Olu Dara

Biography

Olu Dara Jones was born Charles Jones III on January 12, 1941, in Natchez, Mississippi, into a musical family. His father, Charlie R Jones, was a traveling musician who sang with The Melodiers, a vocal quartet, while his mother, Ella Mae Jones, was from Canton, Mississippi. As a child, Dara took piano and clarinet lessons before studying at Tennessee State University, where he initially pursued pre-med but switched to music theory and composition. From 1959 to 1964, he served as a musician in the U.S. Navy, an experience he described as priceless for his musical education. In 1964, he moved to New York City and adopted the name Olu Dara, which means "The Lord is good" in Yoruba, after becoming involved with a Yoruba congregation and re-establishing his ancestral identity.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Dara became a highly regarded figure in New York's avant-garde loft-jazz scene, playing trumpet and cornet alongside pioneering musicians while simultaneously leading his own blues-oriented ensembles, the Okra Orchestra and the Natchezsippi Dance Band. Despite his prominence on the jazz circuit, Dara didn't release his first solo album until 1998 at age 57. "In the World: From Natchez to New York" revealed his eclectic musical personality, blending Delta blues with jazz, storytelling, funk, African popular music, and reggae. His unique approach to music was deeply spontaneous and improvisational, rooted in blues and gospel traditions. As he explained, he never practiced the cornet, believing that "music is life" and that one should "always go in fresh."

Dara's influence extended beyond his own recordings through his collaborations and mentorship. He is perhaps best known to mainstream audiences as the father of rapper Nas, who encouraged him to finally record his own music. Dara played cornet on Nas's landmark 1994 album "Illmatic" on the track "Life's A Bitch," and later contributed vocals and trumpet to "Bridging the Gap" from Nas's 2004 album "Street's Disciple." His second album, "Neighborhoods" (2001), featured guest appearances by Dr. John and Cassandra Wilson. Throughout his career, Dara served as a bridge between bebop veterans and younger progressive musicians, bringing his distinctive sound and vast repository of musical stories to the Downtown loft scene that hatched a major jazz movement in the 1970s.

Fun Facts

• Dara never practices the cornet and was taught by his early music teacher that 'you can't practice life' - his entire 15-year ensemble spent only about eight hours practicing together in total, preferring to approach performances completely fresh and spontaneous.
• Despite being a highly regarded figure in the jazz scene since the 1960s and playing with legendary musicians like Art Blakey, he didn't release his first solo album until he was 57 years old in 1998, encouraged by his son Nas to finally record his own music.
• He changed his birth name Charles Jones III to Olu Dara (meaning 'The Lord is good' in Yoruba) after becoming involved with a Yoruba congregation when he moved to New York City in 1964, re-establishing his ancestral identity.
• His father was a traveling musician who sang with The Melodiers vocal quartet, and Dara himself was a multi-talented performer from childhood, learning tap dancing before picking up his first instrument and later mastering cornet, trumpet, guitar, harmonica, and vocals.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Early Music Teacher - Instilled philosophy of spontaneity over practice, teaching that music is life and one should always perform fresh (Unknown) [Childhood in Mississippi]

Key Collaborators

• Art Blakey - Played scintillating post-bop trumpet in Blakey's ensembles (Various performances) [1960s-1970s]
• Henry Threadgill - Collaborated as older mentor in the Downtown loft jazz scene (Loft scene performances) [1970s-1980s]
• David Murray - Worked alongside as mentor figure in avant-garde jazz scene; Murray described Dara as 'a guiding force' who brought stories and served as bridge from older bebop musicians (Loft jazz performances and recordings) [1970s-1980s]
• Hamiet Bluiett - Navy friend and fellow musician in the Downtown loft scene, both serving as older mentors (Loft scene performances) [1970s-1980s]
• Don Pullen - Collaborated with the late pianist in jazz performances (Various recordings) [1970s-1980s]
• Craig Harris - Worked with trombonist as older mentor in the loft jazz movement (Loft scene performances) [1970s-1980s]
• Charles Brackeen - Performed alongside in avant-garde jazz scene (Various performances) [1970s-1980s]
• James Blood Ulmer - Collaborated in avant-garde jazz performances (Various recordings) [1970s-1980s]
• Cassandra Wilson - Long-time collaborator who appeared as guest on his album (Neighborhoods (2001)) [1980s-2000s]
• Dr. John - Guest appearance on Dara's solo album (Neighborhoods (2001))
• Nas - His son, the rapper who encouraged him to record his own music and collaborated on multiple tracks (Illmatic (1994) - 'Life's A Bitch', 'Dance' (2002), Street's Disciple (2004) - 'Bridging the Gap' and title track) [1990s-2000s]
• Alonzo Gardner - Bassist in his long-time ensemble (Various performances and recordings) [1980s-1990s (15+ years)]
• Kwatei Jones Quartey - Guitarist in his long-time ensemble (Various performances and recordings) [1980s-1990s (15+ years)]
• Greg Bandy - Drummer in his long-time ensemble (Various performances and recordings) [1980s-1990s (15+ years)]
• Acosta Musamba - Conga player in his long-time ensemble (Various performances and recordings) [1980s-1990s (15+ years)]

Artists Influenced

• David Murray - Younger progressive musician who considered Dara a guiding force and mentor, bringing stories and serving as bridge from older bebop musicians; Murray noted Dara 'could play like anybody but had distinctive Olu chops' (Loft jazz movement) [1970s-1980s]
• Henry Threadgill - Younger progressive musician mentored by Dara in the Downtown loft scene (Loft jazz movement) [1970s-1980s]
• Craig Harris - Younger trombonist mentored by Dara who led a major jazz movement hatched in the lofts (Loft jazz movement) [1970s-1980s]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Life's a Bitch (feat. AZ & Olu Dara) (Illmatic)
2. Bridging the Gap (feat. Olu Dara) (Street's Disciple)
3. Life's a Bitch (feat. AZ & Olu Dara) (Illmatic XX)
4. Rain Shower (From Natchez To New York)
5. Your Lips (From Natchez To New York)
6. Harlem Country Girl (From Natchez To New York)
7. Street's Disciple (feat. Olu Dara) (Street's Disciple)
8. Bridging the Gap (feat. Olu Dara) (Street's Disciple)
9. Okra (From Natchez To New York)
10. Bubber (If Only) (From Natchez To New York)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #actors, #cornet-players, #dramatists