GERALD ALBRIGHT
Saxophone
Gerald Albright is one of the biggest stars of R&B, contemporary, straight-ahead and smooth jazz. Born and raised in Los Angeles, he began piano lessons at an early age. By the time he enrolled at the University of Redlands, Gerald was already an accomplished saxophonist, but he switched to bass after he saw Louis Johnson in concert. Playing both sax and bass, he became the consummate session and touring musician in the 80s, working with everyone from Anita Baker, Ray Parker, Jr., The Temptations and Maurice White to Teena Marie and Whitney Houston. In 1987, in the infancy of what became the smooth jazz format, Gerald launched his solo career. After two of his albums hit number one on Billboard’s Top Contemporary Jazz Chart and earned him his first Grammy nominations, Phil Collins asked him to front a Big Band and they toured together. He also performed and toured with Jeff Lorber, George Duke, Earl Klugh, Will Downing, Jonathan Butler and Chaka Khan, among many others. Furthermore, he was Part of ‘Summer Horns by Dave Koz and Friends’ (incl. Mindi Abair and Richard Elliot). Over the years, five more Grammy nominations followed.
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