In the annals of Black music history, we all know what Detroit had poppin’ with Motown. The narratives of Philadelphia and Chicago are documented pretty well also. Even Minneapolis has got a solid backstory. For some reason, however, New York is seen as a one-trick pony. The prevailing thoughts are that hip-hop is our main contribution to contemporary music.
A movement in the ’80s, however, the Charles and Beau Huggins helmed Hush Productions, alerted the world that New York did indeed have a take on and an interpretation of funk/soul/R&B. A firsthand account of what that platform meant was given by an artist who benefited greatly from it as he shared, “In terms of its impact on the industry and the stars that came from there—Kashif; Freddie Jackson; Melba Moore; Ray, Goodman and Brown; Force M.D.’s; Lillo Thomas to name a few—it’s a story that needs to be told.”
Humility keeps him from included himself among the luminaries, but Najee has proved to have left an indelible legacy in his own right and after 30-plus years in the industry. He vividly remembers how it all began. He said, “Charles heard me on a track and didn’t believe it was me because he’d known me as a keyboard player [he was noticed while playing with the group Change]. He asked me to bring in some demos so that he could hear what I was doing. Two weeks later I got a call from him saying I got you a deal with Capitol/EMI Records. So I went and got this little out of tune soprano saxophone and we put together an album called ‘Najee’s Theme.’ Three months after that, I’d have my first gold album. When it’s for you, it’s for you.”
That gold plaque wouldn’t be alone for long; Najee has amassed two platinum and four gold albums. Not content to sit on his laurels, he recently released his 17th album, “Poetry in Motion.”
With the new project, Najee calls on a few all-star friends to create a dialogue well worth remembering. His fourth recording for Shanachie unites him with such dynamic musicians as Will Downing, Maysa, Eric Roberson, Bluey of Incognito, Barry Eastmond, Bobby Lyle, Blake Aaron and Randy Bowland. These talents just add to the resume of artists with whom Najee has created. In fact, the CD is dedicated to two ground-breaking musicians Najee has had the distinction of working with—Prince and Al Jarreau. “Both artists in their own way have changed the culture of music forever,” he shared. “Whenever I have worked with people of their caliber of artistry, I have always walked away with something that helps to shape my musical conversation.”
If you were privy to hear the musical conversation, as he phrases his artistic makeup, you’ll find that he’s multilingual, so to speak, as various elements of music surrounded a kid who was raised in NYC. His “diction” and “articulation” however has roots. Born in the Greenwich Village section of New York City and raised in Jamaica, Queens, Najee began his musical pursuits in grade school.
“As a kid I was into the R&B and jazz music of my time,” he said. “I familiarized myself with different kinds of music all the time. As I began to develop on my instruments, there were John Coltrane and Charlie Parker for the saxophone, and as a flutist, Yusef Lateef and Hubert Laws were some of the artists that inspired me.”
Later, he had the good fortune of coming through Dr. Billy Taylor’s now legendary Jazzmobile program out of Harlem, tutored by Frank Foster, Jimmy Heath and Ernie Wilkins, and as a student at the New England Conservatory, studying jazz with George Russell and Jaki Byard. Najee explained, “People know from where I started, doing R&B instrumentals with a saxophone lead. But jazz is the base that fuels my creativity. As my career progressed I’ve had the opportunity and freedom to infuse more jazz elements into my music.”
Aside from the love, the sharing of his brand of music holds significant importance. “My friend Dianne Reeves once told me that although this is what we do, we also have the responsibility to educate our audience,” he said.
As Najee continues his quest to greatness, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center will celebrate the memory of one of jazz’s deities with the sixth annual TD James Moody Jazz Festival from Nov. 4 to Nov. 12, culminating with a star-studded celebration of Ella Fitzgerald and Dizzy Gillespie’s 100th birthdays, with Gregory Porter, Lizz Wright, Regina Carter, Valerie Simpson, Randy Brecker and Sean Jones, backed by the Christian McBride Big Band.
For further information on the festival and participating artists, go to NJPAC.com.
Just in: Xscape has announced its first-ever headlining tour, The Great Xscape Tour. The group will be joined on tour by special guests, Monica and Tamar Braxton. The Great Xscape Tour arrives at the Prudential Center Nov. 25.
Tickets go on sale Friday, Sept. 22, at 10 a.m. and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com, by phone at 1-800-745-3000 or in person starting at 11 a.m. Sept. 25 at the Prudential Center box office. For more information, visit prucenter.com.
I’m out, holla next week. Til then, enjoy the nightlife.