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Gerald Albright

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Gerald Albright
Background information
GenresJazz, Smooth Jazz, Funk, Disco, R&B
OccupationMusician
Instrument(s)Saxophone, bass guitar, flute
Years active1987–present
LabelsAtlantic/WEA, GRP, Peak, Heads Up, Concord, Bright Music
Websitegeraldalbright.com

Gerald Albright is an American jazz saxophonist. He earned Grammys for the albums 24/7 in 2012 and Slam Dunk in 2014 and was nominated for New Beginnings in 2008 and for Sax for Stax in 2009.[1]

Biography

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Albright began piano lessons at an early age, although he professed no interest in the instrument. His love of music picked up when he was given a saxophone that belonged to his piano teacher.[2] It further reinforced when he attended Locke High School. After high school, he attended the University of Redlands where he was initiated into the Iota Chi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha and received a degree in business management with a minor concentration on music.[3] He switched to bass guitar after he saw Louis Johnson in concert.[2]

After college, Albright worked as a studio musician in the 1980s[4] for Anita Baker, Ray Parker Jr., Olivia Newton-John, and The Temptations. He joined Patrice Rushen, who was forming a band, in which he played saxophone. When the bassist left in the middle of a tour, Albright replaced him and finished the tour playing bass guitar. Around the same time, he began to tour Europe with drummer Alphonse Mouzon. He has also toured with Anita Baker, Phil Collins, Johnny Hallyday, Whitney Houston, Quincy Jones, Jeff Lorber, and Teena Marie In addition to appearances at clubs and jazz festivals, he has been part of Jazz Explosion tours on which he played with Will Downing, Jonathan Butler, Chaka Khan, Hugh Masekela, and Rachelle Ferrell.

Albright has appeared in the television programs A Different World, Melrose Place and jazz segments for Black Entertainment Television, as well as piloting a show in Las Vegas with Meshach Taylor of Designing Women. He was one of ten saxophonists to perform at the inauguration of President Bill Clinton.[5]

His saxophone work appears in the PlayStation video game Castlevania: Symphony of the Night during the theme song "I Am the Wind", which includes keyboardist Jeff Lorber.[6]

Albright himself describes his playing style as being influenced to a large extent by the music which he heard when being a teenager: A mixture of gospel, Motown, Philly International Sound played by the likes of James Cleveland, The Hawkins Singers, James Brown with his band and particularly Maceo Parker.[7]

In September 2021 Gerald Albright received the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from President Joseph R. Biden.[2]

Equipment

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Albright plays a professional Big Bell Stone Signature Series model of saxophone made by Cannonball Musical Instruments. Of the two necks that are furnished with the Cannonball saxophones, he usually uses the "Fat Neck" with the octave vent tube on the bottom of the neck, a design similar to some vintage Conn 6M models.On mouthpieces, he uses a Beechler Diamond on alto with Silverstein Hexa ligature, Theo Wanne stainless steel Shiva on tenor.[8] Albright also plays bass guitar.

Discography

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Studio albums

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Year Album Label
1987 Just Between Us Atlantic/Wea
1988 Bermuda Nights Atlantic/Wea
1990 Dream Come True Atlantic/Wea
1994 Smooth Atlantic/Wea
1995 Giving Myself to You Atlantic/Wea
1997 Live to Love Atlantic/Wea
1998 Pleasures of the Night with Will Downing Polygram
2002 Groovology GRP
2004 Kickin' It Up GRP
2006 New Beginnings Peak
2008 Sax for Stax Peak
2010 Pushing the Envelope Telarc
2012 24/7 with Norman Brown Concord
2013 Summer Horns / with Dave Koz, Mindi Abair, Richard Elliot Concord
2014 Slam Dunk[9] Heads Up
2016 G Bright Music
2018 30 Bright Music
2018 Summer Horns II from A to Z / with Dave Koz, Rick Braun, Richard Elliot, Aubrey Logan Concord
2019 Not So Silent Night There

Live albums

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Year Album Label
1991 Live at Birdland West Atlantic/Wea

EPs

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Year Album Label
2020 G-Stream Bright Music
2022 G-Stream 2 Turn It Up Bright Music

As sideman/guest

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Year Artist Album Label
1997 Pauline Wilson Only You Pony Canyon
1999 The Phil Collins Big Band A Hot Night In Paris Atlantic
2000 Noel Elmowy Feelin' Good Expansion Records
2008 Gerald Alston Gerald Alston Sings Sam Cooke LST CO

Singles

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Year Title Peak chart positions Album
Hot R&B/
Hip-Hop
Songs

[10]
Adult
Cont.

[11]
Smooth Jazz
Airplay

[12]
Adult R&B
Airplay

[13]
1987 "So Amazing" 12 42 n/a n/a Just Between Us
1988 "New Girl on the Block" 59 n/a n/a
"Feeling Inside" 47 n/a n/a Bermuda Nights
1989 "In the Mood" 80 n/a n/a
1990 "Lift Every Voice and Sing"
(Melba Moore and Friends)
9 n/a n/a Melba MooreSoul Exposed
"My, My, My" 54 n/a n/a Dream Come True
1994 "This Is for the Lover in You" 75 n/a n/a Smooth
1998 "Stop, Look, Listen to Your Heart"
(Will Downing and Gerald Albright)
n/a 26 Will DowningPleasures of the Night
1999 "Pleasures of the Night"
(Will Downing and Gerald Albright)
n/a 30
2000 "When You Need Me"
(Will Downing featuring Chanté Moore And Gerald Albright)
n/a 18 Will DowningAll the Man You Need
2005 "Hey Young World"
(Gerald Albright with Kevin Toney)
10 Various Artists – Def Jazz
"To the Max" 38 Kickin' It Up
2006 "We Got the Groove" 17 New Beginnings
2008 "Knock on Wood" 26 Sax for Stax
2009 "Walkin' Down Beale Street" 29
2010 "Highway 70" 20 Pushing the Envelope
2011 "I Found the Klugh" 8
2012 "In the Moment"
(Gerald Albright / Norman Brown)
1 24/7
"Champagne Life"
(Gerald Albright / Norman Brown)
1
2013 "Full Tank"
(Ben Tankard featuring Gerald Albright)
20 Ben TankardFull Tank
"Got to Get You into My Life"
(Dave Koz featuring Gerald Albright, Mindi Abair and Richard Elliot)
1 Dave Koz and Friends: Summer Horns
"I Got You (I Feel Good)"
(Dave Koz featuring Gerald Albright, Mindi Abair and Richard Elliot)
3
2014 "Hot Fun in the Summertime"
(Dave Koz featuring Gerald Albright, Mindi Abair and Richard Elliot)
6
"Slam Dunk" 1 Slam Dunk
2015 "SomeBossa (Summer Breezin')"
(Al Jarreau featuring Gerald Albright)
11 Al JarreauMy Old Friend: Celebrating George Duke
"It's a Man's, Man's, Man's World" 8 Slam Dunk
"Because of You" 1
2016 "Crush"
(John Novello featuring Gerald Albright)
8 John Novello – Ivory Soul
"Celebration"
(Jonathan Fritzén featuring Gerald Albright)
15 Jonathan FritzénFritzénized
"Taking Control" 1 G (Bonus Version)
2017 "Boom Boom" 3
"Frankie B." 1
2018 "Just Between Us" 5 30
"This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)"
(Dave Koz and Friends featuring Kenny Lattimore and Sheléa)
10 Dave Koz and Friends – Dave Koz and Friends: Summer Horns II – From A to Z
"Keep That Same Old Feeling"
(Dave Koz and Friends)
13
"4 on the Floor" 2 30
2019 "New Beginnings" 5
"Before I Let Go"
(Dave Koz/Gerald Albright/Rick Braun/Richard Elliot/Aubrey Logan)
1 Dave Koz and Friends – Dave Koz and Friends: Summer Horns II – From A to Z
2020 "Just In"
(Justin-Lee Schultz featuring Gerald Albright and Pieces of a Dream)
9 Justin-Lee Schultz – Gruv Kid
"Better Days Ahead" 1 G-Stream (EP)
2021 "Hope" 1
"Serendipity"
(The Saxtress Pamela Williams featuring Gerald Albright)
1 Pamela WilliamsSerendipity
"Crazy" 1 G-Stream (EP)
2022 "G Wiggle" 1 G-Stream 2 – Turn It Up (EP)
"Keep Holding On" Hank Bilal – Beneath the Covers
"Eddie's Groove" 2 G-Stream 2 – Turn It Up (EP)
2023 "On My Way"
(Phylicia Rae featuring Gerald Albright)
1 Phylicia Rae – On My Way
2024 "Full Throttle" 1 G-Stream 3 – Full Throttle (EP)
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart.

Grammy Awards

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The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Albright has received a sum of nine Grammy nominations.[14]

Year Category Nominated work Result
1988 Best R&B Instrumental Performance (Orchestra, Group or Soloist) "So Amazing" (single) Nominated
1989 Best R&B Instrumental Performance Bermuda Nights (album) Nominated
2006 Best Pop Instrumental Album New Beginnings Nominated
2008 Best Pop Instrumental Album Sax for Stax Nominated
2010 Best Pop Instrumental Album Pushing the Envelope Nominated
2012 Best Pop Instrumental Album 24/7 Nominated
2013 Best Pop Instrumental Album Summer Horns Nominated
2014 Best Contemporary Instrumental Album Slam Dunk Nominated
2023 Best Improvised Jazz Solo "Keep Holding On" Nominated

References

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  1. ^ "Jazz festival salutes Gerald Albright". Cape Gazette. October 10, 2019. Retrieved 2022-07-24. He has been nominated for several other Grammys, including in 2008 for New Beginnings and in 2009 for Sax for Stax. Subsequent Grammy nods were earned for 24/7 in 2012 and Slam Dunk in 2014. His latest release, 30, commemorates 30 years since the release of his debut CD, Just Between Us.
  2. ^ a b c "Castle Rock News Press release on Gerald Albright receiving Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award".
  3. ^ "San Diego Voice & Viewpoint Interview with Gerald Albright". 26 October 2021.
  4. ^ Birchmeier, Jason. "Gerald Albright". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  5. ^ "JazzinPopCulture Report on the inauguration of Bill Clinton".
  6. ^ Game Credits for Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
  7. ^ "Article on encyclopedia.com about Gerald Albright with quotes from a CBB interview".
  8. ^ FAQ at GeraldAlbright.com
  9. ^ Chinen, Nate; Ratliff, Ben (4 August 2014). "New York Times announcing the release of album "Slam Dunk"". The New York Times.
  10. ^ "Gerald Albright: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard.
  11. ^ "Gerald Albright: Adult Contemporary". Billboard.
  12. ^ "Gerald Albright: Smooth Jazz Airplay". Billboard.
  13. ^ "Gerald Albright: Adult R&B Airplay". Billboard.
  14. ^ "Gerald Albright". Grammy.com.
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