T. K. Blue
T. K. Blue | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Eugene Rhynie |
| Also known as | Talib Kibwe; Talib Qadir Kibwe (variations: Talib Qadr, Talib Abdul Kadr, Talib Abdul Qadr, Talib Qadir) |
| Born | February 7, 1953 Bronx, NY,U.S. |
| Origin | New York City |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician,musical director,composer, educator |
| Instrument(s) | Saxophone,flute |
| Years active | 1977–present |
| Labels | Motéma Music |
| Website | tkblue |
Eugene Rhynie(born February 7, 1953),[1][2][3]known professionally asT. K. Blue(orTalib Kibweand other variants), is an Americanjazzsaxophonist,flautist,composer and educator fromNew York City.His parents wereJamaicanandTrinidadian,and he has used their Afro-Caribbean musical styles in his own work. He has worked with, among others,Don Cherry,Jayne Cortez,the South African pianistDollar Brand(now Abdullah Ibrahim), andRandy Weston,for whom he was musical director.
Blue has also taught at professorial level at of jazz studies at educational institutions includingSuffolk Community College,Montclair State University,andLong Island University.
Biography
[edit]Early years and education
[edit]He was born in theBronx, NY,to a Trinidadian mother and Jamaican father, and grew up onLong Island, NY.[2]T.K. Blue began his life in music from hisLakeviewhometown by playing trumpet from the ages of eight to 10, and then switching to drums for a year. After a hiatus, at the age of 17 he dedicated himself to music by learning flute. While attendingNew York Universitybetween 1971 and 1975 with a double major in Music and Psychology,[4]Blue threw himself headlong into music, concentrating on the saxophone.
During these undergraduate years, he lived in theEast Village,partaking in the full range of the scene, from lessons with elders to deep involvement in the avant-garde. He participated in theJazzmobileprogram, studying jazz theory, harmony, sight-reading, rhythmic training, improvisation and big-band performance, withJimmy Heath,Chris Woods,Sonny Red,Frank Foster,Jimmy Owens,Ernie Wilkins,Thad JonesandBilly Taylor.[5]AtJazz Interactions,Blue studied withRahsaan Roland Kirk,Yusef LateefandJoe Newman,and at theHenry Street SettlementwithBilly Mitchelland bassist Paul West.[5]In 1979 Blue received his Master's in Music Education from Teachers College atColumbia University.[5]
Career
[edit]After performing and traveling extensively withAbdullah Ibrahim(Dollar Brand) from 1977 to 1980 – variously billed during this period as Talib Qadr, Talib Qadir Kibwe and Talib Abdul Kadr[6][7][8]– Blue moved toParisin December 1981, remaining there until 1989. In 1986 he recordedEgyptian Oasis,his first record as a leader, and that sparked a number ofState Departmenttours to some 20 countries in Africa.
Back in the USA since 1990, he has worked constantly, in a wide range of styles and situations, and recorded his second CD,Introducing Talib Kibwe,released onEvidencein 1996. His more recent recordings as leader include 2008'sFollow the North Star,a suite inspired by the life ofSolomon Northup(commissioned by theNew York State Council on the Arts),Latin Bird(2011 – "Highly recommended" byAllMusic's reviewer Ken Dryden),[9]and in 2014A Warm Embrace,[10]about which Don Bilawsky onAll About Jazzhas written: "Blue's skills as an arranger, perhaps more than anything else, are responsible for the success of this project, as he's able to create beauty from simplicity at times....A Warm Embraceis simply a beautiful work of art. "[11]
His 2019 albumThe Rhythms Continueis a tribute toRandy Weston,[12]with whose group T. K. Blue worked from the 1980s, taking on the role of music director and arranger in 1989.[13]TheNew York City Jazz Recordcharacterized the CD as "possibly his most heartfelt, a dedication to the memory of his longtime employer and mentor.... Blue performed in Weston's African Rhythms band for 38 years, his life deeply affected by his relationship with the legendary pianist."[14]Described by theNew York Amsterdam Newsas "a memorable suite of 19 enthralling compositions by Weston,Melba Listonand Blue ", it features other members of Weston's band – bassistAlex Blake,tenor saxophonistBilly Harper,and percussionist Neil Clarke – with guest pianists Sharp Radway, Mike King, Keith Brown and Kelly Green, as well asMin Xiao Fenon pipa.[15]
Augmenting his long-term relationships as musical director with Weston, as well as with theSpirit of Life Ensembleat New York'sSweet Basiljazzclub,[16]Blue's other recent affiliations include: Odadaa, a group led by a drummer fromGhana,Yacub Addy;percussionist Norman Hedman's pan-African band Tropique;tap dancerJoseph's Tap and Rap, to jazz tunes byCharlie ParkerandJohn Coltrane;and emerging singer Jeffrey Smith.
T.K. was part of the June 2008 photo session called "A Great Day In Paris" — in homage toArt Kane's historic 1958 photographA Great Day in Harlem— that featured more than 50 musicians from the USA who resided there.[17]
For several years an adjunct professor atSuffolk Community CollegeandMontclair State University,Blue was also a full-time professor and director of jazz studies atLong Island University-LIU-Post.[18][19]
Discography
[edit]As leader
[edit]- 1986:Egyptian Oasis(Anais Records)[20]
- 1993:Taja – A Night at Birdland(Rise Up; B000005R1G)[20]
- 1996:Introducing Talib Kibwe(Evidence)[20]
- 1999:Another Blue(Arkadia Jazz)[21]
- 2001:Eyes of the Elders,withRandy Brecker,Joanne Brackeen,Lonnie PlaxicoandJeff "Tain" Watts(Arkadia Jazz)[22][23]
- 2003:Rhythm in Blue(Jaja Records)[24]
- 2007:In a Sentimental Mood: A Jazz Tribute to Dr Chris Culver(T.K. Blue)[20]
- 2008:Follow the North Star,withSteve Turre,James Weidman,Onaje Allan Gumbs,Essiet Okon Essiet,Willie MartinezandKevin Jones(a musical retelling of the story ofSolomon Northup(Jaja Records)[25]
- 2010:C.W. Post Jazz[26]
- 2011:Latin Bird(Motéma Music)[27][20]
- 2013:Live at Hillwood Recital Hall[20]
- 2014:A Warm Embrace(Jaja Records)[20]
- 2017:Amour(Dot Time Records)[20]
- 2019:The Rhythms Continue(Jaja Records)[20][28]
As sideman
[edit]WithArkadia JazzAll-Stars
- Thank You, Duke! Our Tribute To Duke Ellington(1998)
WithJayne Cortezand The Firespitters
- Cheerful And Optimistic(1995)
- Taking The Blues Back Home(1996)
- Borders Of Disorderly Time(2003)
WithAbdullah Ibrahim
- The Journey(1977)
- African Tears and Laughter(1977)
- South African Liberation Songs(1979)
WithBenny Powell
- Why Don’t You Say Yes Sometime(1991)
- The Gift Of Love(2003)
- Nextep(2008)
WithSam Rivers
- Colours(Black Saint, 1982)
WithJimmy Scott
- All Of Me: Live In Tokyo(2004)
With The Spirit of Life Ensemble
- Inspiration(1992)
- Feel The Spirit(1994)
- Live At The Pori Jazz Festival(1996)
- Collage(1998)
- 25 Twenty-Five(2000)
WithRandy Weston
- The Spirits of Our Ancestors(1991)
- Volcano Blues(1993)
- Saga(1995)
- Khepera(1998)
- Spirit! The Power Of Music(2000)
- The African Nubian Suite(2016)
References
[edit]- ^Jenkins, Willard,"T.K. Blue",JazzTimes,December 1999.
- ^abTK Blue Artist Profile,Motéma Music.
- ^Feather, Leonard,andIra Gitler,"Kibwe, Talib aka T. K. Blue (Eugene Ludovic Rhynie)",The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz,Oxford University Press, 2007.
- ^Kelsey, Chris."T.K. Blue: Biography".Allmusic.RetrievedDecember 25,2010.
- ^abc"Biography",T.K. Blue website.
- ^"Talib Qadr"at Discogs.
- ^"Abdullah Ibrahim – Africa: Tears and Laughter"Credits,AllMusic.
- ^Palmer, Robert,"Jazz: Abdullah Ibrahim and Band",The New York Times,June 4, 1979.
- ^Dryden, Ken."Overview".AllMusic.RetrievedAugust 29,2021.
- ^T.K. Blue talks aboutA Warm EmbraceonYouTube,Jazz Legacy Films, January 2014.
- ^Bilawsky, Dan,"T.K. Blue: A Warm Embrace (2014)",All About Jazz,December 16, 2013.
- ^"The Rhythms Continue".Lydia Liebman Promotions.RetrievedAugust 29,2021.
- ^Ham, Robert (January 2020)."The Beat | T.K. Blue Explores Legacy of Randy Weston"(PDF).DownBeat.Vol. 87, no. 1. p. 13.RetrievedAugust 29,2021.
- ^Steegmann, Anna (October 2019)."The Rhythms Continue TK Blue (JAJA)"(PDF).The New York City Jazz Record.p. 32.RetrievedAugust 29,2021.
- ^Scott, Ron (November 21, 2019)."NYC Readers Jazz Awards, T.K. Blue".New York Amsterdam News.
- ^tourtigerdevel (July 24, 2017)."Jazzmobile – TK Blue – 32nd Precinct".Harlem Jazz Boxx.RetrievedAugust 29,2021.
- ^"A Great Day in Paris - Trailer"onYouTube.
- ^"Biography",T.K.Blue.
- ^"T. K. Blue - Director, Jazz Studies; Director, C.W. Post Jazz Ensemble",Department of Music, Long Island University.
- ^abcdefghiDiscography,T.K.Blue.
- ^"Another Blue".tkblue.com.4 November 1999.
- ^"Eyes of the Elders".tkblue.com.4 November 2000.
- ^Edelstein, Paula."Eyes of the Elders | Overview".AllMusic.
- ^"Rhythm in Blue".tkblue.com.4 November 2003.
- ^"Follow the North Star".tkblue.com.18 December 2013.
- ^"C.W. Post Jazz".tkblue.com.4 November 2010.
- ^"T.K. Blue CD Release LATINBIRD",YouTube.
- ^Consideine, J. D.,"T.K. Blue: The Rhythms Continue (JAJA) | A review of the alto saxophonist's tribute album to Randy Weston",JazzTimes,November 18, 2019.
External links
[edit]| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
- 1953 births
- 20th-century American male musicians
- 20th-century American saxophonists
- 21st-century American male musicians
- 21st-century American saxophonists
- American jazz flautists
- African-American jazz musicians
- African-American saxophonists
- American jazz educators
- American jazz saxophonists
- American male saxophonists
- American male jazz musicians
- American musicians of Jamaican descent
- American people of Trinidad and Tobago descent
- Teachers College, Columbia University alumni
- Living people
- Long Island University faculty
- People from the East Village, Manhattan
- Motéma Music artists
- Montclair State University faculty
- Jazz musicians from New York City
- Suffolk County Community College faculty
- 20th-century African-American musicians
- 21st-century African-American musicians
- 20th-century flautists
- 21st-century flautists