jazz musician; rhythm and blues musician; music arranger; producer
Personal Information
Born Gerald Anthony Albright in Los Angeles, on August 30, 1957; son of Mattie Pearl Albright and William Dudley Albright. Married Glynis, December 21, 1981; children: Selina Marie, Brandon Terrell.
Education: University of Redlands, B.A., business administration, 1979.
Memberships: Institute for Black Parenting, honorary spokesperson, 1989--; Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, 1978--.
Career
Studio recording musician--alto and tenor saxophone, bass, and vocals--and producer, 1980--; Atlantic Records recording artist, 1987-99.
Life's Work
Highly respected and popular among the public and other musicians, Gerald Albright easily straddles several styles of music: rhythm and blues, 'smooth jazz,' straightahead jazz, and instrumental pop. In addition to issuing eight solo discs, Albright has appeared on nearly 200 albums by others artists--primarily as a saxophonist, but sometimes as a bass player, vocalist, or producer.
Albright was born in 1957 in Los Angeles' South Central/Watts district, which remained his home through high school. He was the second of William and Mattie Albright's two children, with a brother eight years his senior. Urban problems were rampant in the neighborhood, and when racial tensions reached the ignition point throughout the United States during the mid-1960s, Watts was one of the communities that exploded. The riots that broke out in Watts in the summer of 1965 left 34 people dead and massive destruction in its wake. As Albright described to Contemporary Black Biography in an extensive interview, ''I saw the community fall apart, which was very traumatic. But there were plusses as well as minuses. The whole idea of family became especially important, the need to monitor one another. And I did see the community eventually come back together as well."
The Albright household was always filled with music--primarily gospel and soul. Albright's childhood and teen years encompassed a time of astounding originality across a spectrum of musical styles, and he absorbed all these influences from the albums around the house. As he told CBB, ''There was a lot of gospel--the Hawkins Singers, James Cleveland, that sort of thing. And then there was James Brown, Motown, the Philly International Sound, and so forth. It just felt good to be hearing these great sounds, digesting it all the time. Now everything is categorized, but back in the day, it was more about what you felt. And this combination turned out to be integral to my playing style."
One musician who had a huge impact on Albright was Maceo Parker, the legendary sax player who was a central figure in James Brown's band. As Albright recounted to CBB, ''I've listened a lot to Maceo, checking out his sound and his rhythmic ability. I hear him as a sax player imitating a drummer. He's so pure and honest and rhythmic. And the marriage between he and JB was irreplaceable."
Received Exceptional Mentoring
Albright became serious about playing music when he attended Locke High School, where he was fortunate enough to have several superb teachers. ''They were like my musical fathers," Albright told CBB. ''When they saw that a student was a little more advanced than the others, they would spend more time with him. They'd show the student a future in the field, and help him focus on a direction--both musically and career-wise." These teachers sometimes hired accomplished musicians--such as the visionary reedman Yusef Lateef or the arranger for the musical group Earth Wind & Fire--to conduct seminars and lectures. ''That was like what you'd expect to see on a college level, not high school," Albright remarked to CBB. ''It was another step in my opening as a musician. Also, I wanted to be a multi-instrumentalist, so seeing Yusef was a big inspiration."
Albright--who considered himself primarily a ''funkateer" at that time--was first introduced to jazz in this rich high school environment. "In the teachers' Msingi Workshops (Msingi is the Swahili word for ''foundation"), we played a lot of Thad Jones, Gerald Wilson, that sort of thing," Albright told CBB. ''That's when I started to learn how to blend. It was pivotal."
Besides Maceo Parker, another sax player who proved nearly as influential on Albright was Julian 'Cannonball' Adderley. This altoist is considered a pioneer in the 'soul jazz' idiom, because of his rhythmic propulsion--a joyous, 'funk soul' quality on top of his straightahead bebop skills. Adderley's playing was a great example of how funk textures could be incorporated into jazz.
During college, Albright continued to work on developing a distinctive style and tone. ''I've always strived for something unique," he explained to CBB, ''and would listen to those kinds of guys who had that going for them--such as Stanley Turrentine and Grover Washington. I also made it a point not to listen to who everyone else was into." Albright added, ''But you know, developing your own style doesn't happen overnight. It takes years until it dawns on you, 'oh yeah, that's my sound.' It's like a nine-to-five job--you do it and hope you continue to get better."
At this point, Albright also picked up another, quite different instrument. As he said in a record company flyer, ''During college I began playing bass after seeing Louis Johnson of Brothers Johnson. Listening to players like Anthony Jackson, Stanley Clarke, and Marcus Miller gave me a lot of incentive to learn the instrument."
Found Ideal Launchpad
Soon after graduating from college in 1979, Albright was hired by Patrice Rushen for an extended phase of playing bass in her band. Rushen, a jazz pianist turned R&B singer, was red hot at this point in her career, and the gig was an obvious turning point for Albright. He spent five years with Rushen, enjoying the connection with audiences and other players. ''The money was pretty good for that time, and it was consistent," Albright explained to CBB. ''I would also get horn solos on the side--drop a couple of notes on people's albums. So I was doing all right. But my love and commitment to the music meant I wasn't focused on the monetary stuff anyway. If you're aligned spiritually, if you're able to feel what you're hearing--that's what matters."
Albright had established a strong enough reputation to keep him occupied with studio appearances, and he toured with numerous musicians. However, when he landed a record deal with Atlantic Records in 1986, Albright finally felt free to strike out on his own. In 1988, he released his first album, Just Between Us, the first in a succession of well-received, popular discs. Albright silenced the 'jazz snobs' with his 1991 offering, Live at Birdland West, on which he demonstrated the ability to improvise, creatively and forcefully, as well as the straightahead jazz players. He dedicated that album to Cannonball Adderley. Albright was twice nominated for Grammy awards, in 1989 and 1990. He not only has written the majority of his material, but he has played multiple instruments, and produced or co-produced nearly all of his albums.
While Albright's recorded work has been romantically inclined in tone and content, that should not limit its usefulness. In an Atlantic Records promotional piece, Albright suggested various images to describe his 1994 album, Smooth: ''Some of the music ... has that late-night love vibe going. But the tunes work in a variety of settings: driving down the highway with the convertible top down; working late at the office; or whiling away a rainy Sunday afternoon at home."
Albright was selected to be one of 10 saxophonists to play at President Clinton's inauguration ceremony in 1993. This was a tremendous honor for Albright. As he said in the record company flyer, ''That was a real special moment. I was standing side by side with a lot of the players I grew up admiring, like Grover Washington, Jr., Gerry Mulligan, and Michael Brecker. After we finished playing, the President gave me the thumbs-up, and that certainly made my day."
Success Offered Freedom to Explore
Due to his popularity and his vast range of musical relationships, Albright has the freedom to move in many different musical circles. In 1998 Phil Collins asked him to front a Big Band, which enabled the British pop star to fulfill a long-cherished desire. Albright described the European leg of the tour to CBB: ''It was great. Phil's a nice, laid-back guy, someone who's witnessed it all. He would preface each gig by saying to the audience that he's wanted to be a big band drummer since 1966. It was not about the pop side of Phil. And the album that came out of the tour [A Hot Night in Paris, Atlantic, 1999] is truly fine, the sound quality and everything; we were all pleased with that one."
Another 1998 project of Albright's fared extremely well. His collaboration with vocalist extraordinaire, Will Downing, on the album Pleasures of the Night (Verve/Forecast) received lavish praise. More importantly, the album occupied the number one spot on Billboard's contemporary jazz chart. The duo had hit upon a commercially viable, musically sophisticated blend. Downing and Albright have been friends for the better part of 20 years. As Albright told CBB, ''Working with Will is wonderful. I'd say the best word for it is ''comfortable." We know each other so well, and we have so much in common--we're both family men, for example--plus, we've worked together in different settings over the past eight or nine years. So one day we decided to document our collaboration and put it out. And it turned out to be very successful."
The two musicians then had an inspired time touring behind the album. In the New York Amsterdam News, Albright commented on how he and Downing sometimes 'switch places' during the shows, when he vocalizes on his instrument as Downing intones saxophone-like sounds: ''It's not likely that people would pay to hear me sing, but we inspire one another to do different things on stage when we perform together. Will may sing a riff that would make me play something different than I normally would if he wasn't there, and vice versa. So it's a nice camaraderie on stage."
Albright plans to expand his professional repertoire. He will continue to compose music, record and produce his own albums, appear as a guest musician for other artists, and tour with his own band. However, as he told CBB, ''I also want to broaden my portfolio, by doing film scores and, eventually, starting a record company. And I want to offer seminars, lectures, for young people--you know, give back to the community."
Albright views the emergence of online technologies in a favorable light. As he asserted to CBB, ''The Internet is our friend. With respect to musicians, MP3 and all the other net stuff is still embryonic. A lot of things have to be worked out; the loopholes that are out there will need some troubleshooting. But to connect directly with the listener, cut out the middleman--that should be a great opportunity for players. And listeners will be able to customize--take just the cuts he or she digs. So I see this as a real win-win situation."
Nevertheless, many musicians are concerned about the sheer unpredictability of new technologies, and the fact that record companies seem to be more bottom line-oriented than ever. Albright takes a higher view. ''The most important thing, always, is that with my love and passion for the music, I know everything is going to be fine," he told CBB. ''I'll get my sound out there, by whatever means. Another blessing is my fan base. With any directions I choose, I won't be starting out from scratch."
Pleased Record Companies
The smooth jazz sound is highly popular on the airwaves, and it keeps advertising revenues flowing into radio stations throughout the country. But album sales do not necessarily reflect this tendency. ''In terms of airplay, smooth jazz is taking off, but not record sales," Albright said to CBB. In a New York Times piece, Peter Watrous quoted the manager of a consulting company that specializes in the smooth jazz format: ''Advertisers love this demographic because the audience is willing to spend money. They have sophisticated, really high-end stereo systems, and they'll go into a record store ... and walk out with a stack of 10 CDs every month. Kids can't afford that." This popularity cuts across the racial divide. In the same article, Watrous noted that ''A recent sold-out concert at [New York City's] Carnegie Hall ... featuring the singer Diane Reeves and the saxophonist Gerald Albright was surprisingly interracial, even in a city where races mingle more freely than in many other parts of the country."
Just because the 'smooth jazz' players choose to create a mellow groove on their albums, no one should forget that these musicians can 'set it off' whenever they are so inclined. In a different New York Times article, Peter Watrous described a Jazz Explosion show he attended at Carnegie Hall that featured Albright, Will Downing, Diane Reeves, guitarist Doc Powell, and keyboardist Alex Bugnon. According to Watrous, the first half of the show was professional and formal. ''But something happened backstage during intermission, and the second half became a different concert....The evening finished with Mr. Albright, a mainstay on soft-jazz radio. He opened his house-wrecking stint with a purely ornamental question, 'Is it all right if I take you to church?' In 'Georgia on My Mind,' his saxophone produced vocalisms. Then he went into a medley that included pieces by James Brown. He had the audience, split in half between women and men, sing, 'Talking about the ghetto.' The crowd, singing perfectly in time and in tune, brought on Sunday morning a few days early."
Whatever magic descended on New York City that evening presented an ideal opportunity for Albright to enlist all of his gifts and influences: gospel, funk, jazz, and dynamic showmanship. When everything comes together, a musician can experience gratification unlike any other form. As Albright affirmed to CBB, ''it's the greatest compliment you can get--spiritually moving the people."
Awards
Chosen to Perform at President Bill Clinton's Inauguration Ceremony, 1993; Two-time Grammy Award Nominee, 1989, 1990; Black Radio Exclusive, Best Jazz Artist Award, 1988; Boy's Club of America, Recognition Award, 1991.
Works
Selected discography
- Just Between Us, Atlantic Records, 1988.
- Bermuda Nights, Atlantic, 1988.
- Dream Come True, Atlantic, 1990.
- Live at Birdland West, Atlantic, 1991.
- Smooth, Atlantic, 1994.
- Giving Myself to You, Atlantic, 1995.
- Live to Love, Atlantic, 10997.
- Pleasures of the Night, (with Will Downing), Verve/Forecast, 1998.
Further Reading
Periodicals
- The New York Amsterdam News, January 7-13, 1999, p. 19.
- The New York Times, January 18, 1997, p. 21; June 5, 1997, p. C13.
- Additional information for this profile was obtained from an interview with CBB in September of 1999; and a promotional biography flyer from Atlantic Records, 1994.
— Mark Baven
