By Kipper Jones

Image: Kipper Jones & James Mtume (1988)

I can’t just say, “Rest in peace, Mtume," like he’s just another celebrity swept up in this wave of transition. No, I absolutely must take this moment to share…

In 1976, there were few Black recording artists bigger than James Brown. He had burst on the scene two decades earlier like a comet, and in the years since had achieved unprecedented success. Although he had previously been dubbed, “Mr…

Back in March of 2013, while I was still performing as part of pianist, William Green’s outfit at Atlanta’s legendary Cafe 290, I was told that Mr. Keith Wilder from one of my very favorite musical aggregations ever, HEATWAVE, was…