Before there was cool jazz, there was Grover Washington. If you ever want to find out just how much you can pull out of a pentatonic scale in a one-chord jam, Grover is the guy to listen to.
That simplicity was the reason I felt lukewarm toward him back in my coming-up days when I was cutting my teeth on bebop. Charlie Parker was my man back then. Grover was pabulum. Not that I could play like him, but I felt confident that I could easily reproduce what he was doing if I wanted to.
Evidently I had a lot more ability back in college when I was just learning my horn than I have today. Then again, there’s the possibility that I was just plain dumb. Listening to Grover today reminds me that music doesn’t have to be harmonically dense and lightning-paced in order to be both challenging and good. Grover Washington had a beautiful sound, fabulous chops, and a distinctive, personal approach–and what he could do with a simple groove is by no means simple.
Just check out this video of a 1981 performance in Philadelphia and you’ll see what I mean. Here is Grover Washington Jr. playing “Winelight” on the alto sax. I think you’ll agree it’s a sublime rendition.
