Artist description Of Caribbean heritage, Onaje Allan Gumbs has been a major influence in contemporary music as well as straight-ahead jazz. His arrangements and collaborations read like a Who's Who list in Music, from Woody Shaw to Will Downing!!

Music Style Eclectic Inspirational Keyboardist, Producer, Arranger, Composer

Musical Influences Dave Grusin, Henry Mancini, Woody Shaw, Herbie Hancock, Charles Stepney, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Wayne Shorter

Similar Artists Dave Grusin, McCoy Tyner, Richard Tee, Kenny Barron, Hank Jones, George Duke, Bob James, Keith Jarrett, Quincy Jones, George Benson, Kenny Garrett

Artist History Onaje Allan Gumbs is one of the industry's most respected and talented musical collaborators. He has worked for more than 27 years with an illustrious list of jazz, R&B and pop artists. In 1974, he created a special arrangement of "Stella By Starlight" for the New York Jazz Repertory Company as part of a concert honoring Miles Davis at Carnegie Hall. He followed that with live and recorded performances with such artists as Lenny White, Buster Williams, Cecil McBee and Betty Carter. In 1975,Onaje joined forces with trumpeter, Nat Adderley as part of his quintet contributing to the group’s releases on Atlantic and Steeplechase Records. Producer Nils Winter of Steeplechase upon hearing Onaje’s improvisations, invited the young pianist to record a solo piano project entitled Onaje. In 1976, Onaje provided the arrangement for the song that was to become the signature piece for the late great vocalist Phyllis Hyman, "Betcha By Golly Wow." In 1978, the Woody Shaw Group, for which Onaje was pianist, won the Down Beat Reader’s Poll for Best Jazz Group and for Best Jazz Album (Rosewood).The album was later nominated for a Grammy. In 1985, Onaje lent his keyboard and arrangement skills to "Lady In My Life" on guitarist Stanley Jordan’s widely acclaimed debut album, Magic Touch on Blue Note Records. This was the 1st jazz album in history to maintain the #1 spot atop Billboard Magazine’s jazz charts for 37 weeks.******In 1986, Onaje received the “Min-on Art Award"..."in recognition of his great contribution to the promotion and development of a new musical movement for people with the aim of the creation of Peace...” Previous recipients of this prestigious honor include Tina Turner, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter,and Buster Williams. Motivated by the goal for World Peace,Onaje uses the practice of Nicherin Daishonin’s Buddhism as a philosophical,spiritual and technical approach to his life and his music. His composition, "Quiet Passion" and his rendition of the Delphonics classic, "(Didn’t I ) Blow your Mind This Time" both from his project, That Special Part Of Me have remained in rotation on the playlists of Smooth Jazz Radio Stations around the country since their initial introduction back in February of 1988. Panasonic chose his song, "Dare To Dream," with lyrics by Charles Allen, as the theme for their 10th anniversary celebration honoring their project; Kid Witness News.***********************In addition to the release of That Special Part Of Me and Dare To Dream on MCA Records, he currently has an independently financed solo project; Remember Their Innocence. Onaje has been featured twice on NPR "Piano Jazz with Marian McPartland." He also composed,arranged and performed the original score for the Showtime film, "Override," directed by actor/producer Danny Glover. In 1997, Onaje again embraced the music of Miles Davis as conductor/arranger for Grammy Award winning vocalist Cassandra Wilson’s concert, "Travelin' Miles."***************************Onaje Allan Gumbs continues to contribute his talents as a keyboardist,composer, arranger and producer. As he states: “Music has a healing force that is immeasurable and I am committed to being a part of it .”

Group Members Onaje: All Keyboards ------ Various Guest Artists, including Saxophonist, Sadao Watanabe

Instruments Keyboards, Drums, Bass, Saxophone, Trumpet, Harmonica, Percussion, Vocals

Albums Onaje (Steeplechase 1976), That Special Part of Me (MCA/Zebra 1988), Dare to Dream (MCA/Zebra 1991), Remember Their Innocence (ejano music 2001), Live at the BlueNote (Half Note Records 2001)

Press Reviews "From the opening bars of the funk, highly energetic No Question, pianist Gumbs makes it clear he's not interested in peddling corn...Gumbs delivers instrument R&B with a bite. Funk-driven bass lines pound under throbbing drum beats and Gumbs' two-fisted solos. He's equally comfortable in be-bop jazz." USA Today ************************************ "This extraordinarily gifted musician's song First Time We Met has been in heavy nighttime rotation around my apartment . As a supreme keyboardist and composer, Onaje's touch amazingly soothes and invigorates the listener all at once." A. Scott Galloway, Urban Network Magazine **************************** "Sprightly "No Question" (from Dare to Dream) with its interweaving sax lines goes down smooth...Onaje turns in a relaxed vital set" Billboard****************************** "Onaje - meaning the "sensitive one" - demonstrates again why this ubiquitous sideman-turned-leader chose to add the Nigerian word to his given Afro-American name. This is truly an album for life's romantic interludes, be they every night or few and far between. Lush, relaxing tracks, mainly in slow and medium tempos, show the twin influences of Urban Pop and mainstream jazz in the keyboardist's background. Whether on acoustic piano or synthesizers, Gumbs' devotion to lyricism and attention to the d details of composition, arrangement and performance mark his work with a feeling of quiet passion across all tracks." Bill Quinn, Black Radio Exclusive**************************** "There is something elegant in his style, a confident, yet subdued air." Richard Thorpe, The Boston Globe

Additional Info Score Composer of Overdrive, featuring Danny Glover

Location Bronx, New York - USA

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