Pheeroan akLaff

Pheeroan akLaff
Pheeroan akLaff live with the Oliver Lake trio in Saalfelden, 2009
Background information
Born	January 27, 1955
Genres	jazz
Instruments	drums, percussion

Pheeroan akLaff (born January 27, 1955)^[1] is an American jazz drummer.^[2] Pheeroan akLaff began playing in his hometown of Detroit, and Ann Arbor, Michigan, with Travis Biggs, Ars Nova, The Ebony Set, The Last Days, and Rod Lumpkin, recorded with Major Lansky. Moved to New Haven, Connecticut, and formed DejaVu with Dwight Andrews. Debuted with Bill Baron in 1975; followed by tenure in Leo Smith's New Dalta Ahkri.^[3]

Later developed a longstanding association with Oliver Lake, which included writing for their fusion ensemble, Jump Up.^[3] His performance and recorded history includes works with Andrew Hill, Cecil Taylor, Reggie Workman, and many others.^[4] In 2006 he co-founded Seed Artists Inc. in Brooklyn and currently teaches music at Wesleyan University.

Discography

As leader

• 1983: Fits Like a Glove (Gramavision)
• 1989: Sonogram (Mu Works)
• 1998: Global Mantras (Modern Masters)

As sideman

With Geri Allen

• Maroons (Blue Note, 1992)

With Oliver Lake

• Prophet (Black Saint, 1980)
• Clevont Fitzhubert (Black Saint, 1981)
• Expandable Language (Black Saint, 1984)
• Again and Again (Gramavision, 1991)

With Henry Threadgill

• When Was That? (1982)
• Just the Facts and Pass the Bucket (1983)
• New Air: Live at Montreal International Jazz Festival (1984)
• Subject to Change (1985)
• New Air: Air Show No. 1 (1986) with Cassandra Wilson
• You Know the Number (1986)
• Easily Slip Into Another World (1987)
• Makin' a Move (1995)

With Jay Hoggard

• The Right Place (JHVM, 2003)
• Something 'Bout Believing (Twinz Records, 1999)
• Love Is the Answer (Muse, 1994)
• Riverside Dance (India Navigation, 1985
• Love Survives (Gramavision, 1983

With Craig Harris

• Shelter (JMT 1987)
• Blackout in the Square Root of Soul (JMT, 1988)

With Ray Anderson

• What Because (Gramavision, 1989)

With Anthony Braxton

• Anthony Braxton's Charlie Parker Project 1993 (Hat Art, 1993)

With Don Byron

• Tuskegee Experiments (1992)

With Anthony Davis

• Hidden Voices (India Navigation, 1979) - with James Newton
• Variations in Dream-time (India Navigation, 1980)
• Episteme (Gramavision, 1981)
• Hemispheres (Gramavision, 1983)

With Julius Hemphill

• One Atmosphere (2003)

With Uwe Kropinski

• First Time in Manhattan (ITM, 1993)

With Amina Claudine Myers

• Song for Mother E (Leo Records, 1979)

With Sonny Sharrock

• Seize the Rainbow (Enemy, 1987)
• Live in New York (Enemy, 1989)

With Wadada Leo Smith

• Song of Humanity (Kabell, 1977)
• Spirit Catcher (Nessa, 1979)
• Spiritual Dimensions (Cuneiform, 2009)
• Dark Lady of the Sonnets (TUM Records, 2011)
• Ten Freedom Summers (Cuneiform Records, 2012)

With Mal Waldron

• My Dear Family (Evidence, 1993)

With Reggie Workman

• Summit Conference (Postcards, 1993)

With Yōsuke Yamashita

• Kurdish Dance (Verve, 1993)
• Dazzling Days (Verve, 1993)
• Fragments 1999 (Verve, 1999)
• Spider (Verve, 1996)

References

1. Kernfeld, Barry (2002). "akLaff, Pheeroan". In Barry Kernfeld. The new Grove dictionary of jazz, vol. 1 (2nd ed.). New York: Grove's Dictionaries Inc. pp. 22–23. ISBN 1561592846.
2. Cook, Richard (2005). Richard Cook's Jazz Encycolpedia. London: Penguin Books. p. 5. ISBN 0-141-00646-3.
3. Yanow, Scott. "Pheeroan akLaff: Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-04-14.
4. "Iridium Jazz Club Presents Historic Jazz Concert Thursday & Friday October 26 & 27 The Cecil Taylor Trio Featuring Henry Grimes And Phreeroan akLaff". All about jazz. 2006-10-22. Retrieved 2010-04-14.