While James Mtume is best known either as a percussionist during Miles Davis’ radical mid-’70s period or the mind behind the ’80s R&B gem “Juicy Fruit” (later the sample for The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Juicy”), he also made a major impact as a producer and songwriter. The Mtume albums, yes, but also work for Stephanie Mills, Roy Ayers and Mary J. Blige—artists whose work bridged the harmonic complexity of jazz with the groove and polish of R&B and, later, hip-hop. (Mtume, for his part, called the sound “sophistifunk”.) Recalling the first time his label heard “Juicy Fruit”, Mtume said they complained it was too chunky, too slow. He who laughs last. And with that, here’s a playlist celebrating the best of Mtume’s work behind the boards—the sound of Black music as it evolved from the ’70s through the ’90s and beyond.