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While there can be no doubt that the late great Grover Washington, Jr. released his most commercially successful recordings for Columbia and Elektra, there is also no doubt that, critically and creatively, Washington's most visionary material, the stuff that virtually created the template for the smooth jazz generations that came after, were on the Kudu imprint and produced by Creed Taylor. Washington was a monster saxophonist on tenor as well as soprano, and a true stylist. Before coming to Motown and Kudu he had apprenticed with a number of soul-jazz masters, including Charles Earland and Johnny "Hammond" Smith. The material here focuses on the seminal eight years Washington recorded for Motown and Kudu, beginning with his early renditions of standards like "I Loves You, Porgy," from George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, but quickly moves into what he did best in his early years, making killer records full of contemporary soul-jazz recordings of the hits of the day: "Where Is the Love" and his deeply funky readings of Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)," "Mercy Mercy," and especially "Trouble Man" (presented in an edited single version here that may actually be tougher than the original!), with arrangements by Bob James and Don Sebesky. His sense of time and his phrasing were, and remain, a standard for melodic improvisation, and all of his lame imitators -- especially Kenny G -- can't hold a candle to his ability, whether considering his lyric, on-the-money improvisational genius or especially his sense of time and phrasing.
This set is divided in a sense by two periods, the Motown years and then the Kudu ones, and all the major and some minor cuts (which are still major) are here. For evidence of this, check his soprano medley of Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine" and J.J. Johnson's "Theme from Man and Boy," as well as Withers' "Lean on Me" a little later on disc one. The medley, with great charts by James, is still remarkable for its ability to meld deep soul, lithe funk, progressive big band charts, and pop. The second disc focuses more deeply on the Kudu years and kicks off with "Reed Seed," a composition by Washington when he was already pushing past his own boundaries as he had on Feels So Good and Mister Magic -- not only are both tunes here, but the best tracks from both those and the Reed Seed album are as well. The breezy hand percussion, the violin solo, the electric piano, and of course Washington's own solo make it an irresistible opener. "Black Frost," co-written with James, is a solid example of the deep-groove funk Washington was pioneering at the time; while his tenor had an edge, his delivery and the other instrumentation were smooth, and the combination is still ahead of its time. As for those who questioned Washington's pure jazz chops, there is a revolutionary version of Rahsaan Roland Kirk's "Bright Moments" here, radically reinterpreted in its harmonic sequence and rhythmic complexity. When the tender reading of Herbie Hancock's "Dolphin Dance" found here can be said to be the "weakest" link in the bunch -- and it's far from weak -- then the listener is getting something special indeed. This is the one to start with until early Motown albums are re-released in America on CD, and it is the one that compiles all the great stuff from Kudu. For any serious fan of soul-jazz and melodic jazz-funk, or even smooth jazz, all of these records are essential purchases, but this is a fantastic beginning. It is easily the best compilation of Grover Washington, Jr. material anywhere.
© Thom Jurek /TiVo
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Grover Washington, Jr., Tenor Saxophone, Main Artist - Eric Gale, Guitar - Wayne Andre, Trombone - Richard Tee, Organ - George Gershwin, Composer, Lyricist - Ira Gershwin, Author - Thad Jones, Trumpet - Airto Moreira, Percussion - Eugene Young, Trumpet - Dubose Heyward, Author - Hilda Harris, Background Vocalist - Ron Carter, Electric Bass - Tasha Thomas, Background Vocalist - BOB JAMES, Recording Arranger, Conductor/Piano - Maretha Stewart, Background Vocalist - Idris Muhammad, Drums - Creed Taylor, Producer - Don Ashworth, Baritone Saxophone - Marilyn Jackson Wells, Background Vocalist
℗ 1971 UMG Recordings, Inc.
William Salter, Composer, Lyricist - Grover Washington, Jr., Main Artist - Ralph McDonald, Composer, Lyricist - Creed Taylor, Producer
℗ 1972 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Grover Washington, Jr., Main Artist - Marvin Gaye, Composer, Lyricist - James Nyx, Composer, Lyricist - Bob James, Conductor, Recording Arranger - Creed Taylor, Producer
℗ 1971 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Grover Washington, Jr., Tenor Saxophone, Main Artist - Eric Gale, Guitar - Wayne Andre, Trombone - Richard Tee, Organ - Thad Jones, Trumpet - Airto Moreira, Percussion - Eugene Young, Trumpet - Hoagy Carmichael, Composer, Lyricist - Hilda Harris, Background Vocalist - Ron Carter, Electric Bass - Tasha Thomas, Background Vocalist - Stuart Gorrell, Composer, Lyricist - Bob James, Recording Arranger, Conductor/Piano - Maretha Stewart, Background Vocalist - Idris Muhammad, Drums - Creed Taylor, Producer - Don Ashworth, Baritone Saxophone - Marilyn Jackson Wells, Background Vocalist,
℗ 1971 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Grover Washington, Jr., Main Artist - Marvin Gaye, Composer, Lyricist
℗ 1973 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Grover Washington, Jr., Tenor Saxophone, Main Artist - Eric Gale, Guitar - Wayne Andre, Trombone - Richard Tee, Organ - Marvin Gaye, Composer, Lyricist - Thad Jones, Trumpet - Airto Moreira, Percussion - Eugene Young, Trumpet - Hilda Harris, Background Vocalist - Ron Carter, Electric Bass - Tasha Thomas, Background Vocalist - BOB JAMES, Recording Arranger, Conductor/Piano - Maretha Stewart, Background Vocalist - Idris Muhammad, Drums - Creed Taylor, Producer - Don Ashworth, Baritone Saxophone - Marilyn Jackson Wells, Background Vocalist
℗ 1971 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Grover Washington, Jr., Tenor Saxophone, Main Artist - Eric Gale, Guitar - Wayne Andre, Trombone - Richard Tee, Organ - Thad Jones, Trumpet - Airto Moreira, Percussion - Eugene Young, Trumpet - Bill Withers, Composer, Lyricist - Hilda Harris, Background Vocalist - Ron Carter, Electric Bass - Tasha Thomas, Background Vocalist - BOB JAMES, Conductor, Recording Arranger, Conductor/Piano - Maretha Stewart, Background Vocalist - Idris Muhammad, Drums - Creed Taylor, Producer - Don Ashworth, Baritone Saxophone - Marilyn Jackson Wells, Background Vocalist
℗ 1971 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Grover Washington, Jr., Main Artist - Bill Withers, Composer, Lyricist - Creed Taylor, Producer
℗ 1972 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Grover Washington, Jr., Main Artist - BOB JAMES, Composer, Lyricist - James Sherman, Composer, Lyricist - James Davis, Composer, Lyricist - Roger J. "Ram" Ramirez, Composer, Lyricist - Creed Taylor, Producer
℗ 1972 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Grover Washington, Jr., Main Artist - Edward Heyman, Composer, Lyricist - Robert Sour, Composer, Lyricist - John W. Green, Composer, Lyricist - Creed Taylor, Producer
℗ 1972 UMG Recordings, Inc.
William Salter, Composer - Grover Washington, Jr., Main Artist - Ralph McDonald, Composer - Bob James, Conductor, Recording Arranger - Creed Taylor, Producer
℗ 1972 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Grover Washington, Jr., Tenor Saxophone - Eric Gale, Guitar - Wayne Andre, Trombone - Richard Tee, Organ - Thad Jones, Trumpet - Airto Moreira, Percussion - Eugene Young, Trumpet - Hilda Harris, Background Vocalist - Ron Carter, Electric Bass - Tasha Thomas, Background Vocalist - BOB JAMES, Recording Arranger, Conductor/Piano - Buffy Sainte-Marie, Composer, Lyricist - Maretha Stewart, Background Vocalist - Idris Muhammad, Drums - Creed Taylor, Producer - Don Ashworth, Baritone Saxophone - Marilyn Jackson Wells, Background Vocalist
℗ 1971 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Grover Washington, Jr., Main Artist - David Gates, Composer, Lyricist
℗ 1973 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Grover Washington, Jr., Main Artist - Aretha Franklin, Composer - Creed Taylor, Producer
℗ 1972 UMG Recordings, Inc.
DISQUE 2
Grover Washington, Jr., Composer, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1978 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Grover Washington, Jr., Main Artist, Composer, Lyricist - BOB JAMES, Conductor, Recording Arranger, Composer, Lyricist - Rudy Van Gelder, Engineer - Creed Taylor, Producer
℗ 1975 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
William Salter, Composer, Lyricist - Grover Washington, Jr., Main Artist - Ralph McDonald, Composer, Lyricist - BobJames, Conductor, Recording Arranger - Rudy Van Gelder, Engineer - Creed Taylor, Producer
℗ 1975 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Grover Washington, Jr., Main Artist - Herbie Hancock, Composer, Lyricist
℗ 1976 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Grover Washington, Jr., Composer, Producer, Main Artist
℗ 1980 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Grover Washington, Jr., Main Artist - John E. Blake, Composer - Millard Vinson, Composer - Creed Taylor, Producer
℗ 1977 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Grover Washington, Jr., Producer, Main Artist - Jon Hendricks, Composer, Lyricist - Roland Kirk, Composer
℗ 1980 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Grover Washington, Jr., Composer, Producer, Recording Arranger, Main Artist, Composer, Lyricist - Bill Eaton, Conductor
℗ 1980 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Grover Washington, Jr., Composer, Producer, Main Artist - Tyrone Brown, Composer - James Simmons, Composer - John E. Blake, Composer - Millard Vinson, Composer - Richard L. Steacker, Composer - Leonard Gibbs Jr., Composer
℗ 1978 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
William Salter, Composer, Lyricist - Grover Washington, Jr., Main Artist - Ralph McDonald, Composer, Lyricist - Bob James, Recording Arranger - Creed Taylor, Producer
℗ 1975 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Chronique
While there can be no doubt that the late great Grover Washington, Jr. released his most commercially successful recordings for Columbia and Elektra, there is also no doubt that, critically and creatively, Washington's most visionary material, the stuff that virtually created the template for the smooth jazz generations that came after, were on the Kudu imprint and produced by Creed Taylor. Washington was a monster saxophonist on tenor as well as soprano, and a true stylist. Before coming to Motown and Kudu he had apprenticed with a number of soul-jazz masters, including Charles Earland and Johnny "Hammond" Smith. The material here focuses on the seminal eight years Washington recorded for Motown and Kudu, beginning with his early renditions of standards like "I Loves You, Porgy," from George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, but quickly moves into what he did best in his early years, making killer records full of contemporary soul-jazz recordings of the hits of the day: "Where Is the Love" and his deeply funky readings of Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)," "Mercy Mercy," and especially "Trouble Man" (presented in an edited single version here that may actually be tougher than the original!), with arrangements by Bob James and Don Sebesky. His sense of time and his phrasing were, and remain, a standard for melodic improvisation, and all of his lame imitators -- especially Kenny G -- can't hold a candle to his ability, whether considering his lyric, on-the-money improvisational genius or especially his sense of time and phrasing.
This set is divided in a sense by two periods, the Motown years and then the Kudu ones, and all the major and some minor cuts (which are still major) are here. For evidence of this, check his soprano medley of Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine" and J.J. Johnson's "Theme from Man and Boy," as well as Withers' "Lean on Me" a little later on disc one. The medley, with great charts by James, is still remarkable for its ability to meld deep soul, lithe funk, progressive big band charts, and pop. The second disc focuses more deeply on the Kudu years and kicks off with "Reed Seed," a composition by Washington when he was already pushing past his own boundaries as he had on Feels So Good and Mister Magic -- not only are both tunes here, but the best tracks from both those and the Reed Seed album are as well. The breezy hand percussion, the violin solo, the electric piano, and of course Washington's own solo make it an irresistible opener. "Black Frost," co-written with James, is a solid example of the deep-groove funk Washington was pioneering at the time; while his tenor had an edge, his delivery and the other instrumentation were smooth, and the combination is still ahead of its time. As for those who questioned Washington's pure jazz chops, there is a revolutionary version of Rahsaan Roland Kirk's "Bright Moments" here, radically reinterpreted in its harmonic sequence and rhythmic complexity. When the tender reading of Herbie Hancock's "Dolphin Dance" found here can be said to be the "weakest" link in the bunch -- and it's far from weak -- then the listener is getting something special indeed. This is the one to start with until early Motown albums are re-released in America on CD, and it is the one that compiles all the great stuff from Kudu. For any serious fan of soul-jazz and melodic jazz-funk, or even smooth jazz, all of these records are essential purchases, but this is a fantastic beginning. It is easily the best compilation of Grover Washington, Jr. material anywhere.
© Thom Jurek /TiVo
À propos
- 2 disque(s) - 24 piste(s)
- Durée totale : 02:25:24
- Artistes principaux : Grover Washington Jr.
- Compositeur : Various Composers
- Label : Motown
- Genre : Soul/Funk/R&B R&B
© 1996 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc. This Compilation ℗ 1996 UMG Recordings, Inc.
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