Grover Washington Jr. - Winelight (1980) LP – €10,00

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Grover Washington Jr. (December 12, 1943 – December 17, 1999) was an American jazz-funk / soul-jazz saxophonist. 

Along with Wes Montgomery and George Benson, he is considered by many to be one of the founders of the smooth jazz genre. 

He wrote some of his material and later became an arranger and producer.

Winelight is a 1980 studio album by jazz musician Grover Washington Jr. The record received the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Fusion Performance in 1982. The album was released by Elektra Records. 

It includes the Grammy Award-winning hit “Just the Two of Us” sung by Bill Withers. 

The track “In the Name of Love” from the album was also released in rearranged form, without Washington’s saxophone track, under the name of Ralph MacDonald and Bill Withers (on vocals).

The album starts with "Winelight", a funky 7 minute long composition which absolutely shows off what the other tracks have to offer. Washington jams with his sax throughout while fellow players exchange solos with their instruments (with the most distinctive of them being Marcus Miller’s ass kicking bass).

“Let It Flow (For Dr. J)” comes up next, another rhytmic piece similar to the first track with the only difference of having a faster beat. Some very beautiful keyboards can also be heard in the background.

”In the Name of Love” is the following track and the final piece on the first side of the vinyl. This is the song out of all the other five that I totally adore. A smooth, unforgettable gem.

”Take Me There” presents the second side of this masterpiece. It is some kind of a mixture of all the previous tracks. Begins as a slow melody and then becomes more exciting and funky.

And now, we come to the most famous song off the album, ”Just the Two of Us”. Maybe this groovy jazz ballad is one of the most memorable quiet storm jams of all time. Washington’s saxophone and Bill Withers’ harmonic vocals make it fantastic. It was surely worth the Grammy.

Finally, the album closes with the track ”Make Me A Memory (Sad Samba)”. I frequently relate this song to ”In the Name of Love”, maybe because it is as smooth and melodic as the previously mentioned composition is. A magnificent way to close a magnificent album.

Side A

A1. Winelight - 7:32 

A2. Let It Flow (For Dr. J) - 5:52  

A3. In The Name Of Love - 5:26

Side B

B1. Take Me There - 6:16 

B2. Just The Two Of Us  (Vocals – Bill Withers) - 7:23

B3. Make Me A Memory (Sad Samba) - 6:32

Companies, etc.

• Recorded At – Rosebud Recording Studio, June & July - 1980. Mastered at CBS Studios, NY.
• Manufactured By – Nautilus Recordings
• Distributed By – Nautilus Recordings
• Mastered At – International Automated Media
• Pressed By – KM Records Inc.
• Licensed From – Elektra/Asylum Records

Personnel

• Grover Washington Jr. – alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone
• Richard Tee – Fender Rhodes electric piano 
• Ray Chew – clavinet 
• Paul Griffin – clavinet, Fender Rhodes 
• Ed Walsh – Oberheim Eight Voice 
• Bill Eaton – Oberheim Eight Voice, arrangements and conductor
• Eric Gale – guitars
• Marcus Miller – bass
• Steve Gadd – drums
• Ralph MacDonald – congas, percussion, Syndrums
• Robert Greenidge – steel drums
• Hilda Harris, Yvonne Lewis, Ullanda McCullough – backing vocals
• Bill Withers – lead vocals 

Production

• Grover Washington Jr. – producer
• Ralph MacDonald – producer
• Richard Alderson – engineer
• Ed Heath – assistant engineer
• Vlado Meller – mastering at CBS Studios (New York City).
• Paul Silverthorn – production coordinator
• Ron Coro – art direction, design
• Jim Shea – cover photography
• Don Hunstein – inner sleeve photography

Notes

Release: 1980

Format:  LP, Vinyl

Genre:  Smooth Jazz

Label:  Elektra Records

Catalog#  ELK 52262

Vinyl:  Goed (VG)

Cover:  Goed (VG)

Prijs: €10,00