Prime Time: Ornette Coleman (alto sax), Charlie Ellerbee and Bern Nix (electric guitar), Jamaaledeen Tacuma (bass guitar) and Denardo Coleman and Calvin Weston (drums). From the album Of Human Feelings (1982).
Jamaaladeen Tacuma is an American bassist who plays in the free jazz and free funk styles and who has broken with the old conceptions of how to play an electric bass, redefining the artistic potential of his instrument. As a teenager he worked with the organist Charles Earland. In 1975 he met Ornette Coleman and became part of his group Prime Time, quickly acquiring celebrity. His ability to combine free jazz with funky rhythms gave the group a distinctive sound. He has also played with Walt Dickerson, Julius Hemphill, James Blood Ulmer, David Murray, Olu Dara and Chuch Hammer, as well as with musicians from New York’s downtown music scene, increasing his reputation.
In 1983 he signed with the Gramavision label, with which he recorded several albums as a leader, being the most remarkable Jukebox from 1988 with his group Spectacle. He also founded the rhythm and blues and funk band Cosmetic. His way of playing grew more aggressive showing a rhythmic funk approach with thumb strokes on the electric bass strings. In 2007 he joined guitarist Vernon Reid and drummer Grant Calvin to form the Free Form Funky Freqs trio, and they recorded the album Urban Mythology: Volume One.
Tacuma and Calvin start to set the pace and Coleman exposes the theme in unison with one of the guitarists while the other plays freely. Although the rhythm goes at medium tempo, the melody is enjoyable and relaxed until at the end the group plays a short more animated passage. Unlike other tracks, in this one Tacuma has a great presence. Next Coleman makes a solo following the same style as the theme, with long notes and taking it easy while Tacoma accompanies him more dynamically. However, occasionally he introduces more complicated phrases into his pleasant speech until the group re-exposes the theme.
