a vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer who began his career as a cutting-edge jazz musician and evolved into one of R&B’s prime auteurs, died Jan. 9. He was 76. Known in the jazz world as the biological son of bebop legend Jimmy Heath, a percussionist in Miles Davis’ band during the 1970s, and a prolific sideman with the likes of McCoy Tyner, Gary Bartz, and Eddie Henderson, Mtume was best R&B charts. Behind the scenes, he was even more successful, achieving gold records and a Grammy Award for songwriting and production work with Stephanie Mills, Roberta Flack, and Donny Hathaway.
