Saxophone (1943-1999)

Born 12 December 1943 in Buffalo, New York, Grover Washington Jr. was an American jazz-funk and soul-jazz saxophonist considered a founder of smooth jazz alongside Wes Montgomery and George Benson. His mother sang in church choirs whilst his father played saxophone and collected jazz records, giving Washington his first saxophone at age eight. After playing with the Four Clefs, Washington was drafted into the US Army in 1965, playing with the 19th Army Band at Fort Dix and meeting Billy Cobham. He moved to Philadelphia in 1967.

His breakthrough came in 1971 when Hank Crawford couldn't make a Kudu Records session and Washington replaced him, resulting in debut album Inner City Blues. Mister Magic (1974) reached number one R&B and number 10 pop. Feels So Good (1975) also hit number one R&B. His signature album Winelight (1980) featured "Just the Two of Us" with Bill Withers, peaking at number two and winning two Grammy Awards. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, he created hits including "Mister Magic", "Reed Seed", and "The Best is Yet to Come", collaborating with Patti LaBelle and Phyllis Hyman. Washington died of a heart attack on 17 December 1999 whilst taping CBS' Saturday Early Show, aged 56.