T. K. Blue

T.K. Blue (also known as Talib Kibwe, born Eugene Rhiney, February 7, 1953) is an American jazz saxophonist, flautist, and educator from New York City. His parents were Jamaican and Trinidadian, and he has used their Afro-Caribbean musical styles in his own work. He has worked with, among others, Don Cherry, the South African pianist Dollar Brand (now Abdullah Ibrahim), and Randy Weston, for whom he is musical director. He has also taught at professorial level at of jazz studies at educational institutions including Suffolk Community College, Montclair State University, and Long Island University.

He was born in the Bronx, NY, and grew up on Long Island, NY. T.K. Blue began his life in music from his Lakeview hometown by playing trumpet from the ages of eight to 10, and then switching to drums for a year. After a hiatus, at the age of 17 he dedicated himself to music by learning flute. While attending New York University between 1971 and 1975 with a double major in Music and Psychology, Blue threw himself headlong into music, concentrating on the saxophone. He took lessons (as part of the Jazzmobile program) with Jimmy Heath, Frank Foster and Ernie Wilkins, as well as from tenor legend Billy Mitchell. During these undergraduate years, T.K. lived in the East Village, partaking in the full range of the scene, from lessons with elders to deep involvement in the avant-garde. In 1979 he received his Master's in Music Education from Columbia University.

After performing and traveling extensively with Abdullah Ibrahim (Dollar Brand) from 1977 to 1980, T.K. moved to Paris in December 1981, remaining there until 1989. In 1986 he recorded Egyptian Oasis, his first record as a leader, and that sparked a number of State Department tours to some 20 countries in Africa.

Back in the USA since 1990, he has worked constantly, in a wide range of styles and situations, and recorded his second CD, Introducing Talib Kibwe, released on Evidence in 1996. His more recent recordings as leader include 2008's Follow the North Star, a suite inspired by the life of Solomon Northup (commissioned by the New York State Council on the Arts), Latin Bird (2011), and in 2014 A Warm Embrace, about which Don Bilawsky on All About Jazz has written: "Blue's skills as an arranger, perhaps more than anything else, are responsible for the success of this project, as he's able to create beauty from simplicity at times.... A Warm Embrace is simply a beautiful work of art."

Augmenting his long-term relationships as Musical Director with pianist Randy Weston and with the Spirit of Life Ensemble, Blue's recent affiliations include: Odadaa, a group led by a drummer from Ghana, Yacub Addy; percussionist Norman Hedman's pan-African band Tropique; tap dancer Joseph's Tap and Rap, to jazz tunes by Charlie Parker and John Coltrane; and emerging singer Jeffrey Smith.

T.K. was part of the historic June 2008 photo session called "A Great Day In Paris" (in homage to Art Kane's 1958 photograph A Great Day in Harlem) that featured more than 50 musicians from the USA who resided there.

For several years an adjunct professor at Suffolk Community College and Montclair State University, Blue was also a full-time professor and director of jazz studies at Long Island University-LIU-Post.

As leader

• 1986: Egyptian Oasis (Anais)
• 1993: Taja (Rise Up)
• 1996: Introducing Talib Kibwe (Evidence)
• 1999: Another Blue (Arkadia Jazz)
• 2001: Eyes of the Elders, with Randy Brecker, Joanne Brackeen, Lonnie Plaxico and Jeff "Tain" Watts (Arkadia Jazz)
• 2003: Rhythm in Blue (Jaja Records)
• 2008: Follow the North Star, with Steve Turre, James Weidman, Onaje Allan Gumbs, Essiet Okon Essiet, Willie Martinez and Kevin Jones (a musical retelling of the story of Solomon Northup (Jaja Records)
• 2011: Latin Bird (Motéma Music)
• 2014: A Warm Embrace (Jaja Records)

As sideman

With Jimmy Scott

• All Of Me: Live In Tokyo (2004)

With Benny Powell

• The Gift Of Love (2003)
• Why Don’t You Say Yes Sometime (1991)

With Jayne Cortez and The Firespitters

• Borders Of Disorderly Time (2003)
• Taking The Blues Back Home (1996)
• Cheerful And Optimistic (1995)

With Randy Weston

• The African Nubian Suite (2016)
• Spirit! The Power Of Music (2000)
• Khepera (1998)
• Saga (1995)
• Volcano Blues (1993)
• The Spirits of Our Ancestors (1991)

With Arkadia Jazz All-Stars

• Thank You, Duke! Our Tribute To Duke Ellington (1998)

With The Spirit of Life Ensemble

• 25 Twenty-Five (2000)
• Collage (1998)
• Live At The Pori Jazz Festival (1996)
• Feel The Spirit (1994)
• Inspiration (1992)

With Sam Rivers

• Colours (Black Saint, 1982)

With Abdullah Ibrahim

• South African Liberation Songs (1979)
• African Tears and Laughter (1977)
• The Journey (1977)

• ^ Artist Homepage
• "T.K. Blue CD Release LATINBIRD", YouTube.