Michael "Moon" Reuben and Bassist Charles Brown.
In a generally positive review, "j.poet" wrote in ''Drum! Magazine'' that "Jones has a lifetime of performing a wide range of styles with some of the top names in the field, and brings all those elements together on ''Who's That Lady''".
Discography
As support musician
* ''
Free Bop!
''Free Bop!'' is an album by saxophonist Charles McPherson which was recorded in 1978 and released on the Xanadu label.Archie Shepp
Archie Shepp (born May 24, 1937) is an American jazz saxophonist, educator and playwright who since the 1960s has played a central part in the development of avant-garde jazz.
Biography Early life
Shepp was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but ...
The Isley Brothers
The Isley Brothers ( ) are an American soul group originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, that began as a vocal trio consisting of the brothers O'Kelly Isley Jr., Rudolph Isley and Ronald Isley in the 1950s. With a career spanning over seven decades, ...
(T-Neck Records/CBS, 1980)
* ''The Isley Brothers Live'' - The Isley Brothers (T-Neck Records/CBS, 1980)
* ''The Beat Of Love'' - Randy VanWarmer - (1982)
* '' Inside You'' - The Isley Brothers (T-Neck Records/CBS, 1981)
* '' The Real Deal'' - The Isley Brothers (T-Neck Records/CBS, 1982)
* '' Between the Sheets'' - The Isley Brothers (T-Neck/CBS, 1983)
* '' Broadway's Closer to Sunset Blvd'' - Isley, Jasper, Isley (T-Neck/CBS, 1984)
* ''
Caravan of Love
"Caravan of Love" is a 1985 song originally recorded by American R&B group Isley-Jasper-Isley, the second half of the Isley Brothers' ''3 + 3'' lineup of the 1970s. A cover version by the British band the Housemartins became an international ...
'' - Isley, Jasper, Isley (T-Neck/CBS, 1985)
* '' Different Drummer'' - Isley, Jasper, Isley (T-Neck/CBS, 1987)
* ''Soul-Jazz Collaboration'' - Chuck McPherson (Independent, 1998)
* ''Listening Room'' - Clifford Adams (2000)
* ''Spiritually Speaking'' Blaze (featuring Kevin Hedge/Josh Milan) (2002)
* ''Soul Pools'' - Babatunde Lea (Motema Music 2003)
* ''Rhythm Master'' - Vincent Ector (Blues Leaf, 2003)
* ''Time For The Soul'' - Winard Harper Sextet (Savant Records, 2003)
* ''Keepers Of The Flame'' - Charles Earland Tribute Band (Highnote, 2003)
* ''Hip Cake Walk'' - Papa John DeFrancesco (Highnote, 2003)
* ''Be Thankful'' - Omar featuring Angie Stone (2004)
* ''Suite Unseen: Summoner Of The Ghost'' - Babatunde Lea (Motema Music, 2005)
* ''Make It Happen'' - Winard Harper Sextet (Savant Records, 2006)
* ''Synthesis'' - Norman Simmons (Savant Records, 2002)
* ''Percussion Madness'' - Luisito Quintero (Vega Records, 2006)
* ''Follow the North Star'' – T.K. Blue (JAJA Records, 2008)
* ''Aftershower Funk'' - The Fantastic Souls (Kay Dee Records, 2010)
* ''Soul To The People'' - The Fantastic Souls (Kay Dee Records, 2010)
As band leader
* ''SunRize'' - Sunrize (Boardwalk Records 1981)
* ''Land Of Eternal Tranquil Light'' (Tenth World Music 2000)
* ''Tenth World'' (Motéma Music, 2005)
* ''Live!'' (Motéma Music, 2008)