James Plunky Branch

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James Plunky Branch 2012

James "Plunky" Branch (also Plunky Nkabinde , * 1947 in Richmond (Virginia) ) is an American jazz , funk and R&B musician ( woodwind ) who was the producer of the Black Fire Fecords label .

Live and act

Branch was educated in the segregated schools of his hometown. He attended Columbia University in New York City. In 1971 he moved to San Francisco, where he founded the group Juju , a music group that combined rhythm & blues, jazz, soul and African influences. In 1972 he participated in the recording of Pharoah Sanders , to be heard on the albums Love in Us All and Wisdom Through Music . In 1973 he presented the album A Message from Mozambique ( Strata-East Records ). When Branch and his group returned to Richmond in the mid-1970s, they continued to record and play there, most recently as Plunky & Oneness . In 1982 her song "Every Way But Loose" reached the top 10 of the London soul music charts. Branch was the founder of the Richmond Jazz Society in 1978 .

Branch has released more than 20 albums through his independent record label, in addition to his own productions ( Oneness of Juju ) also music by Okyerema Asante ( Drum Message , 1977), Lon Moshe & The Southern Freedom Arkestra ( Love Is Where the Spirit Lie’s , 1977) , Byard Lancaster ( My Pure Joy , 1992) and Hamiet Bluiett ( Bearer of the Holy Flame , 1983). He also worked as a studio musician , including for the sitcom The Cosby Show . In the field of jazz he was involved in 17 recording sessions between 1972 and 1992, according to Tom Lord . a. also with Hamiet Bluiett ( Nali Kola , 1987). He also wrote hundreds of songs and produced the documentary Under the Radar - A Survey of Afro-Cuban Music . He also lectured on African American music at Virginia Commonwealth University and directed the jazz ensemble at Virginia Union University . He has received jazz scholarships from the National Endowment for the Arts and was appointed by the governor to a task force to investigate the value of state arts funding in Virginia. Branch has served as artist in residence and has performed in public schools across the state. In 2012 he was named one of the Living Heirs of the Richmond public school system.

Web links

Commons : James "Plunky" Branch  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. Tom Lord: The Jazz Discography (online, accessed July 10, 2020)