Description

World renowned saxophonist and artist James “Plunky” Branch delivers his extraordinary autobiography, Juju Jazz Funk & Oneness: A Musical Memoir—an overnight success story 50 years in the making. This 476-page chronicle documents Plunky’s remarkable career from his days at Columbia University during the civil rights movement through collaborations with free jazz pioneers Ornette Coleman, Pharaoh Sanders, and Sam Rivers, to founding Black Fire Records and spearheading Richmond’s Black arts movement through Branches of the Arts, Inc.

Endorsed by jazz legend Pharaoh Sanders and praised as “a blueprint for the next generations,” this memoir offers an insider’s look behind the scenes of the independent Black jazz and soul music business. Through straightforward anecdotes, journals, and photographs, Plunky shares his philosophies and methodologies that allowed him to persevere—from composing over 400 songs to producing documentary films and releasing 35+ albums through his independent labels.

Recognized by the Library of Virginia as one of the 2015 Strong Men and Women in Virginia History, Plunky proves that persistence, business acumen, and commitment to progressivism can sustain an extraordinary artistic life. Order this essential book and discover the wisdom, struggle, and triumph behind one of contemporary music’s most visionary and enduring artists.