Grover Washington, Jr.
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Buffalo, United States
Grover Washington, Jr. (December 12, 1943 - December 17, 1999) has been considered by many to be the founding father of smooth jazz and a master of the jazz-funk genre.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Washington made some of the genre’s most memorable hits, includingMister Magic,Black Frost, and The Best Is Yet To Come. In addition, he performed very frequently with other artists, including Bill Withers on Just The Two Of Us(still in regular rotation on radio today) and Phyllis Hyman on A Sacred Kind of Love.
He is also remembered for his take on a Dave Brubeck classic, calledTake Another Five, and for his hit Soulful Strut.
Washington was born in Buffalo, New York, 12 December 1943. Regarded as one of the revolutionaries in jazz music and is considered one of the greatest saxophone players in modern jazz history. He led many others to follow in his footsteps.
Washington’s history was music-filled. His mother was a church chorister, and his father was a collector of old jazz 78s and a saxophonist as well, so music was everywhere in the home. He grew up with the great jazz men and big band leaders like Benny Goodman, Fletcher Henderson, and others like them. At the age of 8, with the desire for him to be more than he could be, Grover Sr. gave Jr. a saxophone. He practiced and sneaked into clubs to see famous Buffalo blues musicians.
He left Buffalo and played with a mid-west group called the Four Clefs.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Washington made some of the genre’s most memorable hits, including
Mister Magic,Black Frost, and The Best Is Yet To Come. In addition, he performed very frequently with other artists, including Bill Withers on Just The Two Of Us(still in regular rotation on radio today) and Phyllis Hyman on A Sacred Kind of Love.
He is also remembered for his take on a Dave Brubeck classic, called
Take Another Five, and for his hit Soulful Strut.Washington was born in Buffalo, New York, 12 December 1943. Regarded as one of the revolutionaries in jazz music and is considered one of the greatest saxophone players in modern jazz history. He led many others to follow in his footsteps.
Washington’s history was music-filled. His mother was a church chorister, and his father was a collector of old jazz 78s and a saxophonist as well, so music was everywhere in the home. He grew up with the great jazz men and big band leaders like Benny Goodman, Fletcher Henderson, and others like them. At the age of 8, with the desire for him to be more than he could be, Grover Sr. gave Jr. a saxophone. He practiced and sneaked into clubs to see famous Buffalo blues musicians.
He left Buffalo and played with a mid-west group called the Four Clefs.
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Top Albums
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Winelight
Grover Washington, Jr.
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Mister Magic
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Inner City Blues
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Anthology
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Shoutbox
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SoulJazzsterInc wrote:
He gave smooth jazz a good name, and others since then have sullied it. Thank you, Kenny G.[3]
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SoulJazzsterInc wrote:
Winelight and Come Morning are pure genius
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Neue_regel_ wrote:
Just The Two Of Us. Yeah baby <3
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enrique-ramirez wrote:
It Feels So Good! ♪ ♫
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felixlangford1 wrote:
Gone,But, Never forgotten!!!
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iamsysiphus wrote:
Overjoyed.
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rosmaritbrum wrote:
Bacana....
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wwaynesworld wrote:
Hats off Grover ~ to a great Philly native!!
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Chocoocat wrote:
This guy is aaaaaaah!!
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jazzsax357 wrote:
If you love the sound of soul or jazz, ANYTHING Grover Washington made is a MUST HAVE.
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analogjukebox wrote:
Considering the body of his work which is spread out over three record labels, in a sense I'll call him at the start of his career a CTI recording artist, even though at the time he was signed to Motown. Mr. Washington's style will always be one of a kind.
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Abraxas87 wrote:
fonk
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tobymutz101 wrote:
The man who put the jazz into funk for me many moons ago. Still sounding fresh as ever.
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malik48 wrote:
This is an awesome cut
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nyork_binox wrote:
He gave smooth jazz a good name, and others since then have sullied it. Thank you, Kenny G.[2] That's true
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asifricci wrote:
seriously under-rated.
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roxymodest wrote:
his album "aria" is FANTASTIC, i can't stop listening to grover washington's flawless tone
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mart-the-mod wrote:
Knucklehead rules
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blasmusikfreund wrote:
Guess which album is my favorite one? ;-)
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Freedomdiver wrote:
More than 8 minutes perfect funk jazz
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Grover Washington Jr. - "…
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GROVER WASHINGTON,JR LET IT…
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Grover Washington Jr. - Make Me…
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Jr. - Winelight
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Recent Activity
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charlespoisall, Smooth_G and cigarettesex added Grover Washington, Jr. to their libraries. 9 hours ago
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esbartolo wrote about Grover Washington, Jr. in ESB Jazz Radio - New and upcoming releases - January 2012. Sunday evening
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angelidimarmo, irauk and marcio_riveiro added Grover Washington, Jr. to their libraries. Sunday morning
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furocious tagged Grover Washington, Jr. with jazz and saxophone. last week
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furocious, twalker1157, DavidsDope and 13 other people added Grover Washington, Jr. to their libraries. last week
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Jazzy0213 tagged Grover Washington, Jr. with ‘jazzyjazzedup’. last month
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mrswbh2 and Tenoxsax added Grover Washington, Jr. to their libraries. last month
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mrswbh2 tagged Grover Washington, Jr. with ‘smooth jazz’. last month
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esbartolo wrote about Grover Washington, Jr. in ESB Jazz Radio - New and upcoming releases - December 2011. last month
Related Journals
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ESB Jazz Radio - New and upcoming releases - January 2012
by esbartolo |
5 Feb 2012
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ESB Jazz Radio - New and upcoming releases - December 2011
by esbartolo |
3 Jan 2012
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ESB Jazz Radio - New and upcoming releases - November 2011
by esbartolo |
3 Dec 2011
Groups (19)
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Phyllisians
62 members
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Hip Hop Sample Junkies
2,251 members
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Jazzanova
1,135 members
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Saxophone Jazz
681 members
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Grand Theft Auto IV
340 members
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