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Feels So Good (Grover Washington Jr. Album)
''Feels So Good'' is the fifth album by jazz saxophonist Grover Washington Jr., recorded and released in 1975. The album topped both the soul and jazz albums charts and peaked at number ten on the pop album charts in the U.S. Reception Jason Ankeny of AllMusic stated "The aptly titled and much-sampled Feels So Good represents the creative apex of Grover Washington, Jr.'s sublime electric funk sound. Its shimmering, soulful grooves refute the argument that smooth jazz is little more than mere ambience, combining expert playing and intricate songwriting to create music that is both compelling and comforting. Arranger Bob James is in top form here, creating the spacious, rich milieus that are his trademark, but regardless of the name above the title, bassist Louis Johnson is the real star of the show. His supple rhythms percolate like coffee, adding oomph to the bottom of highlights "Hydra" and "Knucklehead" while Washington's cream-and-sugar soprano sax solos soar over the top". T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Grover Washington Jr
Grover Washington Jr. (December 12, 1943 – December 17, 1999) was an American jazz-funk and 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. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Washington made some of the genre's most memorable hits, including "Mister Magic", "Reed Seed", "Black Frost", "Winelight", "Inner City Blues", "Let it Flow (For 'Dr. J')" 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", Patti LaBelle on "The Best Is Yet to Come" and Phyllis Hyman on "A Sacred Kind of Love". He is also remembered for his take on the Dave Brubeck classic "Take Five", and for his 1996 version of "Soulful Strut". Early life Washington was born in Buffalo, New York, United States, on December 12, 1943. His mother was a church chorist ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bob James (musician)
Robert McElhiney James (born December 25, 1939) is an American jazz keyboardist, arranger, and record producer. He founded the band Fourplay and wrote "Angela", the theme song for the TV show ''Taxi.'' According to VICE (magazine), music from his first seven albums has often been sampled and believed to have contributed to the formation of hip hop. Among his most well known recordings are "Nautilus", "Westchester Lady", "Tappan Zee", and his version of "Take Me to The Mardi Gras". Early life and family James was born on Christmas Day of 1939 in Marshall, Missouri, United States. He started playing the piano at age four. His first piano teacher, Sister Mary Elizabeth, who taught at Mercy Academy, discovered that he had perfect pitch. At age seven, James began to study with R. T. Dufford, a teacher at Missouri Valley College. At age 15, James continued his studies with Franklin Launer, a teacher at Christian College in Columbia, Missouri, with more music instruction during high ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jon Faddis
Jon Faddis (born July 24, 1953) is an American jazz trumpet player, conductor, composer, and educator, renowned for both his playing and for his expertise in the field of music education. Upon his first appearance on the scene, he became known for his ability to closely mirror the sound of trumpet icon Dizzy Gillespie, who was his mentor along with pianist Stan Kenton and trumpeter Bill Catalano. Biography Jon Faddis was born in Oakland, California, United States. At 18, he joined Lionel Hampton's big band before joining the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra as lead trumpet. After playing with Charles Mingus in his early twenties, Faddis became a noted studio musician in New York City, appearing on many pop recordings in the late 1970s and early 1980s. One such recording was "Disco Inferno" with the Players Association in which he plays trumpet recorded in 1977 on the LP ''Born to Dance''. In the mid-1980s, he left the studios to continue to pursue his solo career, which resulted ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Randy Brecker
Randal Edward Brecker (born November 27, 1945) is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, and composer. His versatility has made him a popular studio musician who has recorded with acts in jazz, rock, and R&B. Early life Brecker was born on November 27, 1945, in the Philadelphia suburb of Cheltenham to a musical family. His father Bob (Bobby) was a lawyer who played jazz piano and his mother Sylvia was a portrait artist. Randy described his father as "a semipro jazz pianist and trumpet fanatic. In school when I was eight, they only offered trumpet or clarinet. I chose trumpet from hearing Diz, Miles, Clifford, and Chet Baker at home. My brother (Michael Brecker) didn't want to play the same instrument as I did, so three years later he chose the clarinet!" Randy's father, Bob, was also a songwriter and singer who loved to listen to recordings of the great jazz trumpet players such as Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Clifford Brown. He took Randy and his younger brother Mich ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Barry Rogers
Barron W. "Barry" Rogers (May 22, 1935 – April 18, 1991) was an American jazz and salsa trombonist. Career Born in The Bronx, he descended from Polish Jews and was raised in Spanish Harlem. His family (original name: Rogenstein) possessed a strong musicality. His father and several of his uncles sang in the choir of Joseph Rosenblatt, and his mother taught in Africa and Mexico, inspiring an interest in music from other nations. Mambo and jazz popular in his neighbourhood. As a student of the playing of jazz trombonists Jack Teagarden, Lawrence Brown, and J. C. Higginbotham, Rogers began to play Latin music in the mid-1950s and would be most associated with it from then on. He developed his style while working with Eddie Palmieri. |
Dave Taylor (trombonist)
Dave Taylor (born June 6, 1946) is an American bass trombonist. Early life and education David Michael Taylor was born on June 6, 1944, in New York City. Taylor learned to play trumpet, tuba, and trombone in his youth, and while attending the Juilliard School picked up bass trombone, which became his primary instrument. He graduated with a master's degree from Juilliard in 1968.Gary W. Kennedy, "Dave Taylor". '' The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz''. 2nd edition, ed. Barry Kernfeld, 2004. Career Taylor was a trombonist in the American Symphony Orchestra in the late 1960s under the direction of Leopold Stokowski and began playing as a studio musician during this time. In jazz, he worked with the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, Chuck Israels, George Russell, and Larry Elgart in the 1970s, and in the 1980s he worked with George Gruntz, Bob Mintzer, Ray Anderson, Jim Pugh, Gil Evans and Duke Ellington in his album ''New Orleans Suite''.https://www.discogs.com/fr/release/1953006-Duke ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alan Raph
Alan Raph (born July 3, 1933, in New York City ) is a bass trombonist, composer, arranger, and conductor who founded and conducts the Danbury Brass Band. He has recorded with many popular musicians and for television, movies, and ballet. He was for many years on first call with most New York City recording studios. Life Raph was born in New York City to Marion McGuire and Ted Raph. His father was a jazz trombonist in the 1920s and 1930s. Raph married Theresa Capp on October 5, 1957. They had two children. In 1978 he married musician Mary Ann O'Connor, with whom he had a son. Education Raph graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education. He then studied at Teachers College Columbia University where he received a Masters of Arts degree. He has studied privately with Nadia Boulanger, John Mehegan, Simon Karasick, and Gabriel Masson. Professional career He was a charter member of the American Symphony Orchestra for which he pla ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Oboe
The oboe ( ) is a type of double reed woodwind instrument. Oboes are usually made of wood, but may also be made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, resin, or hybrid composites. The most common oboe plays in the treble or soprano range. A soprano oboe measures roughly long, with metal keys, a conical bore and a flared bell. Sound is produced by blowing into the reed at a sufficient air pressure, causing it to vibrate with the air column. The distinctive tone is versatile and has been described as "bright". When the word ''oboe'' is used alone, it is generally taken to mean the treble instrument rather than other instruments of the family, such as the bass oboe, the cor anglais (English horn), or oboe d'amore. Today, the oboe is commonly used as orchestral or solo instrument in symphony orchestras, concert bands and chamber ensembles. The oboe is especially used in classical music, film music, some genres of folk music, and is occasionally heard in jazz, rock, pop, an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Spider Webb (jazz Drummer)
Spider Webb (born Kenneth Ronald Rice; June 15, 1944) is an American jazz drummer and session musician. Biography Spider Webb, aka Kenneth Rice, began playing drums at an early age in his home town of Detroit. Before leaving the motor city, he recorded with United Artists and Holland-Dozier-Holland. He moved to New York in 1967 where he quickly gained prominence as a studio drummer. Webb was hired on the spot by King Curtis and became the drummer for Harry Belafonte, from 1969 through 1972. In 1972, he played in a band backing David Clayton-Thomas, with Smitty Smith, Chuck Rainey, and Danny Kortchmar. He has also recorded with Freddie Hubbard, Robert Palmer, The Temptations, Aretha Franklin, Grover Washington, Jr, Labelle, Herb Alpert and Hugh Masekela, among others. Webb was once married to Carol Kaye, with whom he founded the soul-jazz group Spiders Webb. Selected discography As sideman *1972: '' Moon Shadow'' – Labelle (Warner Bros., BS 2618) *1974: ''Northern Wind ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jimmy Madison (musician)
James Henry Madison (born February 17, 1947, Cincinnati) is an American jazz drummer who was considered a child prodigy. Madison grew up in a musical family and was playing drums in public by age twelve. In 1966 he worked in Ohio with Don Goldie, then toured with Lionel Hampton. He worked both in Cincinnati and New York in the late 1960s; by 1969 he had joined Marian McPartland in New York, working with her until 1972. In the 1970s he also worked with James Brown, Bobby Hackett, Joe Farrell, David Matthews (musician), David Matthews, Roland Kirk, Carmen McRae, Harold Danko, Chet Baker, Urbie Green, Michel Legrand, Don Sebesky, George Benson, Nina Simone, Lee Konitz, Hod O'Brien, Art Farmer, and Mark Murphy (singer), Mark Murphy. He also worked as a record producer for his own studio. As a leader, Madison led a small ensemble starting in the 1970s; his Sideman, sidemen rotated over time but at times included Tom Harrell, Harold Danko, Phil Markowitz, Larry Schneider (musician), Larr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Steve Gadd
Stephen Kendall Gadd (born April 9, 1945) is an American drummer, percussionist, and session musician. Gadd is one of the best-known and highly regarded session and studio drummers in the industry, recognized by his induction into the ''Modern Drummer'' Hall of Fame in 1984. Gadd's performances on Paul Simon's "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" and "Late in the Evening" and Steely Dan's "Aja (song), Aja" are examples of his style. He has worked with other popular musicians from many genres including Simon & Garfunkel, Paul McCartney, James Taylor, Harry Chapin, Joe Cocker, Bonnie Raitt, Grover Washington Jr., Michael Brecker, Chick Corea, Lee Ritenour, Paul Desmond, Kate Bush, Chet Baker, Al Di Meola, Chuck Mangione, Kenny Loggins, Eric Clapton, Pino Daniele, Michel Petrucciani, and Toshiki Kadomatsu. Early life Gadd grew up in Irondequoit, New York. He started playing the drums at a very early age. At age 11, he entered the Mickey Mouse National Talent Round Up contest and was one of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Louis Johnson (bassist)
Louis Johnson (April 13, 1955 – May 21, 2015) was an American bass guitarist. Johnson was best known for his work with the group the Brothers Johnson and his session playing on several hit albums of the 1970s and 1980s, including the best-selling album of all time, Michael Jackson's ''Thriller''. His signature sound came from the Music Man StingRay bass guitar, which Leo Fender made for him, and from his slapping technique. He is ranked number 38 on ''Bass Player'' magazine's list of "the 100 Greatest Bass Players of All Time". Biography His work appears on many well-known records by prominent artists. Johnson played on Michael Jackson's albums ''Off the Wall'', ''Thriller'' and '' Dangerous'', and hit songs "Billie Jean" and "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". He also played on George Benson's '' Give Me the Night''. He was one of three bassists on Herb Alpert's 1979 album ''Rise'', which included its top-10, Grammy-winning disco/jazz title-track. Due to his distinctive sty ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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