Koko Jones, formerly known as Bujo Kevin Jones, is an African-American transgendered jazz

Jazz

Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...

 percussionist and band leader based in New Jersey

New Jersey

New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...

. Bill Milkowski of JazzTimes

JazzTimes

JazzTimes is a magazine that dates back to Radio Free Jazz, a publication founded in 1970 by Ira Sabin when he was operating a record store in Washington, DC. It was originally a newsletter designed to update shoppers on the latest jazz releases and provide jazz radio programmers with a means of...

described his first album, Tenth World, produced by Babatunde Lea

Babatunde Lea

Babatunde Lea is an Afro-Cuban jazz and Worldbeat percussionist. Michael Lea was raised in Englewood, New Jersey, while regularly commuting to 116th and Amsterdam in New York, where the rest of his family lived after moving from his birthplace, Danville, Virginia. His aunt was one of the first...

, as combining "the spirit of Africa with modern jazz on his impressive debut." Jones's music takes influence from music of Cuba

Cuba

The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...

 and Congo

Congo Basin

The Congo Basin is the sedimentary basin that is the drainage of the Congo River of west equatorial Africa. The basin begins in the highlands of the East African Rift system with input from the Chambeshi River, the Uele and Ubangi Rivers in the upper reaches and the Lualaba River draining wetlands...

. Jones grew up in Englewood, New Jersey

Englewood, New Jersey

Englewood is a city located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 27,147.Englewood was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township and the remaining portions of...

 where her musician ship was nourished through the fertile artistic background of her family and the talented enclave that this small town offers. As a teenager she boasts to have teachers such as percussionists Babatunde Lea, Marvin "Bugalu" Smith, Congolese drummers Titos Sompa and Coster Massamba, Charli Persip and Max Roach. She played percussion professionally at the early age 13 with a group called "Spoonbread" who were signed to All Platinum Records

All Platinum Records

All Platinum Records was one of the labels which was started by Sylvia Robinson before she started Sugar Hill Records.All Platinum purchased Chess Records in the early 1970s after the latter fell into bankruptcy; however, All Platinum was a much smaller label and was unable to keep releasing steady...

 of Englewood, NJ. She studied music at the University of Massachusetts and Jazzmobile

Jazzmobile

Jazzmobile, Inc. is based in New York, and was founded in 1964 by Daphne Arnstein, an arts patron and founder of the Harlem Cultural Council and Dr. William "Billy" Taylor. It is a multifaceted, outreach organization committed to bringing "America's Classical Music"—Jazz—to the largest possible...

 simultaneously until 1979 when her Professor, saxophonist Archie Shepp, took her on tour to Europe where she recorded her second album. Just months later she 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.

Her transition from male to female took place in 1991 which left a gap in her musical work history until 1999 when she was forced to present as a male in order to have full custody of her child. She transitioned back in 2008.

Jones has performed with Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston

Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...

, The Isley Brothers

The Isley Brothers

The Isley Brothers are a highly influential, successful and long-running American music group consisting of different line-ups of six brothers, and a brother-in-law, Chris Jasper...

, Jermaine Jackson

Jermaine Jackson

Jermaine La Jaune Jackson is an American singer, bassist, composer, a member of The Jackson 5, older brother of American pop stars Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson and occasional film director...

, Archie Shepp

Archie Shepp

Archie Shepp is a prominent African-American jazz saxophonist. Shepp is best known for his passionately Afrocentric music of the late 1960s, which focused on highlighting the injustices faced by the African-Americans, as well as for his work with the New York Contemporary Five, Horace Parlan, and...

, Charles McPherson, Winard Harper

Winard Harper

Hiram Winard Harper is an American jazz drummer.Harper played in the 1980s with Dexter Gordon, Johnny Griffin, and Betty Carter, the last for four years. While working with Carter he met Wycliffe Gordon, with whom he would collaborate repeatedly...

, Ray Copeland

Ray Copeland

Ray Copeland was a jazz trumpet player and teacher. Throughout his career he participated on many swing and hard bop dates, appearing on the well known Monk's Music by Thelonious Monk in 1956...

, Talib Kibwe, Babatunde Lea, James Weidman, Clifford Adams, and Malaki Ma Congo Drum and Dance Ensemble

Tenth World

Tenth World is the name of Jones's band when she was presenting as Kevin Jones. Her band mates were Kelvin Sholar

Kelvin Sholar

Kelvin Lamar Sholar is an American pianist, bandleader, producer and composer. Sholar has performed piano, keyboards and electronics on several international television shows and radio shows, written for films, his music has been featured on prime-time American television, he has been interviewed...

 (piano), Jamieo Brown (drums, percussion), Brian Horton

Brian Horton

Brian Horton is an English former footballer and manager, who is working as Phil Brown's assistant at Preston North End.Horton played for Hednesford Town, Port Vale, Brighton & Hove Albion, Luton Town and Hull City as a midfielder...

 (saxophone and flute), George Makinto (flute, percussion, African percussion), Kevin Louis (trumpet), Luisito Quintero (timbales

Timbales

Timbales are shallow single-headed drums with metal casing, invented in Cuba. They are shallower in shape than single-headed tom-toms, and usually much higher tuned...

, percussion, drums)

Her new project will be forthcoming on Motéma Music. The Koko Jones Band includes singers Derrick Dupree and Christelle Durandy, Pianist Zen Zadravec, Drummer Jerard Snell, Guitarist Michael "Moon" Reuben and Bassist Charles Brown. Miss Jones continues to be produced by Babatunde Lea who remains a teacher and confidant to Miss Jones.

Discography

As a support musician

• "Free Bop" - Charles McPherson (Xanadu Records, 1978)
• "Attica Blues Big Band Live at Palais De Glace" - Archie Shepp (Blue Marge Records)
• "Grand Slam" - The Isley Brothers (T-Neck Records/CBS 1980)
• "The Isley Brothers Live"- The Isley Brothers (T-Neck Records/CBS 1980)
• "The Beat Of Love" - Randy VanWarmer - (1982)
• "Inside You" - The Isley Brothers (T-Neck Records/CBS 1981)
• "The Real Deal" - The Isley Brothers (T-Neck Records/CBS 1982)
• "Between The Sheets" - The Isley Brothers (T-Neck/CBS 1983)
• "Broadway's Closer To Sunset Boulevard" - Isley, Jasper, Isley (T-Neck/CBS 1984)
• "Caravan Of Love" - Isley, Jasper, Isley (T-Neck/CBS 1985)
• "Different Drummer" - Isley, Jasper, Isley (T-Neck/CBS 1987)
• "Soul-Jazz Collaboration" - Chuck McPherson (Independent 1998)
• "Listening Room" - Clifford Adams (2000)
• "Spiritually Speaking" Blaze (featuring Kevin Hedge/Josh Milan) (2002)
• "Soul Pools" - Babatunde Lea (Motema Music 2003)
• "Rhythm Master" - Vincent Ector (Blues Leaf 2003)
• "Time For The Soul" - Winard Harper Sextet (Savant records 2003)
• "Keepers Of The Flame" - Charles Earland Tribute Band (Highnote 2003)
• "Hip Cake Walk" - Papa John DeFrancesco (Highnote 2003)
• "Be Thankful" - Omar featuring Angie Stone (2004)
• "Suite Unseen: Summoner Of The Ghost" - Babatunde Lea (Motema Music 2005)
• "Make It Happen" - Winard Harper Sextet (Savant Records 2006)
• "Synthesis" - Norman Simmons (Savant Records 2002)
• "Percussion Madness" - Luisito Quintero (Vega Records 2006)
• "Aftershower Funk" - The Fantastic Souls (Kay Dee Records 2010)
• "Soul To The People" - The Fantastic Souls (Kay Dee Records 2010)

As a Leader

• "SunRize" - Sunrize (Boardwalk Records 1981)
• "Land Of Eternal Tranquil Light" (Tenth World Music 2000)
• Tenth World (Motéma Music
  Motéma Music
  Motéma Music is an American record label focused on jazz and world music, as well as other creative projects by virtuosic musicians who also compose. It was founded by Jana Herzen in 2003, and is now based in Harlem, New York City...
  
  , 2005)
• Live! (Motéma Music, 2008)

External links

• Official Site
• Bujo Kevin Jones at Motéma Music
  Motéma Music
  Motéma Music is an American record label focused on jazz and world music, as well as other creative projects by virtuosic musicians who also compose. It was founded by Jana Herzen in 2003, and is now based in Harlem, New York City...