Kamal Abdul-Alim, a musician and composer, is an expert performer. He works in the cross-pollinating idioms Jazz, African Music, and other musics from the African diaspora. His playing is both astonishing and captivating, bringing back the history of African music. Music was an integral part of life and society, and not just an art. Kamal is determined to present to his audience music that is spiritually uplifting and mentally inspiring as well as rhythmically stimulating. He was born in Cleveland Ohio and was taught music and piano by his mother. His formal studies began at the Cleveland Music Settlement and in the Cleveland Public Schools. He played tuba and bass violin in the Orchestra and Band. He began to study the trumpet after he returned from the military service. Janos Kiss, a famous Hungarian composer, taught him how to make the trumpet. Kamal left Cleveland in the middle of the 60s and entered the Berkley School of Music, Boston. He studied composition and arranged, and also performed in local Rhythm and Blues groups. He then enrolled at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst to further develop his musical sensibilities. There he studied African American Music under Max Roach and Archie Shepp, receiving his B.A. He also directed Amherst College’s African American Cultural Center. Kamal, who moved to Nyc in 1970, became a well-known player on the N.Y. Jazz Scene. His work with bands such as Clark Terry, Ernie Wilkins and Slide Hampton made him a sought-after player. He recorded with Eddie Jefferson and Reggie Workman, Philly Joe Jones and Bill Hardman. Kamal earned an MA in Education from Long Island University. Kamal earned a Master’s degree in Education at Long Island University. He then began teaching in the NY Public schools. He studied Music Therapy at Columbia University and NYU. He recorded his first album, “DANCE”, with Bobby Watson, Bobby Spaulding and Ron Burton. Archie Shepp, Frank Wright and Frank Wright toured Europe. Kamal also moved to Paris in the 1980s in order to broaden his musical experiences. He began performing and touring with African and Caribbean bands that had been living in Africa for a time. It was during this time in Dakar Senegal that Kamal developed the idea for his next album, “Kani Mambo”. In the late 90s, he returned to Nyc to continue to develop and teach music programs in the public schools. He moved to California in the middle of the 1990s to continue teaching and designing programs for schools throughout the Bay Area. Kamal continued his musical journey by moving to Asia. He lived in China, performed in Japan, and joined the Bangkok Connection, a well-known and respected band in Thailand. Kamal is still a living example of his timeless calling, performing and touring with various ensembles. Kamal is a versatile performer, whether he plays the Blues, Jazz, or links up with the Spirits his African Ancestors. He is an entertainer who should not be underestimated. from https://kamalabdulalim.com
