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JazzDigger Home > W - Jazz Artists > Grover Washington Jr > Item 11
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Inner City Blues
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by Grover Washington Jr
Sales Rank: 71837
Price:$11.98
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Album Details
Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or
view the MP3 Album.
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Listener Reviews & Comments
This 1971 release was Grover Washington, Jr's debut for Motown (or was it CTI/Kudu?) and sees the saxophone virtuoso in soulful but raw form. He tackles the Motown-era song catalogue with gusto and I guess one could call it smooth jazz but make no mistake: this is not the lazy kind of smooth jazz as is done by the likes of Kenny G, George Howard, Dave Koz, Marion Meadows (shudder) or even Kirk Whalum (who I can just about tolerate, in places). As opposed to merely covering other people's songs, think of this as reinterpreting them. His take on Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" is a jazz-funk masterpiece as is the shorter "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology). His version of Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine" (at 8mins 33secs, the longest song here) almost brings tears to the eye. It is simply beautiful. Produced by Creed Taylor and arranged by a young Bob James, GWJ (on alto and tenor saxophone) is joined by an all-star cast, including James himself on electric piano, Richard Tee on organ, Idris Muhammed on the drums, Eric Gale on guitar and Airto Moreira on percussion. There are only six songs and the whole affair is over in just over 35 mins but it is so worth it - if you're either a GWJ fan or a fan of early saxophone jazz fusion. My collection of GWJ CDs is almost complete! All I need now is "All The King's Horses", his 1972 follow-up to this album (was selling here for an eye-watering $105.00 but is no longer available) and his 1979 album Skylarkin' (on offer for a hysterical $350.00) and I'll have the full set. I have the former on vinyl and the latter on cassette so I can afford to wait. They are sure to be re-issued sooner or later.
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Inner City Blues
by Grover Washington Jr
Price:$11.98
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