Onaje Allan Gumbs

Early life and career Gumbs was created in Harlem, New York, to parents who immigrated on the United States through the Caribbean. Gambs'mother was from Montserrat with his fantastic father, a NYPD officer, was from Anguilla.) During a vacation, Gumbs was attracted to Henry Mancini's music from films and television. Gumbs graduated with the State University of New York at Fredonia and during his studies was part of a jazz ensemble organized from the students. In 1971, Leroy Kirkland introduced Gumbs to Detroit guitarist Kenny Burrell, to whom Onage gave a demo tape. The following day, Gumbs received a telephone call to experiment with with Burrell for the Baker's Keyboard Lounge in Detroit. The work led to help expand performances with major jazz musicians like bassist Larry Ridley in addition to the Tad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra. In early 1970s, Gumbs replaced Nat Adderley Jr. in the current jazz ensemble Natural Essence, including Buddy Williams and T.S. Monk (drums and percussion), bassist Alex Blake and trombonist Earl McIntyre. Gumbs adopted the name Onaje in early 1970s; this means sensitive. He met his future wife, Sandra Wright, in 1971 in 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, plus in 2013, after Jackson's death, Gumbs recorded a solo piano album comprising improvisations on Jackson's compositions. He later taught for the New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music in Manhattan and for the Litchfield Jazz Camp in Connecticut. "His collaboration with all the New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York with his fantastic 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, https://www.onajeallangumbs.com/ (https://www.onajeallangumbs.com/) 2010, Gumbs suffered a stroke and was hospitalized for two days. In December of this year, he released an album in Japan titled Just Like Yesterday. He was accompanied for the album by Omar Hakim, Victor Bailey, Marcus McLaurin, William S. Patterson and Chuggy Carter. Since then, all visible warning signs of a stroke have disappeared. In February 2015, he was hospitalized for a couple weeks, but surely could recover and come back to composing and performing. Onaje Allan Gumbs past away on April 6, 2020 at age 70.