James Mtume
Encyclopedia
James Mtume is a jazz
and R&B musician (primarily a percussionist) and a radio personality. Mtume's group (also called Mtume
) is perhaps best known for their 1983 R&B hit song "Juicy Fruit
". The song was sampled by The Notorious B.I.G.
in his song "Juicy
". The song was also sampled for the Jennifer Lopez
song "Loving You" from her This Is Me... Then
album, and by Warren G
on the song "Do You See" from his Regulate... G Funk Era
album. The song was also sampled by Wreckx-N-Effect. Mtume the band also had a Top Five R&B hit with the single "You, Me, and He". Mtume is the son of jazz saxophonist Jimmy Heath
, James Mtume is the father of sons' Damu Mtume and Fa Mtume (both are music producers). James worked with Miles Davis
between 1971 and 1975. He also worked as a session musician
with Players Association
. Mtume has done on-air radio personality work at New York
's KISS 98.7 FM.
With Eddie Henderson
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and R&B musician (primarily a percussionist) and a radio personality. Mtume's group (also called Mtume
Mtume
Mtume was a funk and soul group that had several R&B hits in the 1980s. Its founder, percussionist James Mtume, previously played with Miles Davis in the 1970s. Other members of the group included Reggie Lucas and Tawatha Agee.-History:...
) is perhaps best known for their 1983 R&B hit song "Juicy Fruit
Juicy Fruit (song)
"Juicy Fruit" is a funk song written by James Mtume and released as the lead-off single from Mtume's sixth album, also titled Juicy Fruit. The mid-tempo song is arguably Mtume's most well-known, proving enormously successful on R&B radio stations and nightclubs when first released...
". The song was sampled by The Notorious B.I.G.
The Notorious B.I.G.
Christopher George Latore Wallace , best known as The Notorious B.I.G., was an American rapper. He was also known as Biggie Smalls , Big Poppa, and The Black Frank White .Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough...
in his song "Juicy
Juicy (The Notorious B.I.G. song)
"Juicy" is a song by hip hop artist The Notorious B.I.G. and his solo debut single from his 1994 debut album Ready to Die. It was produced by Poke of Trackmasters & Sean "Puffy" Combs. Its melody is sampled from Mtume's "Juicy Fruit", and has an alternative chorus sung by R&B girl group Total...
". The song was also sampled for the Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
song "Loving You" from her This Is Me... Then
This Is Me... Then
This Is Me... Then is the third studio album by American recording artist Jennifer Lopez, released on November 19, 2002 by Epic Records. The album debuted at number six on the U.S. Billboard 200 selling 314,000 copies during its first week, then propelled to number two two months later remaining...
album, and by Warren G
Warren G
Warren G , is an American West Coast rapper and hip hop producer. He is also Dr. Dre's half-brother.His biggest hit is the song "Regulate" with Nate Dogg released in 1994...
on the song "Do You See" from his Regulate... G Funk Era
Regulate... G Funk Era
Regulate...G Funk Era is the debut studio album by American rapper Warren G. It was released in 1994 by Violator Records and distributed by the Def Jam record label. It sold three million copies in the US, reaching triple platinum status...
album. The song was also sampled by Wreckx-N-Effect. Mtume the band also had a Top Five R&B hit with the single "You, Me, and He". Mtume is the son of jazz saxophonist Jimmy Heath
Jimmy Heath
James Edward Heath , nicknamed Little Bird, is an American jazz saxophonist, composer and arranger. He is the brother of bassist Percy Heath and drummer Albert Heath.-Biography:...
, James Mtume is the father of sons' Damu Mtume and Fa Mtume (both are music producers). James worked with Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
between 1971 and 1975. He also worked as a session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
with Players Association
Players association
Players Association were a New York based, Vanguard Records studio group, put together by drummer / arranger Chris Hills and Danny Weiss in 1977....
. Mtume has done on-air radio personality work at New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's KISS 98.7 FM.
Discography
With MtumeMtume
Mtume was a funk and soul group that had several R&B hits in the 1980s. Its founder, percussionist James Mtume, previously played with Miles Davis in the 1970s. Other members of the group included Reggie Lucas and Tawatha Agee.-History:...
- Rebirth Cycle (1977)
- Kiss This World GoodbyeKiss This World GoodbyeKiss This World Goodbye is a 1978 album by R&B group Mtume. This would be their debut album on the Epic Records label as well as be the first album featuring the vocal talents of Tawatha Agee.-Track listing:...
(1978) - In Search of the Rainbow SeekersIn Search of the Rainbow SeekersIn Search Of The Rainbow Seekers is a 1980 album by R&B group Mtume. This would be their second album on the Epic Records label.-Track listing:#Give It on Up - 6:40...
(1980) - Juicy FruitJuicy Fruit (album)Juicy Fruit is a 1983 album by R&B group Mtume. Contains the often sampled top 10 R&B hit, Juicy Fruit. This would be their third album on the Epic Records label.-Track listing:#"Green Light"...
(1983) - You, Me and HeYou, Me and He (album)You, Me and He is a 1984 album by R&B group Mtume. This would be their fourth album on the Epic Records label.-Track listing:#C.O.D...
(1984) - Theater of the Mind (1986)
As sideman
With Miles DavisMiles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
- On the CornerOn the CornerOn the Corner is a studio album by jazz musician Miles Davis, recorded in June and July 1972 and released later that year on Columbia Records. It was scorned by critics at the time of its release and was one of Davis's worst-selling recordings...
(ColumbiaColumbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, 1972) - Big Fun (Columbia, 1974)
- Get Up with ItGet Up with ItGet Up with It is an album collecting tracks recorded between 1970 and 1974 by Miles Davis. Released on November 22, 1974 as a double LP, it was Davis' last studio album before five years of retirement from music....
(Columbia, 1974) - Dark MagusDark MagusDark Magus is a live album by jazz artist Miles Davis recorded at Carnegie Hall in New York City on March 30, 1974. The album was released in 1977 in Japan as a double-LP by Columbia Records, and released in 1997 in the United States in a double-CD format...
(Columbia, 1974) - AghartaAgharta (album)Agharta is an album recorded by jazz trumpeter Miles Davis in 1975. Both Agharta and Pangaea were recorded on the same day in Osaka, Japan...
(Columbia, 1975) - PangaeaPangaea (album)Pangaea is a double album recorded by jazz trumpeter Miles Davis in 1975. Both Pangaea and Agharta were recorded on the same day in Osaka, Japan...
(Columbia, 1975)
With Eddie Henderson
Eddie Henderson (musician)
Eddie Henderson is an American jazz trumpet and flugelhorn player. Henderson's influences include Booker Little, Clifford Brown, Woody Shaw and Miles Davis.-Family influence and early music history:...
- HeritageHeritage (Eddie Henderson album)Heritage is an album by American jazz trumpeter Eddie Henderson recorded in 1976 and released on the Blue Note label.-Reception:The Allmusic review by Thom Jurk awarded the album 3½ stars stating "Heritage is a wonderful set, and should be revisited by anyone who either missed or was put off by it...
(Blue NoteBlue Note RecordsBlue Note Records is a jazz record label, established in 1939 by Alfred Lion and Max Margulis. Francis Wolff became involved shortly afterwards. It derives its name from the characteristic "blue notes" of jazz and the blues. At the end of the 1950s, and in the early 1960s, Blue Note headquarters...
, 1976)