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Press Quotes

What's All The Hype?

“Dancing, racing, and singing with clarity unequaled in the realm of bass guitar.” DOWNBEAT

“Jamaaladeen is the master of the sequence.” ORNETTE COLEMAN

“Tacuma has developed an instrumental conception for the bass that could well be the sound of the future, if today's musicians are brave enough to confront it.” THE RECORD

“JAMAALADEEN TACUMA BREAKING BASS BARRIERS. . . He is coming to be regarded as one of the most distinctive forces on bass guitar to emerge in the past decade.” GUITAR PLAYER

“Mr. Tacuma seems equally capable of attaining that greater sophistication and intelligence without sacrificing his earthy roots - just as Mr. Coleman has done.” NEW YORK TIMES

“The baddest electric bassist virtuoso in years.” MUSICIAN MAGAZINE

“Tacuma has always been ahead of the average hipness curve.” BASS PLAYER

“Sporting an outrageous lime green shirt and vintage 40's slacks at a gig in Germany in August, Tacuma plugged in his bass with a hilarious-looking white phone cord, then generated a slam-dancing funk that could have shaken the NATO alliance. THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

“Jamaaladeen Tacuma's “Dreamscape,” an import on DIW Records, rocks the house with incredible bass and lead guitar sounds and heavy rhythmic grooves to satisfy the funk- and -jazz jones that resides in your soul.” BILLBOARD
It’s the rarest of musicians who fulfill their potential while remaining in their hometowns. But Jamaaladeen Tacuma is an exemplar for how to turn what could be a liability — rootedness — into success. How he’s done it: First, there’s the world class musicianship of a bassist who at age 19 joined Ornette Coleman’s challenging, electrically charged groups and stayed with them for 11 years…” - By John Szwed

Jazz Journalist Association

Black Music City Project announces grant winners to honor Philly’s black music history

The money will go toward 23 new artistic works that honor the Black music tradition in Philadelphia. They'll be unveiled in June as part of Black Music Month.

Jazz bassist Jamaaladeen Tacuma, classical singer CrisTené Triplet, visual artist Kyra Williams, and singer/bandleader Zeek Burse are among 23 Black Music City Project grant winners, announced Wednesday, who will receive between $1,000 and $3,500 to create new artistic works inspired by Philadelphia’s Black music history…(Read More)

 

The Philadelphia Inquirer by Dan DeLuca

Published  Mar 17, 2021

A Word with Award-Winning Jazz Bassist Jamaaladeen Tacuma

Philadelphia's Jamaaladeen Tacuma has been pushing the boundaries of the electric bass for over four decades, and always commands attention with his unique sound and style. His mastery of the instrument and commitment to the jazz community has inspired the City of Philadelphia to present him with this year’s Benny Golson Award, named for the great sax player..... (Read More)

WRTI By   APR 4, 2018

Why a Philly jazz great was crying in the Mayor's Reception Room

by , For the Inquirer

The low bass rumble you may have heard emanating from City Hall on Thursday was the unmistakable Jamaaladeen Tacuma, who opted to accept this year’s Benny Golson Award by treating the attendees in the Mayor’s Reception Room to an impromptu solo performance. Wielding a white electric bass that matched his typically attention-grabbing ensemble, Tacuma laid down a free-ranging funk groove that had even Mayor Kenney clapping along.... (Read More)

Philadelphia bassist kicks off Jazz Appreciation Month with award, festival

Philadelphia kicked off April’s Jazz Appreciation Month by naming native son Jamaaladeen Tacuma as this year’s recipient of the Benny Golson Award from the Office of Arts and Culture.... (Read More)

Outsiders Festival a Showcase for Tacuma

The final show of electric bassist Jamaaladeen Tacuma’s fourth annual Outsiders Improvised and Creative Music Festival reveled in the roots and revolution of Ornette Coleman’s “harmolodics,” a radical retake on the interplay of harmony, motion and melody..... Read More

LIVE, NEWS, REVIEW, JAMAALADEEN TACUMADENARDO COLEMAN

By Downbeat Howard Mandel 

Listen to Dan Buskriks WPRB Interview

Bio and Press Materials

Bio and Press PDF

High Resolution Photo Provided Upon Request

Photos and Podcast from WPRB interview by Dan Buskirk