Najee 6:30 pm
City Winery Pittsburgh presents Najee Saturday, November 2nd, 2024 6:30 PM
The Billboard #1 Artist’s New CD is a Pan-American Journey Traversing The US & Brazil Featuring An All-Star Line-Up with Alyson Williams, Frank McComb, Chris “Big Dog” Davis, Barry Eastmond, Robert Herbert & Adam Hawley among others.
“My life has been a series of pivotal events and circumstances that have gotten me to where I am,” reflects the fearless chart-topping Contemporary Jazz pioneer Najee. In a business where trends and artists come and go, the genre-bending saxophonist’s staying power is a rare blessing. The Grammy and NAACP award-winning musician’s genuine love for connecting with people, coupled with his consummate musicianship and sheer passion for music, has made him one of the brightest stars in Contemporary Jazz for close to four decades. “I heard this beautiful saying once,” explains the Zen saxophonist who has collaborated with Prince, Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, and Herbie Hancock, among others. “It said that some people meet their destiny while traveling on a road trying to avoid it. I recall as a young man contemplating the idea of changing directions and going into banking. Here I am still doing what I am doing because it’s what I am meant to do! Every day I wake up and I am grateful for my life and career.” Najee’s gratitude permeates every note on Savoir Faire, his newest recording out on Shanachie Entertainment on May 13, 2022. Recorded during the pandemic, Savoir Faire, a Pan-American excursion, found Najee enlisting friends from New York, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Connecticut, Florida, Sao Paulo, and Rio, to honor a melting pot of influences. “I gave up worrying about disputes between genres a long time ago,” states Najee. “Duke Ellington said there are only two kinds of music: good music and bad music. So based on that I do not worry. People seem to forget that in the early days of jazz, the music was designed to make people dance. All of your experiences live inside you and they come out in your music. I just want to make good music and make it accessible for people to enjoy.” Fait Accompli on Savoir Faire!
When Najee was just a kid, he had the great fortune of meeting two iconic jazzmen: Sonny Rollins and Charles Mingus. The introductions, which left lasting impressions further led him down his musical path. “When I was about 14, I was playing on a school instrument and everyone in the house was covering their ears and saying ‘stop, stop!’ My mom noticed that it was my thing and my release and so she bought me my first saxophone,” recalls Najee. As I began to develop on my instrument, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Yusef Lateef, and Hubert Laws became influences.” As Najee honed his skills he had the blessing of being mentored by iconic saxmen Jimmy Heath and Frank Foster and flutist Harold Jones. As an industrious and hungry young musician, Najee had the good fortune of coming through Dr. Billy Taylor’s now legendary Jazzmobile program. While a student at the New England Conservatory (where both Najee and his brother attended) he studied Jazz with luminaries George Russell and Jaki Byard. In the late 80s when Najee finished school and returned to New York, he landed a gig with Chaka Khan along with his brother, guitarist Fareed (who is his long-time manager).
In 1987 Najee’s Theme was released and the saxophonist earned a slot on tour with singer Freddie Jackson. The following year, Day By Day was released, and in 1991, Tokyo Blue, which is one of Najee’s most successful and enduring recordings. Tokyo Blue (which was produced by Najee’s brother Fareed) and Day By Day both went Gold and led to two Soul Train Awards for Najee (Best Jazz Artist in 1991 and 1993). Just An Illusion came in 1992 and around the same time he collaborated with the iconic Quincy Jones, as well as with jazz greats Stanley Clarke, Billy Cobham and Larry Carlton for the album Live At The Greek. 1994 saw the release of Share My World and the following year, Najee received critical praise for his tribute to Stevie Wonder’s 1976 classic, Songs In The Key Of Life that was produced by George Duke and featured Herbie Hancock and Sheila E. among others. Najee’s CD Morning Tenderness, released in 1998, went to #1 on the contemporary jazz charts. The late ‘90s were marked by extraordinary international experiences, from performing at Nelson Mandela’s birthday celebration in South Africa to playing as a special guest of President Clinton at the White House at an event honoring President Jerry Rawlings of the Republic of Ghana. Najee also spent two years of touring (2001-2003) with Prince and appeared on Prince’s albums Rainbow Children and One Night Alone. In 2003 Najee released Embrace, featuring special guests Roy Ayers and BeBe Winans. My Point Of View was his follow-up in 2005 featuring his good friend and vocalist Will Downing. 2007’s Rising Sun joined Najee with Phil Perry and Mind Over Matter from 2009 paired Najee with singer Eric Benét. The Smooth Side Of Soul (Najee’s Shanachie debut) followed in 2012, successfully covering such diverse terrain as Jimmy Heath and Ne-Yo and the follow-up, The Morning After, arrived in 2013 debuting at #1 on the Billboard charts and exploring the many sides of love. You, Me & Forever was released in 2015 and united Najee with James Lloyd and Frank McComb among others.
