| Background: | person |
| T. M. Stevens | |
| Birth Name: | Thomas Michael Stevens |
| Alias: | Shaka Zulu |
| Birth Date: | 28 July 1951 |
| Birth Place: | New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation: | Musician |
| Instrument: | Bass guitar |
Thomas Michael Stevens (July 28, 1951 – March 10, 2024) was an American bass guitarist from New York City.[1] He recorded and toured with an array of rock, R&B, and pop acts as a session musician and also worked as a solo performer.
Stevens, who sometimes went by the name Shaka Zulu, began his career playing bass in the group Space Cadets, with whom he released a self-titled album in 1981. Between 1986 and 1987, he was a member of the Pretenders, recording the album Get Close with them in 1986.In 1993, he joined Vai, a short-lived group formed by Steve Vai to record and promote his third studio album, Sex & Religion. The group also included Devin Townsend on vocals and Terry Bozzio on drums. In 1995, Stevens began recording his own material with the backing band Out of Control and released two albums, Boom (1995) and Sticky Wicked (1996). In 1997, he produced and arranged the album Black Night – Deep Purple Tribute According to New York, performing on seven of its eleven tracks. In 2000, Stevens recorded the album International Telephone with German drummer Marco Minnemann's group Illegal Aliens. The same year, he released Boomparty 2000 with the Boombasstics and in 2008, he issued Brothers in Arms with the group Temple of Soul.[2]
Stevens has recorded and toured with many artists, including Yoshiaki Masuo, James Brown, Nona Hendryx, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, Little Steven, Tina Turner, Narada Michael Walden, Taylor Dayne, Stevie Salas, and Billy Joel.[3]
On September 16, 2017, Stevens' fellow musician and friend Ronny Drayton announced on his Facebook page that Stevens had advanced dementia and was living in a nursing home. Stevens died March 10, 2024, at the age of 72.[4]
Albums