Don Blackman

Pianist/vocalist/songwriter Don Blackman, given birth to in 1953 in Queens, NY, was raised surrounded by jazz affects; a cousin was McCoy Tyner’s friend and saxophonist Charles McPherson — a Charlie Parker disciple — was Blackman’s neighbor. Blackman used McPherson’s group in 1968 alongside Sam Jones and Louis Hayes when he was 15 years of age. He turned to electrical piano and toured with Parliament/Funkadelic in the first ’70s. He later on became a genuine person in Lenny White’s Twennynine (“Peanut Butter”), an integral piece in Jamaica Queens’ ’70s’ jazz-funk explosion. A cope with GRP/Arista birthed the single LP Don Blackman (1982), an excellent arranged saddled by poor advertising. His intensive réamounté included Kurtis Blow classes and performing “Haboglabotrin” on Bernard Wright’s ‘Nard recording. A fixture in NY studios, he done sessions for more information on performers including Najee, David Sanborn, and Roy Ayers, and his structure “Live to Kick It” graced 2Pac’s R U Still Down? (Keep in mind Me) launch. Don Blackman passed away on Apr 11, 2013 after fighting tumor; he was 59 years of age.