Representative Albums: "Songs from the Key of Life," "The Best of Najee," "Rising Sun"
Biography
One of the best-selling instrumentalists of the late '80s to mid-'90s, Najee has been a consistent favorite in the quiet storm and so-called "smooth jazz" markets. Often compared to Kenny G, George Howard, and Dave Koz, the New Yorker has been greatly influenced by Grover Washington, Jr. -- although he hasn't been nearly as adventurous. Heavily produced and quite formulaic, Najee's albums have tended to avoid improvisation and strive for commercial radio airplay above all else. Debuting in 1987 with Najee's Theme, Najee was an immediate hit in the new adult contemporary (NAC) market. Similiar pop/urban jazz dates like 1988's Day By Day and 1990's Tokyo Blue did nothing to jeopardize his niche on smooth jazz radio. On stage, Najee takes some risks and stretches out more -- in fact, he has been quoted as saying he'd like to record a straight-ahead jazz or hard bop album eventually. But financially, Najee has had little incentive to pursue such a project. Morning Tenderness was released in 1998. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
Jerome Najee Rasheed born in New York, NY is a Jazz/Smooth Jazz artist.
He was a member of Chaka Khan's band in 1983, (The Ain't Nobody Tour). In addition to all the saxophones (Tenor, Alto and Soprano), Najee also plays flute, and keyboards. He is one of the first innovators of Urban Contemporary Jazz/Smooth Jazz, which grew in popularity throughout the 1990's to this day. His first 4 albums certified Gold by the RIAA. He was nominated for a Grammy in 1988 for "Najee's Theme". He won the Soul Train Music Awards in 1993 and 1995 for best Jazz Artist. Most recent awards include The NAACP Image Awards 2006 and the 2008 Trumpet Awards.
Najee has performed and recorded with other artists, including singers Freddie Jackson, Will Downing and Jeffrey Osborne, and instrumentalists Marcus Miller, Charles Earland, Paul Jackson Jr. and George Duke. He recorded a tribute album in honor of Stevie Wonder, featuring covers of songs from Wonder's 1976 album, Songs in the Key of Life. He also played and toured with Prince from 2001 to 2003 and recorded The "Rainbow Children" CD and is featured on the "One Night Alone" (Live)CD. His greatest-hits album, The Best of Najee, was released in 1998.
