T.K. Blue biography for short Media Bio, click here
T.K.
Blue, also known as Talib Kibwe, was born in New York City of a Trinidadian
mother and Jamaican father. T.K. began playing music at the age of 8
years old on trumpet. After two years his interest shifted to academic
and athletic endeavors... He returned to his musical studies in High
School while playing the flute.
He took lessons from Billy Mitchell, the legendary tenor saxophonist
with Count Basie and Dizzy Gillespie, eventually pursuing music as a
career after receiving a full academic scholarship to New York University,
where he began playing soprano & alto saxophone. He earned a bachelor's
degree in both music and psychology. T.K. Blue went on to earn a master's
degree in music education from Teacher's College at Columbia University.
"Coming
to Jazzmobile in NYC is what did it for me. I got involved with Jazzmobile,
where we studied jazz theory, harmony, sight- reading, rhythmic training,
improvisation and big-band performance. It was just like going to school.
I studied with Jimmy Heath, Chris Woods, Ernie Wilkins, Frank Foster,
Sonny Red and Jimmy Owens. Thad Jones and Billy Taylor would come by from
time to time to give their knowledge and support."
T.K. also studied at Jazz Interactions with Rashaan Roland Kirk, Yusef
Lateef and Joe Newman. He also studied at The Henry Street Settlement
with Billy Mitchell and Paul West and at The Muse with world-renowned
bassist Reggie Workman.
While
living in the East Village of NYC during his undergraduate studies, T.K.
took lessons from many elders. An early highlight in his career was when
he played with Don Cherry at the famous "5 Spot" jazz club in Greenwich
Village. T.K. also studied with Nadi Qamar and learned how to play the
African hand piano or kalimba. Jaki Byard hired T.K. to play in a band
called The Apollo Stompers.
Abdullah Ibrahim, the great South African pianist formerly known as Dollar
Brand hired T.K. " I was able to develop when I was in Abdullah’s
band because he didn’t put any restraints on me in soloing. It’s an honor
and privilege to be in the company of masters when they let you stretch
out." Working in this band offered the opportunity for Kibwe to travel
to many nations and deliver performances via many media forms, while absorbing
the music and culture of people around the world.
The Paris Years
After traveling with Abdullah Ibrahim’s ensemble from 1977 until 1980,
T.K. moved to Paris in 1981 to quench his cultural thirsts. He lived in
Paris until 1989 making numerous trips to various regions in Africa.
In 1982, T.K. was asked to join an 11 piece saxophone choir led by Sam
Rivers. This group known as the Winds of Manhattan toured Europe and recorded
an LP on Black Saint Records in Milan, Italy.. From 1982 until 1985 much
time was spent playing with African musicians including the notable Manu
Dibango and the Senegalese group Xalam.
In 1985, T.K. went on to develop his first first group T.K. Odyssey and
in the following year recorded his first release as leader entitled, Egyptian
Oasis. This record sparked a number of State Department tours including
a 1989 tour of ten East African countries, a 1990 tour of ten West African
countries, and a third State Department tour of Morocco in that same year.
With Randy Weston
T.K. Blue met the great pianist and composer Randy Weston during his stint
with Abdullah Ibrahim. He began working with Mr. Weston in 1980. Randy
Weston was living in France at that time. After moving to Paris in 1981,
T.K. re-established his working relationship with Randy, and has since
become his musical director. This union has lasted 24 years and has lead
to the fruition of countless tours, recordings, concerts, radio and television
appearances.
In 1988, T.K. toured with Chico Hamilton’s band and was a featured soloist
alongside Archie Shepp in pianist Chris McGregor’s Brotherhood of Breath
big band.
By the end of 1989 when he returned to the USA, T.K. had cemented an enduring,
essential friendship with the iconic pianist-composer Randy Weston. Weston
was to become the most influential person in T.K.’s professional career.
During the Weston recording, Spirit Of Our Ancestors, 1991, Verve, T.K.
debuted as musical director as well as recording alongside jazz greats
Dizzy Gillespie and Pharaoh Sanders.
Since
1990 T.K. has worked constantly in a wide range of musical setting. He
was musical director, arranger and composer with the Spirit of Life Ensemble
at the world famous jazz club called Sweet Basil in NYC. He also formed
a band with James Weidman called TaJa. They released their debut CD, Live
At Birdland in 1993.
In
1996, T.K.’s first stateside debut, Introducing Talib Kibwe was released
on the Evidence label. Coupled with his masterful facility on saxophones
and flutes, compositional insight and recording experiences, T.K. is among
the new breed of artist-educators fully prepared to carry the message
of jazz to students of all ages.
In 1998, T.K. began a long term relationship with the New York based Arkadia
Jazz label, with a third CD of ballads about to be released featuring
Grammy nominated vibraphonist Stefon Harris. Arkadia’s founder Bob Karcy
comments; “T.K. is a major talent in both his playing and compositional
ideas. I’m impressed by the lyricism in his soloing even when he’s playing
at a very high energy. I think he has a unique and very contemporary sound
that both comes from the past and looks to the future".
2001
to 2006
As an instructor at the Litchfield Jazz Summer Camp for teens T.K.
performed at the Litchfield Jazz Festival with the Don Braden Big Band,
which included such notable artists as James Moody, Slide Hampton, and
Paquito D'Rivera.
T.K. Blue Quartet was featured in performance on BET Jazz channel.
T.K. performed at Alice Tully Hall for the Jazz at Lincoln Center series
with Randy Weston and Regina Carter. He arranged music for a ten piece
orchestra.
T.K. performs with the vocalist Jimmy Scott and is an adjunct professor
of music at Suffolk Community College in long Island New York.
T.K. has just released his new CD Rhythm
In Blue on his label JAJA Records.
T.K. did perform for the 2004 Panroyale Jazz Festival in the homeland
of his mother's heritage -Trinidad and Tobago.
2005 T.K. Blue performed with Grammy award winning vocalist Bobby
McFerrin and Randy Weston at the last North Sea Jazz Festival held in
Den Haag, Holland....
The T.K. Blue group was featured this fall at the Linganore Wine
Jazz Festival in Maryland and The Cape May Jazz Festival in New
Jersey.
2007
He was a featured soloist, conducter, and arranger for Randy Weston and the
BBC Radio Big Band in London, England. TK Blue was also the arranger, conducter,
and soloist for a concert performance at City College in New York entitled Harlem
Stride--A tribute to James Reece Europe--featuring new compositions by Randy Weston.
Mr. Blue was comissioned by the NYSCA and Transart Inc to compose a new suite
entitled "Follow The North Star" dedicated to Solomon Northup and his book "12
Years A Slave". It was premiered on April 20, 2007 in Rosedale,NY. It was also
performed as part of the Jazz In The Valley Festival on Aug 19. He is currently
preparing to record a new cd this fall.
2008
and Beyond
TK Blue is currently an adjunct professor of jazz history at Montcalir State University.
In fact T.K.Blue is now the official fulltime professor and director of
jazz studies at Long Island University-CW Post Campus.
His new cd "Follow the North Star" was released last April to critical acclaim
and has placed in the top ten on the college jazz charts..." T.K.Blue's Follow The
North Star is a marvelous achievement; as an outstanding work of musical art, as a
tribute to the indomitable human spirit and as a humbling history lesson for many of
us. At the same time, it is accessible to fans of all styles of jazz" --Curtis
Davenport, Jazz Improv Magazine NYC July 2008