Grover Washington Jr: Sacred Kind Of Love – The Columbia Recordings, 5CD

British label SoulMusic Records is very proud to present “Sacred Kind Of Love: The Columbia Recordings,” a 5-disc deluxe box set of six stellar albums, spanning nine years (1987-1996) by legendary saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr., justifiably considered an influential pioneer in fusing jazz, soul, R&B and pop and bringing his distinctive sound to mainstream audiences globally.

After he signed with Columbia Records in 1986, Washington had already established himself as a leader in the genre known as ‘jazz/funk’ thanks to a series of ground breaking albums for Kudu Records (including “Mister Magic” and “Feels So Good”) in the mid-‘70s. The 1980 release of “Winelight,” Washington’s million-selling debut for Elektra Records (which contained the mega-hit ‘Just The Two Of Us’, featuring Bill Withers) marked a state change in the crossover appeal of what became known worldwide as ‘smooth jazz.’

Four of the six albums –STRAWBERRY MOON (1987), TIME OUT OF MIND (1989), NEXT EXIT (1992) and SOULFUL STRUT (1996), his final LP for Columbia – achieved success on the U.S. R&B, jazz and pop charts, while two albums, 1988’s THEN AND NOW (with guest players such as Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Grady Tate) and 1994’s ALL MY TOMORROWS (featuring Eddie Henderson, Bobby Watson, Hank Jones, Robin Eubanks and Billy Hart) were both critically acclaimed by audiences demonstrating Grover’s skill as a ‘straight ahead’ jazz musician of the first order.

Various special guest vocal performances by Jean Carne (‘The Look Of Love’, ‘Keep In Touch’), Phyllis Hyman (‘Sacred Kind Of Love’), B.B. King (‘Caught A Touch Of Your Love’), Nancy Wilson (‘Your Love’), Lalah Hathaway (‘Love Like This’) and The Four Tops’ Levi Stubbs (‘Till You Return To Me’) are among the many highlights of Grover’s tenure with Columbia Records along with bonus tracks, ‘Protect The Dream’ (originally released on the CD version of TIME OUT MIND); ‘Every Day A Little Death’, (from the 1995 Sony album, “Color And Light: Jazz Sketches On Sondheim”); ‘Heat Index’ and ‘The Night Fantastic’, both originally included on “Prime Cuts,” a Columbia Records’ compilation released in 1999, the year Grover passed away at the age of 56.

“Sacred Kind Of Love: The Columbia Recordings” includes detailed liner notes by renowned UK writer Charles Waring that include comments from Ramsey Lewis; a personal tribute to Washington by reissue producer and SoulMusic.com founder David Nathan; with first class mastering by Nick Robbins and superb artwork by Roger Williams.