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A saxophone- Author; Nabokov-

Top 10 Remarkable Facts about Grover Washington Jr.

Grover Washington Jr was born on December 12th, 1943  and passed on December 17, 1999. He was an American jazz-funk and soul-jazz saxophonist.

Together with the likes of  Wes Montgomery and George Benson, Wahington is considered by many as one of the founders of the smooth jazz genre. He wrote some of his material and later became an arranger and producer.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Washington made some of the genre’s most memorable hits, that includes, “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, during his career, he performed very frequently with other major and big artists, like  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”. Both of which he was able to prove himself in.

1. Grover started out in Church

A cross- Photo by Aaron Burden on

Washington was born in Buffalo, New York, where his mother was a church chorister.

His father on the other hand was a collector of old jazz gramophone records and a saxophonist as well. Thus growing,  music is something that was everywhere in Washington’s home.

He grew up listening to the great jazzmen and big band leaders like Benny Goodman, Fletcher Henderson, and others like them. They shaped the man he ended up becoming in the music industry

2. Got his music interest at a very young age

Children playing- image by Sasin Tipchai from

At the age of 8, Grover’s father gave him a saxophone. He constantly practised with and would even sneak into clubs just to be able to see some of the famous Buffalo blues musicians.

His younger brother, drummer Daryl Washington, also followed in his footsteps. Moreover, he also had another younger brother named Michael Washington, who was an accomplished Gospel Music organist that was able to master the Hammond B3 organ. That is no easy feat.

Grover’s family is a musical family. It is therefore not a surprise that he is quite good at it.

3. Washington got his commercial success after his fourth album, “Mister Magic”

A music Album Tracks- Author; Bingar1234-

While his first three albums established him as a force in jazz and soul music, his fourth album, “Mister Magic,” is the one that proved to be a major commercial success.

The album managed to climb to number 1 on Billboard’s R&B album chart and number 10 on Billboard’s Top 40 album chart. The title track reached No. 16 on the R&B singles chart.

All these albums included guitarist Eric Gale as a near-permanent member of

Washington’s arsenal. His follow-up on Kudu in 1975, Feels So Good also made No. 1 on Billboard’s R&B album chart and No. 10 on the pop album chart. Both albums were major parts of the jazz-funk movement of the mid-1970s.

4. Washington was signed by Warner Music Group, a pretty big label in the industry

Warner Music Group logo- Author; Yaprostochelovek-

Warner Music Group is a big deal. Anyone signed under must be really talented and generally good at what he or he does

A string of acclaimed records brought Washington through the 1970s, culminating in the signature piece for everything he would do from then on.

‘Winelight’ (1980) was the album that defined everything Washington was then about, having signed for Elektra Records, part of the major Warner Music group. The album was smooth, fused with R&B and easy listening feel.

5. His love for basketball made him dedicate a song to Julius Erving

Basketball- Photo by Markus Spiske on

Washington’s love of basketball, especially the Philadelphia 76ers, led him to dedicate the second track, “Let It Flow”, to Julius Erving (Dr. J), a former professional basketball player.

The highlight of the album was his collaboration with soul artist Bill Withers, “Just the Two of Us”, a hit on radio during the spring and summer of 1981, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.

6. Won a grammy for outstanding work

A Grammy Award Statue- Author; ArtistShare-

Just the Two of Us is an album that went platinum in 1981 and even won Grammy Awards in 1982 for Best R&B Song (“Just The Two of Us”), and Best Jazz Fusion Performance (“Winelight”).

“Winelight” was nominated also for Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

7. He is known for bringing the likes of Kenny G to the limelight

Saxophonist, Kenny G- Author; Flickr Photos-

Kenny G is a great saxophone player. His pieces will just bring you to tears and make get you in touch with your feelings. That is how good he is. Having Washinton being the one to have groomed him and bringing him to the limelight is no easy feat

In the post-Winelight era, Washington is credited for giving rise to a new batch of talent that would make its mark in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He is known for bringing Kenny G to the forefront and artists such as Walter Beasley, Steve Cole, Pamela Williams, Najee, Boney James and George Howard.

His song “Mr. Magic” is noted as being influential on go-go (a subgenre of funk music with an emphasis on specific rhythmic patterns, and live audience call and response) music starting in the mid-1970s.

8. His Break was actually by pure luck

Photo by Nick Fewings on

Grover’s first big musical break came quite by accident. The commercially-minded record producer, Creed Taylor had put together a set of pop-funk tunes for alto saxophonist Hank Crawford.

On the eve of the recording date, Crawford was arrested “on a two-year-old driving charge,” Washington told Rolling Stone. Taylor then called in little-known Washington as a last-minute replacement and had him play the alto parts.

The album, Inner City Blues, was released in 1971 under Washington’s name. It became a hit–an album, Palmer wrote in the New York Times, “that sold hundreds of thousands of copies and did much to break down barriers between jazz and pop.”

As Washington later admitted, “My big break was blind luck.”

9. Washington is the one who developed jazz/pop and jazz/rock kind of fused music style

Photo by Tolga Ahmetler on

Washington is the one who developed what has now come to be known as jazz-pop or jazz-rock fusion musical style. It consists of jazz improvisation over a pep or rock beat.

Although he came from a pure jazz background, his wife got him interested in pop music. “I encouraged him to listen to more pop,” Christine told Rolling Stone. “His intent was to play jazz, but he started listening to both, and at one point he told me he just wanted to play what he felt, without giving it a label,” She continued.

Recognizing that Washington is one individual who was unrestrained by labels and traditions, Joachim Berendt wrote in The Jazz Book: From New Orleans to Rock and Free Jazz that he plays contemporary music, “not worrying about styles and schools.” A versatile musician, Washington plays tenor, alto, soprano, and baritone saxophones, plus clarinet, electric bass, and piano. He also composes some of his own material.”

Although his versatility and uniqueness didn’t sit well with some die-hard jazz fans, the uniqueness he put into his pieces and managing to literally introduce a whole new sound into the industry is what made him the icon we know today.

10. At one point Grover applied for a doctoral program in Temple University

Temple University Placard- Author; Rolltribe-

In 1980, Grover applied for a doctoral program in music composition at Temple University.

He explained that during the application, he was told he’d need to do an audition. The following day, he says, “I came back with a stack of my albums and told them to listen and let me know if they thought I could play.”

He was then admitted just based on that. Kind of tells you how good he must have been, right?