Najee
Najee Rasheed is one of a few smooth jazz artists who can play multiple instruments.
In addition to the saxophone (although the soprano sax is his main instrument, he has also played alto and tenor), Najee can also play flute, keyboards and bass synthesizer. He was one of the first innovators of urban jazz, which grew in popularity throughout the 1990s.
Najee has performed with other artists, including singers Freddie Jackson, Will Downing and Jeffrey Osborne, and instrumentalists Marcus Miller, Paul Jackson Jr. and George Duke. He also 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 around 2001.
His greatest-hits album, The Best of Najee, was released in 1998.
Discography
- Najee's Theme (1986)
- Day by Day (1988)
- Tokyo Blue (1990)
- Just an Illusion (1992)
- Share My World (1994)
- Najee Plays Songs from the Key of Life (1995)
- The Best of Najee (1998)
- Morning Tenderness (1998)
- Embrace (2003)
Awards
1988 Soul Train Music Award – Best Jazz Album : Najee's Theme
1990 Soul Train Music Award – Best Jazz Album : Tokyo Blue
Billboard Charts
Najee's Theme
Top Contemporary Jazz Albums No. 1
Top Jazz Albums No. 8
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums No. 12
The Billboard 200 No. 56
Top Contemporary Jazz Albums No. 6
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums No. 23
The Billboard 200 No. 76
Tokyo Blue
Top Contemporary Jazz Albums No. 1
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums No. 17
The Billboard 200 No. 63
Just an Illusion
Top Contemporary Jazz Albums No. 5
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums No. 25
The Billboard 200 No. 107
Share My World
Top Contemporary Jazz Albums No. 2
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums No. 23
The Billboard 200 No. 163
Songs from the Key of Life
Top Contemporary Jazz Albums No. 6
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums No. 67
Morning Tenderness
Top Contemporary Jazz Albums No. 2
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums No. 65
The Best of Najee Top Contemporary Jazz Albums No. 15
Love Songs Top Contemporary Jazz Albums No. 23
Embrace Top Contemporary Jazz Albums No. 7
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums No. 82
Categories: Jazz saxophonists