Winelight Explained

Winelight
Type:	Studio album
Artist:	Grover Washington Jr.
Border:	yes
Released:	October 24, 1980
Recorded:	June & July 1980
Studio:	Rosebud Recording Studio, New York City, New York
Genre:	Smooth jazz
Length:	39:01
Label:	Elektra
Producer:	Grover Washington Jr., Ralph MacDonald
Prev Title:	Skylarkin'
Prev Year:	1980
Next Title:	Come Morning
Next Year:	1981

Winelight is a 1980 studio album by jazz musician Grover Washington Jr. The record received the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Fusion Performance in 1982. The album was released by Elektra Records. It includes the Grammy Award-winning^[1] hit "Just the Two of Us" sung by Bill Withers. The track "In the Name of Love" from the album was also released in rearranged form, without Washington's saxophone track, under the name of Ralph MacDonald and Bill Withers (on vocals).

Reception

The album, propelled by "Just the Two of Us", is often credited for leading to the 1980s smooth jazz explosion.^[2]

Scott Yanow of AllMusic wrote: "A memorable set of high-quality and danceable soul-jazz".

Track listing

Side One

1. "Winelight" (William Eaton) – 7:32
2. "Let It Flow (For "Dr. J")" (Grover Washington Jr.) – 5:52
3. "In the Name of Love" (William Salter, Ralph MacDonald) – 5:26

Side Two

1. "Take Me There" (Washington) – 6:16
2. "Just the Two of Us" (Bill Withers, William Salter, Ralph MacDonald) – 7:23
3. "Make Me a Memory (Sad Samba)" (Washington) – 6:32

Personnel

• Grover Washington Jr. – alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone
• Richard Tee – Fender Rhodes (1, 3, 5, 6)
• Ray Chew – clavinet (1)
• Paul Griffin – clavinet (1), Fender Rhodes (2, 4)
• Ed Walsh – Oberheim 8-Voice (1-4, 6)
• Bill Eaton – Oberheim 8-Voice (5), arrangements and conductor
• Eric Gale – guitars
• Marcus Miller – bass
• Steve Gadd – drums
• Ralph MacDonald – congas, percussion, Syndrums
• Robert Greenidge – steel drums
• Hilda Harris, Yvonne Lewis, Ullanda McCullough – backing vocals
• Bill Withers – lead vocals (5)

Production

• Grover Washington Jr. – producer
• Ralph MacDonald – producer
• Richard Alderson – engineer
• Ed Heath – assistant engineer
• Vlado Meller – mastering at CBS Studios (New York City, New York).
• Paul Silverthorn – production coordinator
• Ron Coro – art direction, design
• Jim Shea – cover photography
• Don Hunstein – inner sleeve photography

Charts

Album

Chart (1980–81)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[3]	35
US Billboard Pop Albums^[4]	5
US Billboard Top Jazz Albums	1
US Billboard Top Soul Albums	2
UK Official Charts^[5]	34

Singles

External links

• Grover Washington Jr. – Winelight at Discogs

Notes and References

1. News: Catherine. Elsworth. Still a lovely day. The Daily Telegraph. 10 August 2006. 1 January 2009.
2. Web site: Micucci . Matt . 2020-06-17 . Song of the Day: Grover Washington, Jr. and Bill Withers, “Just the Two of Us” . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230529085157/https://www.jazziz.com/song-of-the-day-grover-washington-jr-and-bill-withers-just-the-two-of-us/ . 2023-05-29 . 2024-01-17 . JAZZIZ Magazine . en-US.
3. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 333.
4. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p136173/charts-awards/billboard-albums|pure_url=yes}} Grover Washington Jr. US albums chart history]. allmusic.com. 2011-08-26.
5. Web site: GROVER WASHINGTON JR full Official Chart History Official Charts Company. www.officialcharts.com. 2019-07-21.
6. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p136173/charts-awards/billboard-singles|pure_url=yes}} Grover Washington Jr. US singles chart history]. allmusic.com. 2011-08-26.