Grover Washington Jr on Blue Note – but sounding really great here in the company of guitarist Kenny Burrell – very much back to the more basic reed work of his roots, and away from some of the smoother settings of his bigger dates from a few years before! Kenny's well-crafted guitar lines really direct the set – spinning out with energy and soul, and shaping the sound in tones that work especially well with Washington's soprano sax lines. The rest of the group features Ron Carter on bass, Jack DeJohnette on drums, and Ralph MacDonald on percussion – and titles include "Togethering", "Daydream", "Sails Of Your Soul", "Soulero", and "What Am I Here For". CD

An overlooked gem from reedman Grover Washington – recorded in his later years, but a set that's actually got more of an acoustic style overall – one that goes back to the roots farther than any of Grover's fusion records! Washington's a great straight player in this setting – filled with soul on tenor and soprano sax – and working with top-shelf small group players like Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Hank Jones on piano, Bobby Watson on alto, and Robin Eubanks on trombone. Guitarist Romero Lumbambo arranged one great Brazilian-tinged number – and other arrangements are by Grover, Larry Willis, Slide Hampton, and Freddy Cole – who sings on two tracks too. Titles include "E Preciso Perdoar", "Happenstance", "All My Tomorrows", "Nature Boy", "Flamingo", and "Estate". CD

A trio of 90s albums from Grover Washington! All My Tomorrows is an overlooked gem from reedman Grover – recorded in his later years, but a set that's actually got more of an acoustic style overall – one that goes back to the roots farther than any of Grover's fusion records! Washington's a great straight player in this setting – filled with soul on tenor and soprano sax – and working with top-shelf small group players like Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Hank Jones on piano, Bobby Watson on alto, and Robin Eubanks on trombone. Guitarist Romero Lumbambo arranged one great Brazilian-tinged number – and other arrangements are by Grover, Larry Willis, Slide Hampton, and Freddy Cole – who sings on two tracks too. Titles include "E Preciso Perdoar", "Happenstance", "All My Tomorrows", "Nature Boy", "Flamingo", and "Estate". Soulful Strut is bouncy soul from Grover Washington – a set that returns to his earlier roots in a space between soulful fusion and R&B! The slinky Washington soprano sax gets plenty of space in this set – blown with those seductive notes that always made Grover one of the most distinctive players on the instrument – and the backings often have this gentle R&B groove that's even stronger on the few cuts here with vocals. Titles include "Soulful Strut", "Bordertown", "Village Groove", "I Can Count The Times", "Headman's Hunt", and "Can You Stop The Rain". Breath Of Heaven is a holiday record from Grover Washington – but one that's got a fair bit more to offer than just the usual Christmas tunes! The set mixes older favorites and lesser-known numbers – all done in that soulful fusion style that Washington brought to his records from other seasons of the years – set up here with the leader on alto, tenor, and soprano sax – amidst arrangements from vibist Joe Lock, and keyboardist Donald Robinson, and guitarist Hiram Bullock – all of whom play on the record. Lisa Fischer sings on one number, but most of the record is instrumental – and titles include "Breath Of Heaven", "The Magi's Song/A Child Is Born", "I Wonder As I Wonder", "Christmas Time Is Here", "The Love In His Infant Eyes", and "Christmas Day Chant". CD

One of Grover Washington's first albums as a leader – cut hot on the heels of some great work as a sideman, including some key funky dates with Charles Earland on Prestige! The sound here is a bit looser than some of Groover's smoother sides to come – a nice blend of his earthy jazz funk roots with the warmer sounds of the CTI/Kudu world – arranged and produced beautifully by keyboardist Bob James, who also plays both electric piano and harpsichord on the album! The cuts are a bit shorter than later on, but still totally tremendous – a sly, subtle approach to jazz funk that really took the keyboard/tenor mode into bold new territory for the 70s – a real genre-starting record that still sounds sublime all these many years later. Grover plays tenor and alto – no soprano sax yet – and other players include Richard Tee on organ, Billy Cobham or Bernard Purdie on drums, and Eric Gale or Cornell Dupree on guitar. Titles include "All The King's Horses", "Body & Soul", "Lean On Me", "Lover Man", "Love Song 1700", and "No Tears In The End". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent 2LP set that compiles Grover's killer funky cuts for Kudu – packaged here in an expanded best-of set that Motown issued when they took over the Kudu distribution. We hardly need to tell you how great these cuts are – as the set includes classics like "Mister Magic", "Black Frost", "Do Dat", "Summer Song", "Feels So Good", and "Ain't No Sunshine" – all stone winners from Grover's best years! LP, Vinyl record album

Grover Washington blows over some great arrangements from William Eaton – full, but lean too – and with the same sort of slinky groove that always worked best for Grover back at Kudu Records! The sound is tight, but never too slick – that magically soulful approach that always made Grover a real standout from his contemporaries – one of the few cats who could smooth out jazz without ever losing its soul – thanks to lots of well-crafted lead lines on soprano sax! Titles include "East River Drive", "Jamming", "Little Black Samba", "Be Mine", and "Reaching Out". LP, Vinyl record album

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If there's anyone we trust with a fusion groove, it's the great Grover Washington – as Washington's 70s albums for Kudu are still the blueprint for mixing saxophone solos with electric jazzy backing – a rich legacy he continued strongly into later years! This early 80s set has Washington soaring to the skies on soprano sax – as expressive a voice on the record as any soul singer might be – and maybe even more so on the few spots that do include vocals. Jon Lucien sings a bit on the record – and if you read these pages, you know how much we love him – but Grover's still the giant here, with a sense of timing and phrasing that few of his contemporaries could ever hope to match in a setting like this. Titles include "Jet Stream", "Sassy Stew", "Dawn Song", "Inside Moves", "Watching You Watching Me", and "Secret Stew". LP, Vinyl record album

A totally great Grover Washington record – and with 25 years behind us, we really now realize how fantastic all the early Kudu sessions really were! The record was recorded live at the Bijou, and is spread out over 2 long LPs, with lots of room for tasty open-ended solos by Grover and the group. Includes the great version of "Lock It In The Pocket", plus "Funkfoot", "Sausalito", "Summer Song", and a long version of "Mr Magic". LP, Vinyl record album

Pure dark magic from Grover Washington – a record that was a megahit back in the 70s, but which still sounds amazing many decades later! There's a sound here that's completely sublime – and the album is to Grover's career what the first 2 CTI sets by Bob James were to his – a stretched-out, masterpiece of sublime jazzy energy – served up with a really spacious sound overall! Grover's sharp-edged sax is at the lead of the set – but the album's also awash in electric piano work from Bob James – and backings that are as lean, clean, and soulful as the best on CTI from the time. Titles include the killer "Black Frost" – a track that we never tire of – plus the hit "Mister Magic", and the cuts "Earth Tones" and "Passion Flower". LP, Vinyl record album

Pure dark magic from Grover Washington – a record that was a megahit back in the 70s, but which still sounds amazing many decades later! There's a sound here that's completely sublime – and the album is to Grover's career what the first 2 CTI sets by Bob James were to his – a stretched-out, masterpiece of sublime jazzy energy – served up with a really spacious sound overall! Grover's sharp-edged sax is at the lead of the set – but the album's also awash in electric piano work from Bob James – and backings that are as lean, clean, and soulful as the best on CTI from the time. Titles include the killer "Black Frost" – a track that we never tire of – plus the hit "Mister Magic", and the cuts "Earth Tones" and "Passion Flower". CD

Sweet Motown grooving from Grover Washington – a set that has him working with slightly larger backings than his Kudu years, but in a way that still lets his soulful horn stand strongly out front! As always, Washington is a killer talent on the soprano sax – able to inflect the instrument with these soulful twists and turns that he virtually invented at the time, and which so many others have tried to copy over the years. Yet the set also has Grover on a bit of tenor and baritone sax, too – plus some flute – all over arrangements mostly handled by the man himself, with a bit of help from William Eaton. Titles include "Snake Eyes", "Bright Moments", "Easy Loving You", "Love", and "I Can't Help It". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the richest albums from the Kudu years of Grover Washington – a double-length set that shows the full range of his soul and imagination! The album was done in collaboration with Bob James – who arranged and conducted all tracks, and also plays keyboards on the date – and the style is kind of an added extension of other Washington work on Kudu, with added string and chorus bits to round out the sound! Things are still wonderfully soulful – thanks to James' sense of space and timing on the charts – and if anything, the added voices and orchestrations bring an almost soundtrack-like quality to the record – but one that still leaves plenty of room for Washington's solos on tenor, alto, and soprano sax! Most tracks are quite long – really stretching out with lots of room for fresh ideas – and titles include a 15 minute version of "Trouble Man", plus "Taurian Matador", "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life", "Masterpiece", "Aubrey", and "Don't Explain". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the richest albums from the Kudu years of Grover Washington – a double-length set that shows the full range of his soul and imagination! The album was done in collaboration with Bob James – who arranged and conducted all tracks, and also plays keyboards on the date – and the style is kind of an added extension of other Washington work on Kudu, with added string and chorus bits to round out the sound! Things are still wonderfully soulful – thanks to James' sense of space and timing on the charts – and if anything, the added voices and orchestrations bring an almost soundtrack-like quality to the record – but one that still leaves plenty of room for Washington's solos on tenor, alto, and soprano sax! Most tracks are quite long – really stretching out with lots of room for fresh ideas – and titles include "Taurian Matador", "Don't Explain", "Easy Living/Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do", and "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life". LP, Vinyl record album

Strawberry Moon has a number of laidback groovers, with some solid Washington originals such as the title track and some sweet covers. BB King plays and sings on "Caught A Touch Of Your Love", with Jean Carne guesting on "The Look Of Love". Grover's sax is soulful and sweet throughout, and the titles include "Strawberry Moon", "Summer Nights", "Keep In Touch", and "Maddie's Blues". CD

A smooth smooth classic from Grover! Titles include "Winelight", "Let It Flow", "In The Name Of Love", "Take Me There", "Just The Two Of Us", and "Make Me A Memory (Sad Samba)". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the songs "It Feels So Good", "Mister Magic", "Do Dat", "Sunner Song"., "A Secret Place", "Ain't No Sunshine", and "Masterpiece". CD

An incredible batch of electric funk from Grover Washington Jr – easily one of his best albums ever! The record really picks up from the sweet CTI sound of the 70s – taking Bob James arrangements with a lot of space and electric keyboards, and letting Groover blow some wonderfully soulful lines over the top on soprano sax! The album's got some really wonderful funk tracks that feature a mad mix of drums, bass, and lots of that Bob James "space" – including the massive cuts "Hydra" and "Knucklehead" – both of them magic! Other tracks include "Moonstreams", "It Feels So Good", and "The Sea Lion". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the richest albums from the Kudu years of Grover Washington – a double-length set that shows the full range of his soul and imagination! The album was done in collaboration with Bob James – who arranged and conducted all tracks, and also plays keyboards on the date – and the style is kind of an added extension of other Washington work on Kudu, with added string and chorus bits to round out the sound! Things are still wonderfully soulful – thanks to James' sense of space and timing on the charts – and if anything, the added voices and orchestrations bring an almost soundtrack-like quality to the record – but one that still leaves plenty of room for Washington's solos on tenor, alto, and soprano sax! Most tracks are quite long – really stretching out with lots of room for fresh ideas – and titles include a 15 minute version of "Trouble Man", plus "Taurian Matador", "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life", "Masterpiece", "Aubrey", and "Don't Explain". Both volumes together – for the price of a single CD! CD

Prepare yourself for some massive guitar-heavy funk – with 2 classic Prestige albums from the legendary Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones! First up is No Way – a record that features him working with a young Grover Washington Jr on tenor, whose got a sound here that's way harder than on some of his later albums – and right up there with the best of the Prestige jazz funk greats. Sonny Phillips plays organ and electric piano, and the dark horse Butch Cornell gets in some organ licks on 2 tracks. Bernard Purdie holds down the fort nicely on drums, and the album's got a nice Fender bass to groove things strong in the rhythm department. Tracks include "No Way", "Holdin Back", "If You Were Mine", "Sunshine Alley", and "I'll Be There". What It Is is more killer funkiness from Boogaloo Joe Jones! Grover Washington Jr makes an incredible appearance here – sounding much harder and heavier than on some of his Kudu recordings – more of a gritty soul jazz player, working beautifully alongside the sharp guitar of Boogaloo Joe Jones, and the sweet organ of Sonny Phillips! The groove is lean, clean, and a bit laidback – not as frenetic as some of Jones' other jams, but in a great way that shows a new sense of space and timing in his groove! Other players include Bernard Purdie on drums and Jimmy Lewis on Fender bass – and titles include "Inside Job", "Fadin", "What It Is", and a nice cover of "Ain't No Sunshine". Amazing guitar work throughout – and a very tight batch of funky jazz! CD

A crucial album from percussionist Ralph MacDonald – a set that not only catapulted him into the limelight, after strong work on countless records for other artists – but a record that also gave Ralph some long-standing fame, thanks to some key groovers on the set! The album's got a percussion-heavy take on funky fusion – never too over the top, but with more of an edge than some of the more polished 70s sessions on CTI or Columbia – although done with similar players who include Bob James on keyboards, Grover Washington Jr on soprano and tenor, Eric Gale on guitar, and Richard Tee on percussion. Ralph's congas are very strongly up in the mix – and heard to famous effect on the classic "Jam On The Groove", a killer break cut from the old days, as well as a nice version of "Mister Magic", plus the tracks "Calypso Breakdown", "Sound Of A Drum", and "Where Is The Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Contains a very groovy vocal version of "Birdland" – played by Weather Report, and sung by Manhattan Transfer! Also fetaures performances by Dexter Gordon, Grover Washington Jr, Pieces Of A Dream, the Art Farmer/Bennie Golson/Nancy Wilson trio, and a cool Great Quartet with Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, McCoy Tyner on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

Featuring Phoebe Snow, David Sanborn, Lee Ritenour, Grover Washington Jr, Marcus Miller, Ernie Watts, Eric Gale, and Steve Gadd. CD

Great work by The Heath Brothers – a lot slicker and smoother than their earlier album for Strata East, but still filled with a soulful jazzy approach that befits their rich talents! By the point of this set, Jimmy Heath, once a rougher talent on the tenor, had emerged as one of the smooth soul maestros on the instrument – ranking next to Grover Washington Jr and Stanley Turrentine for a mellifluous sound and well-timed approach to the solo. Heath's written some great tracks here that are underpinned nicely by brother Percy's strong work on bass – still acoustic amidst some added electric instrumentation on some of the tracks. Titles include "Passion Flower", "Move to The Groove", "Feelin Dealin", "Project S", "The Voice Of The American Saxophone (from Afro American Suite of Evolution)", and "A Time & A Place (There's)". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime Hammond from the amazing Leon Spencer – heard here at the height of his younger years, when he was cooking up as much magic in the studio as Johnny Hammond or Charles Earland – and really stretching things out, in ways that take the jazz organ format much farther than the giants of a decade before! The date's an all-out great one in the Prestige funky jazz mode – with Spencer on organ, Melvin Sparks on guitar, Grover Washington Jr on tenor, and Idris Muhammad on drums – a bit more subtle than before, but still plenty darn funky! Tracks are nice and long – and the record includes the originals "Louisiana Slim", "Our Love Will Never Die", "The Trouble With Love", and a cover of "Mercy Mercy Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Forget the preview, because Leon Spencer is already the main attraction on this key early album for Prestige! The date may well be one of the organist's greatest – and is a lean, mean session cut with that stretched out funky style that Prestige was really laying down at the time – open-ended tunes that take off from the Lou Donaldson late 60s style at Blue Note, with plenty of room for all players to do their thing! Idris Muhammad plays plenty of funky drums on the record, alongside trumpet from Virgil Jones, tenor from Grover Washington Jr, and guitar from Melvin Sparks – plus some kicking conga at the bottom from Buddy Caldwell. Spencer's sound on the Hammond is full and mighty – burning up from the get-go with a round, wall of sound sort of approach. The vibe is quite similar to Melvin Sparks' albums from the same time for Prestige – and titles include "The Slide", "Sneak Preview", "Message From the Meters", and "First Gravy". LP, Vinyl record album