Difference between revisions of "Onaje Allan Gumbs"

Early life and career Gumbs came to be in Harlem, New York, to parents who immigrated for the United States with the Caribbean. Gambs'mother was from Montserrat brilliant father, a NYPD officer, was from Anguilla.) Since a child, Gumbs was keen on Henry Mancini's music from films and television. Gumbs graduated from the State University of New York at Fredonia and throughout his studies was part of a jazz ensemble organized because of the students. In 1971, Leroy Kirkland introduced Gumbs to Detroit guitarist Kenny Burrell, to whom Onage gave a demo tape. The day after, https://www.onajeallangumbs.com/ (my explanation) Gumbs received a telephone call to try out with Burrell at the Baker's Keyboard Lounge in Detroit. The work led to help expand performances with major jazz musicians like bassist Larry Ridley as well as the Tad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra. In the early 1970s, Gumbs replaced Nat Adderley Jr. in the modern jazz ensemble Natural Essence, which included Buddy Williams and T.S. Monk (drums and percussion), bassist Alex Blake and trombonist Earl McIntyre. Gumbs adopted the name Onaje in the early 1970s; it means sensitive. He met his future wife, Sandra Wright, in 1971 throughout a short teaching job in Buffalo, New York. They married later that decade and remained married until Gumbs'death in 2020. Inside late 1970s, Gumbs signed with Woody Shaw and served as music director for R&B singer Phyllis Hyman. Later in her career, he worked extensively with Ronald Shannon Jackson, as well as in 2013, after Jackson's death, Gumbs recorded a solo piano album composed of improvisations on Jackson's compositions. He later taught for the New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music in Manhattan and within the Litchfield Jazz Camp in Connecticut. "His collaboration with the New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York and his awesome work while using Litchfield Jazz Camp in New Milford, Connecticut have allowed him to broaden his vision and shape young minds."

Later life On January 24, 2010, Gumbs a break down stroke and was hospitalized for just two days. In December of the year, he released an album in Japan titled Just Like Yesterday. He was accompanied within the album by Omar Hakim, Victor Bailey, Marcus McLaurin, William S. Patterson and Chuggy Carter. Since that time, all visible indications of a stroke have disappeared. In February 2015, he was hospitalized for fourteen days, but managed to recover and return to composing and performing. Onaje Allan Gumbs passed on on April 6, 2020 at the age of 70.