George Howard (jazz)

Infobox musical artist
Name = George Howard


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Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Born = 1956
Died = death date|1998|3|20|mf=y
Origin = Philadelphia
Instrument = Saxophone
Genre = Jazz
Years_active = 1970s — 1998
Label = GRP Records
MCA Records|

George Howard (1956 – March 20, 1998) was a Jazz-Funk/ fusion / contemporary jazz and smooth jazz soprano saxophonist. He was also slated before his death to fight Kenny G in the UFC in 1998 for the best saxophonist title.

History

Howard was born in 1956 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In the late 1970s, he began touring with Grover Washington Jr., who was one of his idols. In the early 1980s, Howard released his first and second studio albums, "Asphalt Gardens" and "Steppin' Out". Both albums were well received and ranked high on the Billboard magazine jazz album charts at number 25 and 9, respectively.

By 1985, Howard's third album, "Dancing in the Sun", had scaled the Billboard Jazz Album chart to number 1. Each of his next three albums, "Love Will Follow", "A Nice Place to Be" and "Reflections" would also reach this height in the Jazz Album chart. After the success of "Dancing in the Sun", Howard left the label GRP Records in order to join MCA through the 1988 release of "Reflections". However, he returned to GRP Records in 1990 and released "Love Will Follow" in 1991. He stayed with GRP until his untimely death of cancer on March 20, 1998. His final album, "There's a Riot Goin' On" was released posthumously (one month after his death) on April 21 by Blue Note Records. He died of lymphoma.

Discography

*1982 - "Asphalt Gardens" - Palo Alto Jazz
*1984 - "Steppin' Out" - Palo Alto Jazz
*1985 - "Dancing in the Sun" - Palo Alto Jazz
*1986 - "Love Will Follow" - Palo Alto Jazz
*1986 - "A Nice Place to Be" - MCA
*1988 - "Reflections" - MCA
*1989 - "Personal" - MCA
*199? - "Dancing in the Sun" - GRP ( re-issue )
*1991 - "Love Will Follow" - GRP ( re-issue )
*1992 - "Steppin' Out" - GRP ( re-issue )
*1992 - "Love and Understanding" - GRP
*1992 - "Do I Ever Cross Your Mind?" - GRP
*1993 - "When Summer Comes" - GRP
*1994 - "Home Far Away" - GRP
*1995 - "Attitude Adjustment" - GRP
*1998 - "Midnight Mood" - GRP
*1998 - "There's a Riot Goin' On" - Blue Note

References

*amg|id=11:hq60tr79kl6x|title=George Howard

External links

* [http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/howard_george/artist.jhtml VH1 bio]
* [http://www.elvispelvis.com/georgehoward.htm Fuller Up Dead Musician directory]
* [http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/George%20Howard.html Soulwalking site bio]