Najee
Najee, born Jerome Najee Rasheed, is a Grammy-nominated saxophonist and flutist renowned for pioneering urban contemporary jazz. A native of New York City's Greenwich Village, he grew up in Jamaica, Queens, after losing his father at age four and was deeply influenced by his mother Mary Richards' jazz records of artists like Miles Davis.
Najee started music at age eight with the clarinet in grade school, soon switching to saxophone and flute. He trained in high school at Harlem's Jazzmobile under Jimmy Heath, Frank Foster, and Ernie Wilkins, and studied flute at age 16 with Harold Jones of the New York Philharmonic at Manhattan School of Music's Preparatory Division. Later, he attended the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston with his brother Fareed.
In the early 1980s, Najee and Fareed toured with Chaka Khan on her "Ain't Nobody" tour. His 1986 debut album Najee's Theme (EMI/Capitol) earned a Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Album and led to opening for Freddie Jackson's tour. His 1988 follow-up Day by Day went gold, produced by Barry Eastmond.
Najee's 1990 album Tokyo Blue, produced by Fareed, became one of his biggest hits and also went gold, earning him Soul Train Awards for Best Jazz Artist in 1991 and 1993. He has two Grammy nominations overall, collaborated with Prince (2001-2003, including Rainbow Children), Stevie Wonder (1998 tribute album), Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, and others, and performed at events like Nelson Mandela's birthday and the White House.
Later releases include Share My World (1994), Morning Tenderness (1998, #1 on contemporary jazz charts), Embrace (2003, with Roy Ayers), The Morning After (2013, NAACP Image Award nominee), and recent works blending jazz, R&B, and world music. He won an NAACP Image Award in 2006 and continues touring internationally.
Najee’s Theme
A1 Feel So Good To Me 4:35
A2 Najee's Theme 4:33
A3 For The Love Of You (Drums – Richie Ruiz) 4:58
A4 Can't Hide Love (Drums – Omar Hakim) 5:06
A5 We're Still Family 4:52
Night Side
B1 Sweet Love 4:44
B2 Betcha Don't Know (Piano [Acoustic] – Rahni Song) 5:48
B3 What You Do To Me (Drums – Ralph Rolle, Piano [Acoustic] – Lesette Wilson) 5:09
B4 Mysterious 3:58
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute, Keyboards, Drum Programming – Najee
Art Direction – Henry Marquez
Bass Guitar – Barry Johnson
Coordinator [Administrator] – Anne L. Thomas
Coordinator [Production] – Zack Vaz
Design – Carol Chen
Direct Metal Mastering By – ZJack
Engineer – Andre DeBourg, Arthur Zarate, Kurt Upper, Larry DeCarmine, Roey Shamir
Engineer [Assistant] – Anthony Saunders, Howard Sutherland, Hugh "Big Beat" Nanton, Luiz duRocher
Executive-Producer – Beau Huggins
Guitar – Fareed
Keyboards [Bass] – Kris Kellow, Wayne Brathwaite
Keyboards [Bass], Vocals – Regis Branson
Keyboards, Keyboards [Bass], Programmed By [Synthesizer], Drum Programming, Backing Vocals – Rahni Song
Keyboards, Programmed By [Synthesizer], Drum Programming – Charles Elgart
Management – Hush Productions
Percussion – Peter Tateo
Photography By – Carol Weinberg
Producer – Charles Elgart (tracks: A3, A4, B3, B4), Najee (tracks: A3, A4, B3, B4), Rahni Song (tracks: A1, A2, A5, B1, B2)
Vocals – Andricka, Billy Rucker, John White, Karen Marshall, Scott White, Tanya Willoughby, Tracey Clay, Vanessa Anderson
Vocals, Percussion – Zachary Harris
Written-By – A. Baker (tracks: B1), C. Elgart (tracks: A3), G. Bias (tracks: B1), L. Johnson (tracks: B1), Najee (tracks: A3, B3), Onaje Allan Gumbs (tracks: B3), Rahni Song (tracks: A1, A2, A5, B2), R. Branson (tracks: A3), Skip Scarborough (tracks: A4), Wayne Brathwaite (tracks: B4), Zack Vaz (tracks: A1)
Label: EMI America – ST-17241
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1986
Genre: Jazz, Funk, Soul
Style: Smooth Jazz, Jazz-Funk
Najee's 1986 debut album, Najee's Theme, is a highly successful and acclaimed record in the smooth jazz and R&B genres, noted for its blend of soulful saxophone melodies with slick, funky grooves. It was a significant debut, achieving commercial success and establishing Najee's long-lasting career.
The album has been well-received by critics and fans, earning a 4.5 out of 5 stars from publications like The Urban Music Scene. Reviewers praise its ability to balance original compositions with standout cover songs, all anchored by Najee's versatile saxophone and flute playing.
The album is considered a key example of 80s dance-driven, synth-laden smooth jazz, offering a sound that is both relaxing and funky. The production, particularly by Rahni Song, is described as tastefully and thoughtfully done, with no compromise on musicianship.
The title track, "Najee's Theme", is a highlight, featuring Najee's smooth, bluesy tenor over a soft, percussive funk cushion. The album also features two popular cover songs that are often noted as fan favorites: "Sweet Love" (originally by Anita Baker) features Najee's soprano sax flurries over lush orchestrations. "Can't Hide Love" (originally by Earth, Wind & Fire) is a more organic, ballad-style track featuring live drums by Omar Hakim, allowing Najee to shine.
Najee's Theme was a remarkable accomplishment for a debut record, reaching number one on the contemporary jazz album charts for Billboard and solidifying Najee's status in jazz music circles.
User reviews on platforms like Amazon and Discogs largely echo critical praise, with many listeners giving the album five stars. Fans describe the album as "pure bliss," "wonderful to listen to," and a "master class" in smooth jazz. Many appreciate the nostalgic "summer time feeling" the album evokes and the quality of the musicianship.
Overall, Najee's Theme is regarded as a classic debut album that effectively showcased Najee's talent and set the benchmark for his long and successful career.