The Jazz Journalists Association announced its slate of 2021 Jazz Heroes, advocates who have had significant impact in their local communities. The ‘Jazz Hero’ awards, made annually on the basis of nominations from community members, are presented by local fans and friends in conjunction with the JJA’s annual Jazz Awards honoring significant achievements in jazz music and journalism.
Jamaaladeen Tacuma (CRF 2013) was named the 2021 Philadelphia Jazz Hero.
“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…
He has always been a busy man, and now in his sixth decade has accelerated his activities just when most everything else has slowed to a crawl. Some highlights: he produced and scored much of the The Last Poets’ prophetic 2019 recording Transcending Toxic Times; organized The Inauguration Wrecking Ball, a 2017 gathering of musicians, poets and speakers here where democracy was born to offer “inspiration towards peaceful positive action in the face of anxiety, fear and frustration,” and most recently created a musical, Tribute to the Philly Rhythm Kings, the unsung rhythm section behind the 1960s’-’70s’ Philadelphia Sound of soul music…
Jamaaladeen has garnered many citations, including the Hungarian Parallel Culture Award, the Marcus Garvey Foundation 50th Anniversary Award, The Pew Fellowship in the Arts, The Uptown Theater Hall of Fame Award and Gerald Veasely’s Bass Boot Camp “Living the Dream” Award. He’s had residency fellowships at The MacDowell Colon, Headlands Center for the Arts, and Civitella Ranieri. Unlike many prophets, he’s been honored by his hometown: In 2017 and 2018 he was awarded The Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz Best Bassist Award, and in 2018 he received the City of Philadelphia’s Benny Golson Award, which comprises the Liberty Bell Award — one of the highest honors from the City.”
Read more about Tacuma’s career and see the full list of Jazz Heroes here.