T.M. Stevens, 1951-2024
Stanley Jordan, Living Colour and members of T.M. Stevens’ Shocka Zooloo band will perform at a concert paying tribute to Stevens — who died in March, at the age of 72 — Nov. 10 at 6 p.m. at The Cutting Room in New York. For tickets, visit thecuttingroomnyc.com; proceeds will benefit the T.M. Stevens Music Scholarship Fund.
Among the other musicians who will participate is Kenwood Dennard, who will play drums for Jordan.
Stevens was one of the busiest rock, funk and jazz session musicians of his generation, playing with James Brown, Miles Davis, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, The Pretenders, Little Steven’s Disciples of Soul, Billy Joel, Cyndi Lauper, Joe Cocker and many others.
“I’ve had a strange career,” he told Bass Player magazine in 2009. “I’ve played with everybody from Tina Turner to Al Di Meola, but I don’t think it’s because I’m a great bass player. I think you can make these things happen if you have the right attitude.”
After Stevens died, Steve Vai posted on Facebook: “TM Stevens was a force of nature on bass. He was a colorful, intense, and completely accomplished player. His sound was amazingly fat and loud! … We made some powerful music and had great laughs. He was completely committed to his craft and was a professional from head to foot and was loved by the myriad celebrity artists he’s played with.”
Stevens grew up in New York but lived in West Long Branch for many years, and often performed in New Jersey nightclubs. The Brighton Bar in Long Branch no longer exists, but this message was posted on its Facebook page after Stevens died: “The Brighton Bar owes a great gratitude to TM STEVENS, over the many years, in helping us meet our bottom line. We could always count on him to draw big and ring high!!!! He had always been generous with his time and talent, which was ENORMOUS!!!! And he was quick with sage advice which steered us in the right directions.”
Doug Wimbish, bassist for Living Colour, posted: “He is, and always will be, the man, the myth and the legend, always giving love and beautiful energy.
“He was a rare one. TM was the full spectrum of beauty, life and love.
“He played with some of the best musicians on the planet. His style was totally unique. …
“He was the total package — the look, the sound, the frequency — always smiling and always friendly.
“TM was the bassist on the top of the pyramid and consistently rose to higher levels.”
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