Kevin Jones | |
---|---|
Birth name | Kevin Jones |
Also known as | Bujo Kevin Jones |
Genres | Jazz |
Occupation(s) | musician |
Instruments | percussion |
Years active | 1978–present |
Labels | Motéma Music |
Associated acts | Babatunde Lea |
Website | kokojones |
Notable instruments | |
Percussion |
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.
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 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)