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Grover Washington, Jr.

Saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr. was a crossover artist who did have hits in the pop and R&B charts, due to his willingness to play over light funk arrangements and use vocalists. He can be credited with virtually inventing the style of smooth jazz that later became so prevalent, and in that way he has been highly influential.

Grover Washington, Jr.'s love of music began a a child growing up in Buffalo, New York; his mother (who sang in church choirs) and father (collector of jazz 78s) bought him a saxophone at age ten. "After I started playing," Grover says, “I'd sneak into clubs to watch guys like Jack McDuff, Harold Vick and Charles Lloyd. My professional life began at age twelve. I played a lot of R&B, blues, and what we used to call 'gut-bucket'.

Grover left Buffalo to play in the Midwest with a group called the Four Clefs. Soon afterward, he was drafted into the Army; during that time he made some important connections. Drummer Billie Cobham, who was in the Army band with Grover, introduced him to several prominent New York musicians, and he soon began freelancing in New York and Philadelphia.

After playing in organist Charles Earland's band, and recording as a sideman for the CTI and Prestige labels, Grover recorded Breakout with Johnny Hammond. The album was a bestseller, and it established Grover as a major new voice on saxophone.

So impressed was Creed Taylor, Hammond's producer and head of CTI, that he signed Grover to a contract as a leader. His debut as a leader, Inner City Blues, was released in 1971. This album was a big crossover hit, and began his successful run up the charts.

Grover's soulful, sophisticated sound developed through the 1970s and the success of his next three albums—All the King's Horses, Soul Box and especially Mister Magic,—landed him as a headliner in the concert halls, and opened the door to session work with the likes of Bob James, Randy Weston, Eric Gale, and Dave Grusin.

With the release of Winelight in 1980, Grover earned recognition as a leading instrumental master. The LP earned two Grammy Awards, for "Best Jazz Fusion Recording" and "Best R&B Song" for "Just the Two of Us" Perhaps the greatest recognition came through record distributors. Winelight was certified gold in 1981; to date, it has sold over two million copies.

Grover's subsequent albums extended his reputation even further. Come Morning (1981) featured Ralph MacDonald, Steve Gadd, Eric Gale, Richard Tee, Marcus Miller, and vocals by Grady Tate; it earned Grover his fourth Gold recording. The Best is Yet to Come (1982) earned a Grammy nomination for vocalist Patti Labelle on the title track. Inside Moves (1984) featured vocals from Jon Lucien. For Strawberry Moon (1987), Grover was joined by legendary blues guitarists B.B. King, as well as by jazz/R&bB vocalist Jean Carne. For Then and Now (1988), Grover explored the many facets of his musical expression, aided by jazz starts Tommy Flanagan, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Marvin "Smitty" Smith. On Time Out of Mind (1990), Grover scored another hit with vocalist Phyllis Hyman with 'Sacred kind of Love.' And on Next Exit (1992), Grover explored several musical avenues, reinventing a classic Paul Desmond tune, "Take Five," as his own "Take Another Five," teaming up with The Four Tops and Lalah Hathaway, even dipping into rap.

Grover Washington Jr.: Sacred Kind of Love: The Columbia Recordings

Read "Sacred Kind of Love: The Columbia Recordings" reviewed by Jakob Baekgaard

by Jakob Baekgaard
July 19, 2019

When saxophonist and composer Grover Washington Jr. (1943-1999) arrived at Columbia in 1986, he was already a fully formed artist. He had released a string of strong albums and had even landed a regular smash-hit with “Just the Two Us," his collaboration with singer Bill Withers. In other words, Washington had nothing to prove and could just concentrate on playing great music. And so he did. The proof is in a five-disc set from SoulMusic Records, Sacred Kind of Love: ...

Extended Analysis

Grover Washington, Jr.: Winelight (Hybrid SACD 5.1 Multichannel)

by Jeff Winbush
April 23, 2015

When Grover Washington, Jr. passed away in 1999 the jazz world lost one of its most successful and talented creators, and in his wake a slew of saxophonists have stepped up to fill the void. None have. jny: Philadelphia jazz deejay Bob Perkins said, of Washington, a native of the City of Brotherly Love, “He was the originator of smooth jazz, and all the rest--Najee, Kenny G--followed him." It is absolutely true that Washington was, along with George ...

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Album Review

Grover Washington, Jr.: Mister Magic

Read "Mister Magic" reviewed by Trevor MacLaren

by Trevor MacLaren
July 13, 2004

For anyone who enjoys taking bites from the now forbidden fruits of jazz, smooth jazz has probably crossed your palate once or twice. Just as rock music fans treat adult contemporary with certain disdain, so do jazz fans in regards to smooth. It is certainly easy to see why. The arrangements are flooded with lush pop undertones and probably even worse; the music lacks jazz's guttural attack. Smooth jazz self-destructed in a storm of cheesy synth and repetitive drum machine ...

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Jazz From The Vinyl Junkyard

Grover Washington, Jr.: Soul Box

by C. Andrew Hovan
June 1, 2004

Jazz history is filled with the kind of stories that find yeoman musicians cutting their teeth under the tutelage of their elders. During the heydays of the '50s and '60s, the bandstand would also serve as a sort of “baptism under fire" for those eager to challenge the status quo and make their own stand for individuality. Along these lines, jny: Philadelphia saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. perked the ears of producer Creed Taylor during the production of Johnny Hammond Smith's ...

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Album Review

Johnny Hammond: Breakout

Read "Breakout" reviewed by Jim Santella

by Jim Santella
April 12, 2002

The CTI jazz catalog holds many surprises. This one features a strong 8-piece band led by organist Johnny Hammond (1933-1997), who was known earlier as Johnny “Hammond" Smith. Recorded in 1971, the album emphasized swinging mood music with a flair for popular sounds. It marked a turning point in the career of Grover Washington, Jr. He, Hank Crawford and Eric Gale are all over the place, alongside Hammond's B-3. It’s a party. A previously unissued track, recorded shortly after the ...

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Album Review

Johnny Hammond: Breakout

Read "Breakout" reviewed by David Rickert

by David Rickert
April 12, 2002

A prime example of the CTI label’s indulgence in the commercial possibilities of jazz, Breakout gave Johnny Hammond the opportunity to escape from the long shadow cast by Jimmy Smith. Sticking with the Hammond B-3, by this time a bit old-fashioned as many had become enchanted with the Fender Rhodes, Hammond and his band contribute an album’s worth of soul jazz workouts. By this time, rock tunes had become the new would-be standards and Hammond proves that such unlikely candidates ...

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Album Review

Grover Washington, Jr.: Next Exit

by AAJ Staff
August 1, 1997

Any Grover excursion is worth listening to and Next Exit is one of Grover's finer outings. From the Dave Brubeck “Take Five" opener featuring the golden background vocals of Fourever, he takes us on a mid tempo groove which has been covered by others but somehow this interpretation leaves you in no doubt that it's GWJ. “Your love" featuring Nancy Wilson is already a classic radio cut. It is a modern day classic and could compare to Carmen ...

Recording

Jazz Legend Grover Washington, Jr. Commemorative Vinyl To Be Released

Source: Glass Onyon PR - William James
October 10, 2020

Lightyear Entertainment announces that it will release a commemorative double vinyl of beloved artist Grover Washington, Jr. on Black Friday for Record Store Day. This release marks 20 years since the passing of the immensely popular artist who was largely responsible for creating a bridge between jazz and R&B. Grover was well loved by his fans but also by the many musicians who worked with him over the years. He was a contemporary jazz artist whose music topped the “Smooth ...
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Video / DVD

Grover Washington Jr.: 5 Videos

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
July 22, 2020

On the evening of Friday, December 17, 1999, saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. was on the set of the CBS's Early Show. He played four songs with his band, and the performance was taped for airing the following morning, on the show's Saturday edition. In the green room, Washington collapsed and was rushed to the hospital, where he died of a heart attack at age 56. Washington recorded nearly 30 albums and is widely considered to be the father of smooth ...
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Recording

Bob Freedman on Grover Washington, Jr.: Aria

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
August 3, 2016

Last week I caught up with saxophonist and pianist Bob Freedman, who arranged for Maynard Ferguson (And We Listened from Ferguson's Message From Newport) and plenty of other bands, including Toshiko Akiyoshi's sextet on United Notions (1958), which I posted about last Wednesday. Bob told me a wonderful story about arranging for Grover Washington Jr.'s Aria album. Aria was recorded in May 1999 and was Washington's last album before his death of a heart attack at age 56 in December ...
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Recording

Audio Fidelity To Release Grover Washington, Jr.'s Double-Grammy Award Winning Album "Winelight" On 5.1 Hybrid SACD

Source: Glass Onyon PR - William James
January 31, 2015

Camarillo, CA: Jazz aficionados and high end audio enthusiasts alike are excited about the forthcoming release of jazz legend Grover Washington, Jr.'s Winelight album on 5.1 Hybrid SACD from Audio Fidelity in association with ETrain Records. With Winelight, Grover Washington, Jr. produced a magical collection of jazz and soul with a touch of pop. He set the standard for the smooth jazz genre—the band is tight, the solos terrific and the arrangements understated and tasteful. The 1980 double-Grammy award winning ...
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Interview

Grover Washington, Jr.

Source: Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
December 13, 2013

Grover Washington, Jr., was born on this day in 1943 and died on December 17, 1999. He was a tenor, alto and soprano saxophonist who had huge success as a popular artist, in great part because his 1974 album Mister Magic was high on the pop, soul and R&B charts for weeks. He followed with additional best-selling albums and singles. Predictably, his ability as a hit-maker had critics reaching for their sharp knives, but far from being a sellout, Washington ...
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Recording

Grover Washington Jr. - Grover Live (2010)

Source: Something Else!
June 8, 2011

By Mark Saleski I'm not one to quote Wikipedia, but this time around it makes perfect sense: “Smooth jazz is a sub-genre of jazz which is heavily influenced by R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles (separately, or, in any combination)." This is an interesting definition because it highlights the point of contention: Is smooth jazz actually jazz? For the most part, the question has never really bothered me all that much. Oh sure, I used to be in the ...
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Contest

Announcing the Winners of the "Grover Washington, Jr. - Grover Live" Giveaway

Source: All About Jazz
July 19, 2010

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Contest

Enter the "Grover Washington, Jr. - Grover Live" Giveaway Contest

Source: All About Jazz
June 17, 2010

All About Jazz members are invited to enter the G Man Productions “Grover Washington, Jr.--Grover Live“ giveaway contest starting today. We'll select FIVE winners at the conclusion of the contest on July 18th. Click here to enter the contest

(Following Grover Washington, Jr. at AAJ automatically enters you in the contest.)

Good luck!

About Grover Live

The godfather of today's urban contemporary jazz scene, Grover Washington, Jr., was one of the most popular and influential saxophonists of the ...
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Recording

Grover Washington Jr.'s "Grover Live" Coming On May 18, 2010

Source: Michael Ricci
May 9, 2010

Grover Live, a New CD Documenting the Late, Great Saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. in a 1997 Concert With His Touring Band To Be Released on G Man Productions in May 18, 2010 The godfather of today's urban contemporary jazz scene, Grover Washington Jr., was one of the most popular and influential saxophonists of the '70s and '80s. And while he may have paved the way for such easy-listening artists as Kenny G, Najee, George Howard and Gerald Albright, none of ...
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Recording

Grover Washington Jr. Fans Coming May 18th, a New Grover Live CD

Source: CHC Network
April 19, 2010

Grover Washington Jr. Fans Coming May 18, 2010 Grover Live! A new CD documenting the late great Saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. In a 1997 concert with his touring band.

Grover Live

The godfather of today's urban contemporary jazz scene, Grover Washington Jr., was one of the most popular and influential saxophonists of the 70s and 80s.

And as the newly discovered Grover Live demonstrates, the man was clearly on top of his ...
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