Juma's Archive

AUDIO ARCHIVE

For Posterity

Sonny Simmons

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True Creation from Vibration gallery, 3rd St., Manhattan, 1969 - 7:53
  • Sonny Simmons - Alto
  • Dewey Redman - Tenor
  • Barbara Donald - Trumpet
  • Juma Sultan - Bass
  • Paul Smith - Drums

Juma first played with Dewey Redman when both were living in California’s Bay Area. “I first met Dewey Redman playing in Golden Gate Park. I’m going through with my conga drums, and he’s in the bushes on his horn, and I hear it, and I walk over…. He’s out practicing, because he can’t practice in the house.” They would practice together there and they would also meet on Haight Street for some of the evening sessions with other musicians.

After both moved to New York and Dewey was playing with Ornette Coleman, Juma invited him to play with Sonny Simmons, Sonny’s wife, Barbara Donald, and Paul Smith at “True Creation From Vibration.” Several nights a week Sonny would let the public in and many musicians joined them, including Dewey.

These songs were recorded because Juma always recorded the sessions with Sonny. They did this to listen back to what they played. This pattern began back in San Francisco when Juma first began playing with Sonny.