Feels So Good
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Album Summary
Released in 1975 on Kudu Records — that beautiful little CTI subsidiary that knew how to make jazz feel like a warm evening — 'Feels So Good' finds Grover Washington, Jr. deep in his element, cooking up something that sits right at the crossroads of soul and jazz. Kudu had already established itself as a home for lush, groove-forward jazz, and Grover was one of its crown jewels. This album continued his run of sophisticated, deeply soulful recordings for the label, wrapping jazz improvisation in the kind of warm, funky production that made listeners feel every note in their chest.
Reception
- The album was warmly received by fans of soul-jazz and jazz-funk, deepening Grover's reputation as one of the most accessible and emotionally resonant saxophonists of his generation.
- Critics recognized the album as a natural extension of Grover's established Kudu sound — groovy, polished, and deeply soulful without sacrificing jazz credibility.
- Though not a crossover pop chart phenomenon on the level of his later work, it solidified his standing among the faithful who kept jazz radio alive through the decade.
Significance
- The album stands as a key document of the soul-jazz and jazz-funk movement of the mid-1970s, a moment when jazz musicians were finding new ways to speak to Black American audiences without abandoning improvisational depth.
- Kudu Records, as a label, was carving out a distinct aesthetic space in jazz, and 'Feels So Good' is one of the releases that exemplifies how that label balanced commercial warmth with genuine musicianship.
- Grover Washington, Jr.'s work on this album helped lay the cultural groundwork for what would later be called smooth jazz, while still retaining the earthier, funkier soul-jazz roots that gave the music its real power.
Samples
- "It Feels So Good" — the title track has attracted sampler attention over the years, with its lush, rolling groove making it a natural source for hip-hop and R&B producers mining the Kudu catalog for soulful textures.
Tracklist
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A1 The Sea Lion —
5:59
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A2 Moonstreams —
5:58
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A3 Knucklehead —
7:51
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B1 It Feels So Good —
8:50
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B2 Hydra —
9:07
Artist Details
Grover Washington, Jr. was an American jazz saxophonist born on December 12, 1943, in Buffalo, New York, who became one of the most celebrated figures in contemporary jazz and smooth jazz throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Blending elements of jazz, R&B, funk, and soul, Washington developed a lush, accessible sound that appealed to both jazz purists and mainstream audiences, helping to define and popularize the genre that would later be known as smooth jazz. His landmark albums, including Mister Magic (1975) and Winelight (1980), were massive commercial successes, with Winelight earning him Grammy Awards and featuring the iconic Bill Withers collaboration Just the Two of Us, which became one of the best-known jazz-pop crossover hits of the era. Washington's ability to bridge the gap between jazz sophistication and popular music accessibility made him a pivotal figure in expanding jazz's audience during a period when the genre was struggling commercially. He remained a beloved and influential performer until his sudden death on December 17, 1999, and his work continues to shape contemporary jazz and the smooth jazz genre to this day.
