Birth name Kevin Jones Years active 1978–present Genres Jazz Also known as Bujo Kevin Jones Labels Motema Music Record label Motema Music | Occupation(s) musician Name Koko Jones Associated acts Babatunde Lea Instruments percussion Role Musical Artist Albums Who's That Lady? | |
 | ||
Similar Babatunde Lea, Winard Harper, Jana Herzen, The Isley Brothers, Archie Shepp | ||
Koko Jones - I'm Free
Kevin Jones (Aka: Koko Jones), is an American jazz percussionist and band leader. Jones's music takes influence from music of Cuba and Congo. Jones grew up in Englewood, New Jersey where his musicianship was nourished through the fertile artistic background of his family and the talented enclave that this small town offers. As a teenager he boasts to have teachers such as percussionists Babatunde Lea, Marvin "Bugalu" Smith, Congolese drummers Titos Sompa and Coster Massamba, Charli Persip and Max Roach. He played percussion professionally at the early age of 13 with a group called "Spoonbread" who were signed to All Platinum Records of Englewood, NJ. He studied music at the University of Massachusetts and Jazzmobile simultaneously until 1979 when his Professor, saxophonist Archie Shepp, took him on tour to Europe where he recorded his second album. Just months later he was hired by The Isley Brothers and toured and later recorded a host of records with them. The association with The Isley's led to numerous opportunities one of which was several tours with Whitney Houston and many others.
Contents
Jones has performed with Whitney Houston, The Isley Brothers, Jermaine Jackson, Archie Shepp, Charles McPherson, Winard Harper, Ray Copeland, Talib Kibwe, Babatunde Lea, James Weidman, Clifford Adams, and Malaki Ma Congo Drum and Dance Ensemble
From 2010 to 2015 Kevin identified as being transgender and took on the name "Koko Jones", but has since returned to identifying as male and presenting as Kevin once again.
Tenth World
Tenth World was the name of Jones's band which was in existence from 2000 to 2008. His band mates were Kelvin Sholar (piano), Jamieo Brown (drums, percussion), Brian Horton (saxophone and flute), George Makinto (flute, percussion, African percussion), Kevin Louis (trumpet), Luisito Quintero (timbales, percussion, drums)
A project was released on Motéma Music as Koko Jones called "Who's That Lady" in 2014. The Koko Jones Band included singers Derrick Dupree and Christelle Durandy, Pianist Zen Zadravec, Drummer Jerard Snell, Guitarist Michael "Moon" Reuben and Bassist Charles Brown.
Reception
In a generally positive review, "j.poet" wrote in "Drum! Magazine" that "Jones has a lifetime of performing a wide range of styles with some of the top names in the field, and brings all those elements together on Who's That Lady, her third album as a leader and her first effort under her own name (Koko Jones)." It also comments that "When she began her transition to becoming a woman, she lost jobs and had to face the sexism, homophobia, and transphobia of the music business." The article discusses Jones's career at length, from her childhood start through the date of publication.
JW Richard, writing in Groove Loves Melody described Jones as an "Accomplished percussionist and band leader".
Raul da Gama, writing in World Music Report says that her music "bursts out like tongues of fire from her soul so that Ms. Jones plays with such ecstasy that her drumming alone is trance-like." da Gama goes on to say that:
Ms. Jones’ discography includes four other albums as a leader and her activity dates back to 1981, but she has also been busy as a session musician. She has acquired a considerable reputation in both incarnations. With this album, Who's That Lady? her reputation will grow exponentially. She is that good and so is this record.
Bill Milkowski writing in JazzTimes described his first album, Tenth World, produced by Babatunde Lea, as combining "the spirit of Africa with modern jazz on his impressive debut."
Toni Newman, writing in the Huffington Post, says: "Her latest album, Who's That Lady?, which is her third album but her first since transitioning, showcases all her talents and takes the listener on a journey through time, exploring four decades of her personal evolution and artistic capabilities. It is a timeless musical narrative of her past, present and future."
Discography
As a support musician as Kevin Jones
As a Leader
As Koko Jones