James Blood Ulmer, the innovative guitarist known for fusing avant-garde jazz with funk and the blues, died on June 3 at age 86. His family confirmed the news in a statement published via DownBeat and reported by NPR, noting that he died peacefully.
Ulmer was born Willie James Ulmer on Feb. 8, 1940, in St. Matthews, South Carolina. He began playing guitar at age four and later worked with artists including Ornette Coleman and Art Blakey before releasing solo albums such as Tales of Captain Black in 1979 and Are You Glad to Be in America in 1981. His family described him as a teacher and storyteller whose music was fearless. Vernon Reid, who produced Ulmer’s Memphis Blood album, wrote on social media that the loss was profound and called Ulmer one of a kind. Ulmer played his final concert at the Detroit Jazz Festival on Sept. 1, 2024. He is survived by his wife Eva and six children. Details of a public celebration of life are forthcoming.
