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Onaje Allan Gumbs R.I.P.


Hardbopjazz

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He did some good work as a sideman in the 70's with a bunch of people such as Shaw, Nat Adderly, Norman Connors, Carlos Garnett, and was on a couple of choice Strata-East albums by Charles Sullivan and Cecil McBee.  His solo piano album on Steeplechase is a gem.  RIP.

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R.I.P ....

BTW Laurie Pepper offered Art Pepper live performances at the Village Vanguard (recorded a couple of weeks before the Contemporary release) with Onaje Allan Gumbs (p) + Gene Perla (b) + Joe LaBarbera (dr) .... testament to the art of Onaje Allan Gumbs, this group melts even better than the famed Contemporary crew .... warmly recommended .....

Edited by soulpope
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I was just thinking about Gumbs last week, wondering if I would get to see him again. It had been so long since I last saw him perform that I had forgotten where I saw him.

I know he's been having severe health problems for many years. In fact, I have not heard that his death was virus-related, so I was thinking maybe he had another stroke.

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I am sorry to hear this.  I saw him once with Avery Sharpe's group, which also included Craig Handy, Duane Eubanks and Yoron Israel.  Besides being a compelling soloist, Gumbs knocked me out with his comping, which was so unselfishly right; he was so supportive that he took the music to another level.

After the gig, I bought a CD and he signed it, taking a few seconds to blow on it to ensure that the ink wouldn't smear.  I remember shaking his hand and my hand being (gently) engulfed by this large mitt of a hand.

From the way he performed with the band, my brief interaction with him and the messages behind his songs, he gave me the firm impression that he was a man with a kind and generous spirit.  Thank you for the music, Mr. Gumbs, and rest in peace.

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The only time I heard him live was at the Vanguard, either late June/early July, 1977, with Art Pepper. (It was the group referenced above - Gene Perla and Joe LaBabera.) This was Pepper’s first appearance as a leader in a NYC club (he played a few weeks earlier in NY as part of the Newport Festival.) Gumbs was apparently a last minute replacement for a pianist that wasn’t fitting in (probably Jaki Byard). Of course, the place was packed, the atmosphere was almost electric, the group was terrific, really playing for the leader, and Pepper was knocked out by them.  Gumbs was a revelation!  The recordings from the club a few weeks later have the better reputation (and what a lineup!), but I’ve always thought what  I heard was superior, the group more simpatico.  

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