Mtume (pronounced em-tu-may) was a funk and soul group that rose to promine… Read Full Bio ↴Mtume (pronounced em-tu-may) was a funk and soul group that rose to prominence during the early 1980s and had several R&B hits during its career. Its founder, former jazz percussionist James Mtume, moved into urban contemporary and funk in the late 70s and became one of the more successful producers and performers in both styles during the 80s. The son of the great jazz saxophonist Jimmy Heath, Mtume was a conga player and percussionist who recorded and toured with Miles Davis and was featured on albums by the Heath Brothers, Sonny Rollins, Herbie Hancock, Joe Henderson, and Freddie Hubbard. He even recorded as a bandleader for Strata-East before turning to funk in the late 70s.
Mtume also teamed with another ex-jazz musician, Reggie Lucas, who had also been in Davis' 70s band. They produced and/or wrote for such artists as Stephanie Mills, Roberta Flack/Donny Hathaway, Phyllis Hyman, Gary Bartz, Sadane, Lou Rawls, Rena Scott, and Eddie Henderson in the late 70s. The duo worked on the LP In Search of the Rainbow Seekers for Epic in 1980. Mtume worked on his own as a producer with several artists, among them Levert, Tyrone Brunson, Roy Ayers, Henderson, Tease, and Sue Ann. Mtume was also a music producer for the hit TV series New York Undercover.
The Mtume band included the sassy, sultry vocalist Tawatha Agee, keyboardist Phil Field, and bassist Ray Jackson. They had a number one R&B hit with Juicy Fruit for Epic in 1983 and a number two single in 1984 with You, Me and He They recorded for Epic until the late 80s. Their final Top Ten hit was "Breathless" in 1986.
Tawatha Agee went solo in 1987. Phil Field continued to produce and write for many artists including Gwen Guthrie, Tawatha Agee, Tyrone Brunson, the Bar-Kays, Charles Earland and many others. He co-wrote and co-produced on Roy Ayers' album You Might Be Surprised. He co-wrote How Many Ways from Toni Braxton's debut album and co-wrote on Dee Jackson Field's debut EP.
Mtume also teamed with another ex-jazz musician, Reggie Lucas, who had also been in Davis' 70s band. They produced and/or wrote for such artists as Stephanie Mills, Roberta Flack/Donny Hathaway, Phyllis Hyman, Gary Bartz, Sadane, Lou Rawls, Rena Scott, and Eddie Henderson in the late 70s. The duo worked on the LP In Search of the Rainbow Seekers for Epic in 1980. Mtume worked on his own as a producer with several artists, among them Levert, Tyrone Brunson, Roy Ayers, Henderson, Tease, and Sue Ann. Mtume was also a music producer for the hit TV series New York Undercover.
The Mtume band included the sassy, sultry vocalist Tawatha Agee, keyboardist Phil Field, and bassist Ray Jackson. They had a number one R&B hit with Juicy Fruit for Epic in 1983 and a number two single in 1984 with You, Me and He They recorded for Epic until the late 80s. Their final Top Ten hit was "Breathless" in 1986.
Tawatha Agee went solo in 1987. Phil Field continued to produce and write for many artists including Gwen Guthrie, Tawatha Agee, Tyrone Brunson, the Bar-Kays, Charles Earland and many others. He co-wrote and co-produced on Roy Ayers' album You Might Be Surprised. He co-wrote How Many Ways from Toni Braxton's debut album and co-wrote on Dee Jackson Field's debut EP.
Give It On Up
Mtume Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Mtume:
C.O.D. (I'll Deliver) Hey boy, I know it's what you wanted Closer to me Sweet…
COD (I'll Deliver) Hey boy, I know it's what you wanted Closer to me Sweet…
Hips H-I-P-S... I like the way you swing your hips Blew my mind–…
Jucy Fruit you now very well what you are your my sugar…
Juicy You know very well What you are You're my sugar thing My cho…
Juicy Fruit You know very well What you are You're my sugar thing My cho…
Juicy Fruit (vocal) Yeah(I like it, ooh... ho...)(I like it, ooh... ho...)I need…
You Measure for measure Your loves so much pleasure Like a haunt…
You Are My Sunshine You are my sunshine, my only sunshine You make me happy…
You Me and He Measure for measure Your loves so much pleasure Like a haunt…
You, Me and He There? s somethin? I wanna say Try and understand There? s a…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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HumanitiesProfessor
My heart is profoundly heavy right now. RIP, James Mtume (3 January 1946 - 9 January 2022) 🙌🏿🙏🏿😭
sauquoit13456
On this day in 1980 {November 15th} Mtume performed "Give It On Up" on the nationally syndicated television program, 'Soul Train'...
Five weeks earlier it peaked at #26 {for 3 weeks} on Billboard's Hot Black Singles chart, and it spent eleven weeks on the chart...
It reached #30 on Billboard's Dance Club Songs chart...
Between 1978 and 1987 the New York City group had eleven records on the Hot Black Singles chart, three made the Top 10 with one reaching #1, "Juicy Fruit", for 8 weeks in May of 1983...
Besides the above "Juicy Fruit", their two other Top 10 records were "You, Me, and He" {#2* for 1 week in 1984} and "Breathless" {#9 in 1986}...
R.I.P. Don Cornelius {1936 - 2012}...
* The week "You, Me, and He" was at #2, the #1 record for the week was "Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run)" by Billy Ocean...
Natalie S. Myers - Brown
This generation will never understand why we need this type of music at such a time as this!
Street Sufi
The Sound of My Summers...W...B...L...S....!
arthur workman
This group was so under rated and very under appreciated. Funny how we later on in life begin to appreciate artists and their talents when they no longer produce good fine music such as this. We should be ashamed of ourselves.
Michele Laraia
Detto
Allan C Ester Jr
As a group they were sorta underground but the wrote a number of huge hits for other artist !
Michele Laraia
@Allan C Ester Jr That's right
Bob Stevens
Love the orchestration, the whole sound just takes you to another world.
Jay Williams
Bob Stevens AMEN Brother!!! This jam is from Another dimension!!!❤️