Grover Washington, Jr.
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 as co-founder and one of the most important stylists of the so-called smooth jazz genre applies.
Biography
Washington was born into a musical family, taking lessons from Elvin Shepherd and gained his first professional experience in the field of until much later become famous studio musicians who formed the rhythm section of the record label Motown Records under the name of The Funk Brothers. With a group called The Four Clefs he toured extensively on the so-called Chitlin 'Circuit through the Midwest, trying at times to the great jazz scenes of the cities of the east coast, primarily New York and Philadelphia.
His first successful records available in 1970 came into being almost by accident when Hank Crawford could not perceive a session date for Prestige Records and Washington was hired as a substitute. The resultant on this occasion LP Inner City Blues ( the title track was in the original version of Marvin Gaye in its time a current chart success ) followed already nearly the recipe for success that should continue to pursue Washington for the rest of his career, in essence, a public appeal mix of current pop music with influences from R & B, funk and fusion jazz, enriched with Latin sounds, which was played by the best available studio jazz musicians.
In the U.S., Washington has repeatedly launch -fledged hit parade success, what's in the 1970s and 80s for the Jazz at least related musicians was exceptional (some of the most outstanding were Mister Magic and Just The Two Of Us, the latter title with the soul singer Bill Withers ).
Just a few days after his 56th birthday suffered Grover Washington, Jr. during the recording to a TV show a serious heart attack, he died at the hospital a short time later.