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