Various Artists - To Grover, With Love [Bonus Tracks]

Jason Miles shows his appreciation for the highly respected saxophonist Grover Washington with this excellent CD titled To Grover, With Love. This is not your ordinary tribute CD filled with mere exercises in nostalgia, but one filled with cutting-edge, contemporary performances by flutist Herbie Mann and guitarist Russ Freeman, among others. Miles has selected 13 songs, including several of Grover Washington's best-known songs, and added solo showcases that flow smoothly with endless nuances of color and emotion. These versions do full justice to Grover's timeless compositions and songs by Marvin Gaye ("Inner City Blues") and Bill Withers ("Just the Two of Us" and "Summer Chill"). The CD itself is the centerpiece since each track exhibits such high standards of musicianship from start to finish. From the guitar lead of Russ Freeman on "East River Drive" to the soulful sax wailings, this CD dusts off, shakes down, and hands you some searing soul, scorching riffs, and serious funk. The instrumental arrangement that is clearly a refreshing change is Herbie Mann's flute playing that Miles substituted as lead instrument on the Washington saxophone legacy "Mr. Magic." To Grover, With Love clearly ranks among Miles' best tributes that include his phenomenal hits that showcased the music of Wayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul on The Music of Weather Report and Ivan Lins' compositions on A Love Affair: The Music of Ivan Lins. ~ Paula Edelstein, All Music Guide

Name Credits Ann Kim Strings, String Section Anna Rabinova String Section, Strings Billy Steele Soloist, Vocals Brian Johnson Engineer Buddy Williams Drums Carolina Cotton Stylist Carrie Harrington Soloist, Vocals Chaka Khan Producer, Vocals Chuck Loeb Author, Guitar Cyro Baptista Percussion Dan Reed String Section, Strings Dave Koz Author, Sax (Soprano) Dave Mann Sax (Soprano) David Chan String Section, Strings Dawn Hannay String Section Dean Brown Guitar, Guitar (Electric), Author, Transcription, Guitar (Rhythm) Doug Oberkircher Mixing, Engineer Elise Brown Copy Erik Zobler Engineer Eugene J. Moye Strings, String Section Everette Harp Sax (Tenor) Fiona Simon String Section, Strings Francisco Centeno Bass (Electric) Gary Hines Producer, Author, Assistant Producer Gary King Bass George Duke Piano, Fender Rhodes, Piano (Electric) Gerald Albright Sax (Alto), Author Greg Philinganes Piano Herbie Mann Flute J.P. Sheganowski Assistant Engineer Janine Silvers Production Coordination Jason Miles Producer, Drums, Moog Bass, Percussion Programming, Liner Notes, Arranger, Synthesizer Bass, Keyboards, Multi Instruments, Programming, Drum Programming Jason Rea Assistant Engineer Jason Rome Assistant Engineer Jay Beckenstein Sax (Alto) Jay Beckstein Quotation Author, Sax (Alto) Jeff Mironov Quotation Author, Guitar, Rhythm, Guitar (Rhythm) Jenny Strenger String Section, Strings Joe Chiccarelli Engineer Joe Sample Piano (Electric), Guitar (Electric) Joey DeFrancesco Organ (Hammond), Organ Jonathan Merritt Assistant Engineer Ken Bengoa Assistant Engineer Leandro Maciel Engineer Lisa Kim Strings, String Section Mark Whitfield Guitar Matt Kane Engineer Michael Brecker Sax (Tenor) Nick Moroch Guitar (Electric), Guitar Pablo Batista Percussion Paul Taylor Sax (Soprano) Peter White Guitar (Electric), Guitar (Acoustic) Ralph Cacciurri Engineer Randy Brecker Trumpet, Quotation Author Regina Belle Vocals Richard Elliot Sax (Tenor) Richie Morales Drums Rob Mathes String Arrangements Robert Rinehart String Section, Strings Roger Blanc Transcription Ronnie Laws Sax (Tenor) Russ Freeman Guitar, Quotation Author Sandra Park String Section, Strings Sarah Seiver String Section, Strings Scott Hull Mastering Sounds of Blackness Vocals Steve Addabbo Engineer Steve Cole Sax (Tenor) Steve Ferrone Drums Steve Gaboury Engineer Steve Wolf Rhythm Loops, Drum Programming Tom Schuman Fender Rhodes, Piano Tony Black Engineer Will Lee Bass William Lucas Engineer