Busta Jones

He is known for his bass work both live and in the studio with Albert King, Talking Heads, Gang of Four, Chris Spedding as well as many others during a decade spanning career that lasted from the late 1960s until his death in 1995.

[3] Following his time with Albert King, Jones became increasingly involved with the blues revival music scene in Memphis, playing with musicians such as Jim Dickinson and Lee Baker.

When reforming the band to create the follow-up 7-inch single, Baker recruited Jones to play bass for the songs "Cocaine Katy" and "The Terrorizing of Miss Nancy Jane", both released in 1972.

[5][8] Originally formed with ex-Free bassist Andy Fraser, drummer Marty Simon, guitarist Chris Spedding, and lead singer Stephen "Snips" Parsons, Sharks toured England, supporting acts like Roxy Music.

The group would go on to put out a self titled album on Island Records, featuring production by Mountain bassist Felix Pappalardi and arrangements by future Talking Heads manager Gary Kurfirst.

Through his former Sharks bandmate, Marty Simon, Jones would begin working with Walter Rossi, Dwayne Ford as the backing band for Michel Pagliaro, sometimes dubbed "The Rockers.

"[15] Although never releasing any recorded material, The Rockers would eventually become the studio musicians for a later project Rossi would do with George Lagios called Bombers.

In September 1979, Jones would play backing bass alongside David Byrne, credited as "Absalm el Habib", on the Robert Fripp songs "Under Heavy Manners" and "The Zero of the Signified".

[20] Following this in early 1980 Jones was asked to play bass alongside Chris Frantz on drums for the Brian Eno-David Byrne album My Life In The Bush of Ghosts.

[25] In late 1979, Jones would drop his first solo single "(You) Keep On Making Me Hot", produced with the help of a frequent Canadian collaborator, Gino Soccio.

Featuring performance by Parliament-Funkadelic members Tyrone Lampkin on drums and Bernie Worrell on keyboards and synthesizer, as well as longtime collaborator Walter Rossi.

Jones, having already worked directly with all band members individually at one point or another, was asked to join as a second bassist as well as tasked with the job of finding other musicians to be fill out the lineup.

[31] Since the album wouldn't be released until October, Heatwave, as well as the following tour stop in Central Park, New York City, would be the first time songs like "Once in a Lifetime" and "Houses in Motion" were heard by the public.

Terry Lawson of Dayton, Ohio's The Journal Herald said that "With the help of musicians like Busta Jones and Bernie Worrell, the Heads achieve a sort of suburban soulfulness that's cool, clean and precise.

"[40] Their show was loud and full of energy, Tom Harrison, music critic for The Province in Vancouver, British Columbia, wrote that The Trio's performance was "enough to batter the kidneys.

Jones would play a number of shows with Gang of Four, most notably a gig at the Showbox in Seattle which had future members of Nirvana in the audience.

Former Talking Heads collaborators like David Byrne, Jerry Harrison Bernie Worrell, and Dolette McDonald were known to come on stage and join Jones.

Even though Jones had worked with many punk and rock acts like The Ramones and Talking Heads, he still felt as though there were difficulties in pursuing the music he wanted to play.

Continuing his musical career in London, Jones worked with video director Robert Milton Wallace for "My Hands are Shaking" featuring harrowing footage from the Tiananmen Square massacre where Chinese authorities cracked down on a civil rights protest by students in 1989.

Albert King 1978
While playing with Albert King , Jones met brothers Albert and Donald Kinsey
Marty Simon at the 2016 SOCAN Awards
Marty Simon , who Jones had met while playing in Sharks , helped introduce Jones to the Canadian music scene.
Following his stint with Talking Heads, Jones would collaborate once again with guitarist Chris Spedding .