Avery Sharpe
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Onaje Allan Gumbs (born Allan Bentley Gumbs, September 3, 1949 – April 6, 2020) was an American pianist, composer, and bandleader.
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Early career
In 1971, Leroy Kirkland introduced Gumbs to the Detroit guitarist Kenny Burrell, to whom Onaje gave a demo tape. The following day, Gumbs received a call to play with Burrell at Baker's Keyboard Lounge in Detroit. This work led to further performances with major jazz musicians such as bassist Larry Ridley as well as The Thad Jones/ Mel Lewis Orchestra. During those early 1970s, Gumbs replaced Nat Adderley, Jr. in a contemporary jazz ensemble called Natural Essence. At that time in the course of two years, some of the personnel of this group included drummer Buddy Williams, bassist Alex Blake, trombonist Earl McIntyre and on percussion, T. S. Monk.
Gumbs adopted the name Onaje in the early 1970s; it means "the sensitive one".
"His association with the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York and his work with the Litchfield Jazz Camp in New Milford, Conn., allowed him to expand his vision and shape young minds."
After 2010
On January 24, 2010, Gumbs suffered a stroke. Amazingly, he stayed in the hospital for only two days. By December of that same year, an album was released in Japan entitled Just Like Yesterday. On this CD Gumbs was accompanied by Omar Hakim, Victor Bailey, Marcus McLaurine, William S. Patterson and Chuggy Carter. Any visible signs of the stroke had since vanished.
In February 2015, he suffered another medical setback. Although he was hospitalized for two weeks, he recovered and was able to return to work doing what he does best, composing, arranging and playing piano.
Onaje Allan Gumbs died on 6 April, 2020, aged 70.
Discography
As leader
| Year recorded | Title | Label | Personnel/Notes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Onaje | SteepleChase | Solo piano | ||||
| 1980s | Bloodlife: Solo Piano Improvisations Based on the Melodies of Ronald Shannon Jackson | Ejano Music | - | 1988? | That Special Part of Me | Zebra | |
| 1989? | Dare to Dream | Zebra | With Roger Byam (tenor sax), Jef Lee Johnson and Kevin Eubanks (guitar), Oscar Carataya (bass), Buddy Williams (drums), Steve Thornton (percussion), Gerri Griffin and Dennis Collins (vocals) | ||||
| 2000 | Return to Form | Half Note | With Rene McLean (alto sax), Marcus McLaurine (bass), Payton Croslley (drums), Gary Fritz (percussion) | ||||
| 2004 | Remember Their Innocence | Ejano Music | With Sadao Watanabe (alto sax) | ||||
| 2006 | Sack Full of Dreams | 18th & Vine | With Mark Shim (tenor sax), Bob DeVos (guitar), Marcus McLaurine (bass), George Gray (drums), Gary Fritz (percussion), Obba Babatunde (vocals) | ||||
| 2010? | Just Like Yesterday | Pony Canyon |
Main source:
As sideman
With Nat Adderley
- Don't Look Back (SteepleChase, 1976)
- Hummin' (Little David, 1976)
With T. K. Blue
- Follow the North Star (JaJa, 2008)
With Betty Carter
- The Betty Carter Album (Bet-Car Productions, 1976)
With Norman Connors
- Dark of Light
- Love from the Sun
- Saturday Night Special
- You Are My Starship
- Invitation
- Mr. C
- Eternity
With Carlos Garnett
- Black Love (Muse, 1974)
With Toninho Horta
- Moonstone (Verve Forecast, 1989)
- Foot On The Road (Verve, 1994)
- Decode Yourself (Island, 1985)
With Bennie Maupin
With Cecil McBee
- Mutima (Strata-East, 1974)
With Mark Mosley
- TLC (Mark Mosley, 2012)
With Avery Sharpe
- Running Man (JKNM, 2011)
- Sojourner Truth: Ain't I a Woman (JKNM, 2013)
With Woody Shaw
- The Moontrane (Muse, 1974)
- Rosewood (Columbia, 1977)
- Stepping Stones: Live at the Village Vanguard (Columbia, 1978)
- Woody III (Columbia, 1979)
With John Stubblefield
- Prelude (Storyville, 1978)
With Charles Sullivan
- Genesis (Strata-East, 1974)
With Lenny White
