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Jazz Articles about Grover Washington, Jr.
Johnny "Hammond" Smith: Wild Horses Rock Steady
by Arnaldo DeSouteiro
Born John Robert Smith on December 16, 1933 (in Louisville, KY), formerly known as Johnny Hammond Smith, and later as Johnnny Hammond, one of the all-time best jazz organists passed away on June 4, 1997, in Chicago, Illinois. For some of his early fans, some of the best albums he recorded were done for Prestige in the Sixties. A younger generation, who grew up listening to the hip-hop influenced jazz sounds of the 1990s, prefers Johnny's over-produced sessions for Milestone ...
Continue ReadingGrover Washington Jr., Nubya Garcia, Seun Kuti And Egypt 80, And More
by Tony Poole
Tony Poole selects his favourite tracks from this past week's new releases and pre-releases. The featured YouTube video (scroll down) is about Jason Miles, the keyboardist, producer and guardian of the Grover Washington Jr. legacy. Check out the short documentary about Jason's book The Extraordinary Journey of Jason Miles... A Musical Biography 100% AI generated. Playlist Nubya Garcia “In Other Words, Living" from Odyssey (Concord Jazz) 00:00 Kyle Brooks “Chrysalis “ from Monarch (independent) 05:48 Seun Kuti And ...
Continue ReadingGrover Washington Jr.: Sacred Kind of Love: The Columbia Recordings
by Jakob Baekgaard
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: ...
Continue ReadingGrover Washington, Jr.: Winelight (Hybrid SACD 5.1 Multichannel)
by Jeff Winbush
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. 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 Benson, ...
Continue ReadingGrover Washington, Jr.: Mister Magic
by Trevor MacLaren
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 ...
Continue ReadingGrover Washington, Jr.: Soul Box
by C. Andrew Hovan
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, Philadelphia saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. perked the ears of producer Creed Taylor during the production of Johnny Hammond Smith's Breakout ...
Continue ReadingJohnny Hammond: Breakout
by Jim Santella
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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