Gerald Albright
{{Short description|American jazz saxophonist}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Gerald Albright
| image = Gerald Albright.jpg
| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1957|08|30}}
| birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| genre = Jazz, Smooth Jazz, Funk, Disco, R&B
| occupation = Musician
| instrument = Saxophone, bass guitar, keyboards, flute
| years_active = 1987–present
| label = Atlantic/WEA, GRP, Peak, Heads Up, Concord, Bright Music
| website = {{URL|geraldalbright.com}}
}}
Gerald Albright (born August 30, 1957{{Cite web |title=Gerald A Albright, Born 08/30/1957 in California {{!}} CaliforniaBirthIndex.org |url=https://californiabirthindex.org/birth/gerald_a_albright_born_1957_6070796 |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=California Birth Index}}) is an American jazz saxophonist. He earned Grammys for the albums 24/7 in 2012 and Slam Dunk in 2014 and was nominated for New Beginnings in 2008 and for Sax for Stax in 2009.
{{cite web |url=https://www.capegazette.com/article/jazz-festival-salutes-gerald-albright/190233 |title=Jazz festival salutes Gerald Albright |last= |first= |date=October 10, 2019 |website=Cape Gazette |publisher= |access-date=2022-07-24 |quote=He has been nominated for several other Grammys, including in 2008 for New Beginnings and in 2009 for Sax for Stax. Subsequent Grammy nods were earned for 24/7 in 2012 and Slam Dunk in 2014. His latest release, 30, commemorates 30 years since the release of his debut CD, Just Between Us.}}
Biography
Albright began piano lessons at an early age, although he professed no interest in the instrument. His love of music picked up when he was given a saxophone that belonged to his piano teacher.{{Cite web |title=Castle Rock News Press release on Gerald Albright receiving Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award |date=24 September 2021 |url=https://castlerocknewspress.net/stories/local-musician-receives-lifetime-award-signed-by-biden,382482}} It further reinforced when he attended Locke High School. After high school, he attended the University of Redlands where he was initiated into the Iota Chi chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha and received a degree in business management with a minor concentration on music.{{Cite web |title=San Diego Voice & Viewpoint Interview with Gerald Albright |date=26 October 2021 |url=https://sdvoice.info/fiyah-the-live-interview-with-jazz-legend-gerald-albright/}} He switched to bass guitar after he saw Louis Johnson in concert.
After college, Albright worked as a studio musician in the 1980s{{cite web |last1=Birchmeier |first1=Jason |title=Gerald Albright |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/gerald-albright-mn0000647670/biography |website=AllMusic |access-date=6 October 2018}} for Anita Baker, Ray Parker Jr., Olivia Newton-John, and The Temptations. He joined Patrice Rushen, who was forming a band, in which he played saxophone. When the bassist left in the middle of a tour, Albright replaced him and finished the tour playing bass guitar. Around the same time, he began to tour Europe with drummer Alphonse Mouzon. He has also toured with Anita Baker, Phil Collins, Johnny Hallyday, Whitney Houston, Quincy Jones, Jeff Lorber, and Teena Marie In addition to appearances at clubs and jazz festivals, he has been part of Jazz Explosion tours on which he played with Will Downing, Jonathan Butler, Chaka Khan, Hugh Masekela, and Rachelle Ferrell.
Albright has appeared in the television programs A Different World, Melrose Place and jazz segments for Black Entertainment Television, as well as piloting a show in Las Vegas with Meshach Taylor of Designing Women. He was one of ten saxophonists to perform at the inauguration of President Bill Clinton.{{Cite web |title=JazzinPopCulture Report on the inauguration of Bill Clinton |url=https://www.jazzinpopculture.com/details.php?entry_id=24}}
His saxophone work appears in the PlayStation video game Castlevania: Symphony of the Night during the theme song "I Am the Wind", which includes keyboardist Jeff Lorber.[http://www.mobygames.com/game/playstation/castlevania-symphony-of-the-night/credits Game Credits for Castlevania: Symphony of the Night]
Albright himself describes his playing style as being influenced to a large extent by the music which he heard when being a teenager: A mixture of gospel, Motown, Philly International Sound played by the likes of James Cleveland, The Hawkins Singers, James Brown with his band and particularly Maceo Parker.{{Cite web |title=Article on encyclopedia.com about Gerald Albright with quotes from a CBB interview |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/music-popular-and-jazz-biographies/gerald-albright}}
In September 2021 Gerald Albright received the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from President Joseph R. Biden.
Equipment
Albright plays a professional Big Bell Stone Signature Series model of saxophone made by Cannonball Musical Instruments. Of the two necks that are furnished with the Cannonball saxophones, he usually uses the "Fat Neck" with the octave vent tube on the bottom of the neck, a design similar to some vintage Conn 6M models.On mouthpieces, he uses a Beechler Diamond on alto with Silverstein Hexa ligature, Theo Wanne stainless steel Shiva on tenor.[https://geraldalbright.com/faqs/ FAQ] at GeraldAlbright.com Albright also plays bass guitar.
Discography
= Albums =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Album ! colspan="9"| Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2"| Label |
|---|
| style="font-size:smaller;"
! style="width:50px;"|US ! style="width:50px;"|US ! style="width:50px;"|US ! style="width:50px;"|US ! style="width:50px;"|US ! style="width:50px;"|US ! style="width:50px;"|US ! style="width:50px;"|US ! style="width:50px;"|US |
| 1988
| align="left"| Just Between Us | 181 | — | — | 7 | 21 | — | 181 | — | — | rowspan="7"| Atlantic |
| 1988
| align="left"| Bermuda Nights | — | — | — | 12 | 53 | — | — | — | — |
| 1990
| align="left"| Dream Come True | — | — | — | 1 | 50 | — | — | — | — |
| 1991
| align="left"| Live at Birdland West – {{small|(live album)}} | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — |
| 1994
| align="left"| Smooth | 151 | 151 | 2 | 2 | 25 | — | 151 | — | — |
| 1995
| align="left"| Giving Myself to You | — | — | 10 | — | — | 4 | — | — | — |
| 1997
| align="left"| Live to Love | — | — | 5 | 4 | 59 | — | — | — | — |
| 1998
| align="left"| Pleasures of the Night | 169 | 169 | 1 | 1 | 36 | — | 169 | — | — | PolyGram |
| 2001
| align="left"| The Very Best of Gerald Albright | — | — | 19 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | Atlantic |
| 2002
| align="left"| Groovology | — | — | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | rowspan="2"| GRP |
| 2004
| align="left"| Kickin' It Up | — | — | 8 | 5 | 26 | — | — | — | — |
| 2006
| align="left"| New Beginnings | — | — | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | rowspan="2"| Peak |
| 2008
| align="left"| Sax for Stax | — | — | 7 | 4 | 24 | — | — | — | — |
| 2010
| align="left"| Pushing the Envelope | — | — | 6 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | rowspan="3"| Concord |
| 2012
| align="left"| 24/7 | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 168 | — | 25 |
| 2013
| align="left"| Dave Koz and Friends: Summer Horns | 84 | 84 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 76 | — | — |
| 2014
| align="left"| Slam Dunk | 182 | 182 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 138 | — | — | Heads Up |
| 2016
| align="left"| G | — | — | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | 50 | — | rowspan="2"| Bright |
| 2018
| align="left"| 30 | — | — | 7 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018
| align="left"| Dave Koz and Friends: Summer Horns II – From A to Z | — | 55 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 48 | — | — | Concord |
| 2019
| align="left"| Not So Silent Night | — | — | 18 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | There |
| colspan="12" style="font-size:90%" |"—" denotes a recording that did not chart. |
= Singles =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"; |
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Title ! colspan="6"| Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2"| Album |
|---|
| style="font-size:smaller;"
! style="width:50px;"| Hot R&B/ ! style="width:50px;"| Adult ! style="width:50px;"| Smooth Jazz ! style="width:50px;"| Hot Gospel ! style="width:50px;"| Adult R&B ! style="width:50px;"| Gospel |
| 1987
| align="left"| "So Amazing" | 12 | 42 | {{n/a}} | {{n/a}} | {{n/a}} | {{n/a}} | rowspan="2"| Just Between Us |
| rowspan="2"| 1988
| align="left"| "New Girl on the Block" | 59 | — | {{n/a}} | {{n/a}} | {{n/a}} | {{n/a}} |
| align="left"| "Feeling Inside"
| 47 | — | {{n/a}} | {{n/a}} | {{n/a}} | {{n/a}} | rowspan="2"| Bermuda Nights |
| 1989
| align="left"| "In the Mood" | 80 | — | {{n/a}} | {{n/a}} | {{n/a}} | {{n/a}} |
| rowspan="2"| 1990
| align="left"| "Lift Every Voice and Sing" | 9 | — | {{n/a}} | {{n/a}} | {{n/a}} | {{n/a}} |
| align="left"| "My, My, My"
| 54 | — | {{n/a}} | {{n/a}} | {{n/a}} | {{n/a}} |
| 1994
| align="left"| "This Is for the Lover in You" | 75 | — | {{n/a}} | {{n/a}} | {{n/a}} | {{n/a}} | Smooth |
| 1998
| align="left"| "Stop, Look, Listen to Your Heart" | — | — | {{n/a}} | {{n/a}} | 26 | {{n/a}} | rowspan="2"| Will Downing – Pleasures of the Night |
| 1999
| align="left"| "Pleasures of the Night" | — | — | {{n/a}} | {{n/a}} | 30 | {{n/a}} |
| 2000
| align="left"| "When You Need Me" | — | — | {{n/a}} | {{n/a}} | 18 | {{n/a}} |
| rowspan="2"| 2005
| align="left"| "Hey Young World" | — | — | 10 | — | — | — | Various Artists – Def Jazz |
| align="left"| "To the Max"
| — | — | 38 | — | — | — | Kickin' It Up |
| 2006
| align="left"| "We Got the Groove" | — | — | 17 | — | — | — |
| 2008
| align="left"| "Knock on Wood" | — | — | 26 | — | — | — | rowspan="2"| Sax for Stax |
| 2009
| align="left"| "Walkin' Down Beale Street" | — | — | 29 | — | — | — |
| 2010
| align="left"| "Highway 70" | — | — | 20 | — | — | — | rowspan="2"| Pushing the Envelope |
| 2011
| align="left"| "I Found the Klugh" | — | — | 8 | — | — | — |
| rowspan="2"| 2012
| align="left"| "In the Moment" | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | rowspan="2"| 24/7 |
| align="left"| "Champagne Life" {{small|(Gerald Albright / Norman Brown)}} | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| rowspan="3"| 2013
| align="left"| "Full Tank" | — | — | 20 | — | — | — | Ben Tankard – Full Tank |
| align="left"| "Got to Get You into My Life" {{small|(Dave Koz featuring Gerald Albright, Mindi Abair and Richard Elliot)}} | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | rowspan="3"| Dave Koz and Friends: Summer Horns |
| align="left"| "I Got You (I Feel Good)" {{small|(Dave Koz featuring Gerald Albright, Mindi Abair and Richard Elliot)}} | — | — | 3 | — | — | — |
| rowspan="2"| 2014
| align="left"| "Hot Fun in the Summertime" | — | — | 6 | — | — | — |
| align="left"| "Slam Dunk"
| — | — | 1 | — | — | — | Slam Dunk |
| rowspan="3"| 2015
| align="left"| "SomeBossa (Summer Breezin')" | — | — | 11 | — | — | — | Al Jarreau – My Old Friend: Celebrating George Duke |
| align="left"| "It's a Man's, Man's, Man's World"
| — | — | 8 | — | — | — | rowspan="2"| Slam Dunk |
| align="left"| "Because of You"
| — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| rowspan="3"| 2016
| align="left"| "Crush" | — | — | 8 | — | — | — | John Novello – Ivory Soul |
| align="left"| "Celebration" {{small|(Jonathan Fritzén featuring Gerald Albright)}} | — | — | 15 | — | — | — | Jonathan Fritzén – Fritzénized |
| align="left"| "Taking Control"
| — | — | 1 | — | — | — | rowspan="3"| G (Bonus Version) |
| rowspan="2"| 2017
| align="left"| "Boom Boom" | — | — | 3 | — | — | — |
| align="left"| "Frankie B."
| — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| rowspan="4"| 2018
| align="left"| "Just Between Us" | — | — | 5 | — | — | — | 30 |
| align="left"| "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)" {{small|(Dave Koz and Friends featuring Kenny Lattimore and Sheléa)}} | — | — | 10 | — | — | — | rowspan="2"| Dave Koz and Friends – Dave Koz and Friends: Summer Horns II – From A to Z |
| align="left"| "Keep That Same Old Feeling" {{small|(Dave Koz and Friends)}} | — | — | 13 | — | — | — |
| align="left"| "4 on the Floor"
| — | — | 2 | — | — | — | rowspan="2"| 30 |
| rowspan="2"| 2019
| align="left"| "New Beginnings" | — | — | 5 | — | — | — |
| align="left"| "Before I Let Go" {{small|(Dave Koz/Gerald Albright/Rick Braun/Richard Elliot/Aubrey Logan)}} | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | Dave Koz and Friends – Dave Koz and Friends: Summer Horns II – From A to Z |
| rowspan="2"| 2020
| align="left"| "Just In" | — | — | 9 | — | — | — | Justin-Lee Schultz – Gruv Kid |
| align="left"| "Better Days Ahead"
| — | — | 1 | — | — | — | rowspan="2"| G-Stream (EP) |
| rowspan="3"| 2021
| align="left"| "Hope" | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| align="left"| "Serendipity" {{small|(The Saxtress Pamela Williams featuring Gerald Albright)}} | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | Pamela Williams – Serendipity |
| align="left"| "Crazy"
| — | — | 1 | — | — | — | G-Stream (EP) |
| rowspan="3"| 2022
| align="left"| "G Wiggle" | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | G-Stream 2 – Turn It Up (EP) |
| align="left"| "Keep Holding On"
| — | — | — | — | — | — | Hank Bilal – Beneath the Covers |
| align="left"| "Eddie's Groove"
| — | — | 2 | — | — | — | G-Stream 2 – Turn It Up (EP) |
| 2023
| align="left"| "On My Way" | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | Phylicia Rae – On My Way |
| rowspan="2"| 2024
| align="left"| "Full Throttle" | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | G-Stream 3 – Full Throttle (EP) |
| align="left"| "Father in Heaven (Right Now)" {{small|(BeBe Winans featuring Gerald Albright)}} | — | — | — | 10 | — | 1 | BeBe Winans – TBA |
| 2025
| align="left"| "G Funk" | — | — | 14 | — | — | — | G-Stream 3 – Full Throttle (EP) |
| colspan="9" style="font-size:90%" |"—" denotes a recording that did not chart. |
= EPs =
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Album ! Label |
|---|
| 2020
| G-Stream | rowspan="3"| Bright Music |
| 2022
| G-Stream 2: Turn It Up |
| 2024
| G-Stream 3: Full Throttle |
= As sideman/guest =
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Artist ! Album ! Label |
|---|
| 1997
| Pauline Wilson | Only You |
| 1999
| The Phil Collins Big Band | A Hot Night In Paris | Atlantic |
| 2000
| Noel Elmowy | Feelin' Good | Expansion Records |
| 2008
| Gerald Alston | Gerald Alston Sings Sam Cooke | LST CO |
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Albright has received a sum of nine Grammy nominations.{{cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/gerald-albright|title=Gerald Albright|website=Grammy.com}}
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Category ! Nominated work ! Result |
|---|
| 1988
|Best R&B Instrumental Performance (Orchestra, Group or Soloist) |"So Amazing" (single) |{{nom}} |
| 1989
|Best R&B Instrumental Performance |{{nom}} |
| 2006
|{{nom}} |
| 2008
|{{nom}} |
| 2010
|{{nom}} |
| 2012
|24/7 |{{nom}} |
| 2013
|{{nom}} |
| 2014
|Best Contemporary Instrumental Album |Slam Dunk |{{nom}} |
| 2023
|"Keep Holding On" |{{nom}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15128807 Gerald Albright at NPR Music]
- [http://cannonballmusic.com/signature.php Gerald Albright Signature Series Saxophones] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090925131633/http://www.cannonballmusic.com/signature.php |date=2009-09-25 }}
{{Gerald Albright}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Albright, Gerald}}
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Category:University of Redlands alumni
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