Grover Washington, Jr.

Grover Washington, Jr. in 1995

Grover Washington, Jr. (born December 12, 1943 in Buffalo , New York , † December 17, 1999 in New York City ) was an American saxophonist and flautist who co-founded and was one of the most important stylists of smooth jazz -Genres applies.

biography

Washington came from a musical family, had lessons from Elvin Shepherd and gained his first professional experience in the environment of the studio musicians who only became famous much later and formed the rhythm section of the Motown Records record label under the name The Funk Brothers . With a group called The Four Clefs he toured extensively on the so-called Chitlin 'Circuit through the Midwest of the USA and at times tried his hand at the big jazz scenes of the metropolises on the east coast, mainly Philadelphia and New York.

His first successful record recording came almost by accident in 1970 when Hank Crawford was unable to keep a session date for Prestige Records and Washington was hired as a substitute. The long-playing record Inner City Blues made on this occasion (the title track was a chart success in the original version by Marvin Gaye ) almost followed the recipe for success that Washington would essentially continue to pursue for the rest of his career: an audience-effective mixture of current pop music with influences from R&B , Funk and fusion jazz , enriched with Latin sounds, played by the best available studio jazz musicians.

In the USA Washington was able to launch hit parade successes again and again, which was extraordinary in the 1970s and 80s for a musician at least close to jazz (some of the most outstanding were Mister Magic and Just The Two Of Us , the latter title with soul singer Bill Withers ).

Just days after his 56th birthday, Grover Washington, Jr. suffered a serious heart attack while filming a TV show , which he died a short time later in hospital.

Discography

Albums

Studio albums

year	Title music label	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, music label , placements, weeks, awards, notes)			Remarks
year	Title music label	UK	US	R&B	Remarks
1971	Inner City Blues Kudu 03	-	US62 (25 weeks) US	R&B8 (35 weeks) R&B	First release: September 1971 Instrumental album Producer: Creed Taylor
1972	All The King's Horses Kudu 07	-	US111 (17 weeks) US	R&B20 (11 weeks) R&B	First release: August 1972 Instrumental album Producer: Creed Taylor
1973	Soul Box Kudu 1213 (2)	-	US100 (14 weeks) US	R&B26 (18 weeks) R&B	First release: March 1973 Instrumental album Producer: Creed Taylor
1975	Mister Magic Kudu 20th	-	US10 (34 weeks) US	R&B1 (34 weeks) R&B	First release: November 1974 Instrumental album Producer: Creed Taylor
1975	Feels So Good Kudu 24	-	US10 (30 weeks) US	R&B1 (30 weeks) R&B	First release: November 1975 Instrumental album Producer: Creed Taylor
1977	A Secret Place Kudu 32	-	US31 (16 weeks) US	R&B7 (16 weeks) R&B	First release: October 1976 Instrumental album Producer: Creed Taylor
1978	Reed Seed Motown 910	-	US35 (23 weeks) US	R&B7 (23 weeks) R&B	Initial release: October 1978 Instrumental album Producer: Grover Washington, Jr.
1979	Paradise Elektra 182	-	US24 (19 weeks) US	R&B15 (21 weeks) R&B	Initial release: April 1979 Instrumental album Producer: Grover Washington, Jr.
1980	Skylarkin ' Motown 933	-	US24 (22 weeks) US	R&B8 (25 weeks) R&B	Initial release: February 1980 Instrumental album Producer: Grover Washington, Jr.
1980	Winelight Elektra 305	UK34 silver (9 weeks)UK	US5 × 2 Double platinum (52 weeks)US	R&B2 (49 weeks) R&B	First release: November 1980 Instrumental album, AT:gold Grammy (Best Jazz Fusion Performance) Producers: Ralph MacDonald , Grover Washington, Jr.
1981	Come Morning Elektra 562	UK98 (1 week) UK	US28 (27 weeks) US	-	First published: November 1981 Producers: Ralph MacDonald, Grover Washington, Jr.
1982	The Best Is Yet to Come Elektra 60215	-	US50 (25 weeks) US	R&B8 (33 weeks) R&B	First published: November 1982 Producers: Ralph MacDonald, Dexter Wansel, Nathan Sassover, Grover Washington, Jr.
1984	Inside Moves Elektra 60318	-	US79 (23 weeks) US	R&B21 (26 weeks) R&B	First published: October 1984 Producers: Ralph MacDonald, Grover Washington, Jr.
1986	A House Full of Love: Music from the Bill Cosby Show Columbia 40270	-	US125 (7 weeks) US	-	First published: February 1986 Stu Gardner presents A House Full of Love feat. Grover Washington, Jr Soundtrack to sitcom The Bill Cosby Show Producers: Stu Gardner, Grover Washington, Jr.
1987	Strawberry Moon Columbia 40510	-	US66 (16 weeks) US	R&B29 (20 weeks) R&B	First published: August 1987 Producer: Grover Washington, Jr.
1990	Time Out of Mind Columbia 45253	-	-	R&B60 (13 weeks) R&B	Initial release: February 1990 Instrumental album Producer: Grover Washington, Jr.
1992	Next Exit Columbia 48530	-	US149 (11 weeks) US	R&B26 (21 weeks) R&B	First published: May 1992 Executive Producer: George Butler
1996	Soulful Strut Columbia 57505	-	US187 (2 weeks) US	R&B45 (15 weeks) R&B	First release: September 1996 Instrumental album Producer: Dan Shea

More studio albums

1977: Señor Blues ( Urbie Green with Grover Washington, Jr. and David Matthews' Big Band; CTI 7079)
1983: Side Star (remix album; Kudu SS1)
1984: Togethering (with Kenny Burrell ; Blue Note 85106)
1988: Then and Now (Columbia 44256)
1994: All My Tomorrows (Columbia 64319)
1995: Dragonfly ( Gerry Mulligan Quartet with Special Guests Dave Grusin , Dave Samuels , John Scofield , Warren Vaché and Grover Washington, Jr .; Telarc Jazz 83377)
1996: Evolution (Thus Spoke Z feat.Groover Washington, Jr .; CTI MA 70 01 001)
1997: Breath of Heaven: A Holiday Collection (Columbia 68527)
1997: The Hollywood Sound ( John Williams , London Symphony Orchestra and Grover Washington, Jr .; Sony Classical 62788)
2000: Aria (Sony Classical 61864)

Live albums

year	Title music label	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, music label , placements, weeks, awards, notes)			Remarks
year	Title music label	UK	US	R&B	Remarks
1978	Live at the Bijou Kudu 3637 (2)	-	US11 (32 weeks) US	R&B4 (24 weeks) R&B	First published: December 1977 Recording: Bijou Cafe Philadelphia, May 1977 Instrumental album producer: Creed Taylor
2010	Grover Live G-Man	-	-	R&B95 (1 week) R&B	First published: May 2010

Compilations

year	Title music label	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, music label , placements, weeks, awards, notes)			Remarks
year	Title music label	UK	US	R&B	Remarks
1980	Baddest Motown 940 (2)	-	US96 (10 weeks) US	R&B40 (11 weeks) R&B	First release: August 1980 instrumental album
1981	Anthology Motown 961 (2)	-	US149 (7 weeks) US	R&B44 (8 weeks) R&B	First release: October 1981 Instrumental album
2000	Prime Cuts: The Columbia Years 1987-1999 Columbia 69722	-	-	R&B97 (1 week) R&B	First published: December 1999

More compilations

1975: The Best Of (Kudu 0063.033)
1983: Greatest Performances (Motown 5307)
1985: At His Best (Motown 72366)
1985: Anthology of Grover Washington Jr. (Elektra 9 60415-2)
1996: The Best of Grover Washington Jr. (Motown 530 620-2)
1999: Ultimate Collection (Hip-O Records 012 153 888 2)
2000: The Best of Grover Washington Jr .: 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection (Motown 012 157 617-2)
2001: Love Songs ( Rhino 76693)
2001: Discovery: The First Recordings ( Prestige 11020-2)
2002: The Essential Collection ( Spectrum Music 018 778-2)

Singles

year	Title album	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes)			Remarks
year	Title album	UK	US	R&B	Remarks
1972	Inner City Blues Inner City Blues	-	-	R&B42 (3 weeks) R&B	First published: February 1972 Instrumental author and original: Marvin Gaye , 1971
1972	No Tears, in the End All The King's Horses	-	-	R&B49 (3 weeks) R&B	First published: August 1972 Instrumental; Bass: Gordon Edwards Authors: Ralph MacDonald , William Salter
1975	Mister Magic Mister Magic	-	US54 (10 weeks) US	R&B16 (17 weeks) R&B	First published: March 1975 Instrumental authors: Ralph MacDonald, William Salter
1978	Summer Song Live at the Bijou	-	-	R&B57 (6 weeks) R&B	First published: April 1978 Author: John Blake
1978	Do Dat Reed Seed	-	-	R&B75 (7 weeks) R&B	First published: November 1978 Instrumental Authors: John Blake, Leonard "Doc" Gibbs, Jr.
1979	Tell Me About It Now Paradise	-	-	R&B57 (7 weeks) R&B	First published: June 1979 Instrumental Writer: Grover Washington, Jr.
1980	Snake eyes skylarkin '	-	-	R&B88 (4 weeks) R&B	First published: April 1980 Instrumental; Clavinet : Paul Griffin Author: Grover Washington, Jr.
1980	Let It Flow (For Dr. J) Winelight	-	-	R&B62 (10 weeks) R&B	First published: November 1980 Instrumental; Fender Rhodes : Paul Griffin Author: Grover Washington, Jr.
1981	Just the Two of Us Winelight	UK34 (7 weeks) UK	US2 (24 weeks) US	R&B3 (21 weeks) R&B	First published: January 1981 Singing: Bill Withers Fender Rhodes : Richard Tee Oberheim - Synthesizer : Bill Eaton Grammy (R&B Song) Authors: Bill Withers, Ralph MacDonald, William Salter
1981	Be Mine (Tonight) Come Morning	-	US92 (4 weeks) US	R&B13 (16 weeks) R&B	First published: November 1981 Singing: Grady Tate Authors: Ralph MacDonald, William Eaton, William Salter
1982	Jamming Come Morning	-	-	R&B65 (6 weeks) R&B	First published: March 1982 Instrumental writer: Bob Marley Original: Bob Marley and the Wailers , 1977
1982	The Best Is Yet to Come The Best Is Yet to Come	-	-	R&B14 (19 weeks) R&B	First published: November 1982 Singing: Patti LaBelle Authors: Cynthia Biggs, Dexter Wansel
1984	Inside Moves Inside Moves	-	-	R&B79 (4 weeks) R&B	First published: July 1984 Instrumental authors: Ralph MacDonald, Steve Gadd, William Salter
1987	Summer Nights Strawberry Moon	-	-	R&B35 (10 weeks) R&B	First published: July 1987 Instrumental; Timbales : Darryl Washington Author: Marcus Miller
1990	Sacred Kind of Love Time Out of Mind	-	-	R&B21 (13 weeks) R&B	First published: February 1990 Singing: Phyllis Hyman Authors: Sami McKinney, Cole Porter , Karin Rybar
1990	The Groove (Jazzy's Groove)	-	-	R&B70 (7 weeks) R&B	First release: February 1990 DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince feat. Grover Washington, Jr.
1992	Love Like This Next Exit	-	-	R&B31 (12 weeks) R&B	First published: April 1992 Singing: Lalah Hathaway Authors: Arnie Roman, Terry Cox

More singles

1972: Mercy Mercy Me
1972: Where Is the Love
1973: Masterpiece
1976: Knucklehead
1977: A Secret Place
1979: Just the Way You Are (released July)
1981: Winelight (release: May)
1982: Brazilian Memories
1984: When I Look at You (release: October)
1987: The Look of Love
1989: Jamaica
1995: Tonight Is the Night (with Larry Coryell and Peabo Bryson )
1996: Can You Stop the Rain
2003: Peacemaster

literature

Stambler, Irwin: The Encyclopedia of Pop, Rock and Soul . 3rd Revised Edition, New York City, New York: St. Martin's Press, 1989, pp. 729-731 - ISBN 0-312-02573-4 .

swell

↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d Chart sources: UK US
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d gold / platinum databases: UK US AT
^ Joel Whitburn : Top R&B Albums 1965–1998, ISBN 0-89820-134-9 .
^ Joel Whitburn : Hot R&B Songs 1942–2010: 6th Edition, ISBN 978-0-89820-186-4 .
^ Joel Whitburn : Hot Dance / Disco 1974-2003, ISBN 978-0-89820-156-7 .

Web links

Grover Washington, Jr. at Allmusic (English)
Grover Washington, Jr. at Discogs (English)

personal data
SURNAME	Washington, Grover Jr.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American jazz saxophonist
DATE OF BIRTH	December 12, 1943
PLACE OF BIRTH	Buffalo , New York
DATE OF DEATH	December 17, 1999
Place of death	New York City

[charts-1] Chart sources: UK US

[gold-2] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d gold / platinum databases: UK US AT

[3] Joel Whitburn : Top R&B Albums 1965–1998, ISBN 0-89820-134-9 .

[4] Joel Whitburn : Hot R&B Songs 1942–2010: 6th Edition, ISBN 978-0-89820-186-4 .

[5] Joel Whitburn : Hot Dance / Disco 1974-2003, ISBN 978-0-89820-156-7 .