Najee

Jerome Najee Rasheed (born 4 November 1957; New York City), known professionally as Najee, is an American jazz saxophonist and flautist.

He established himself as a prominent figure in contemporary jazz, known for his technical mastery on both the tenor saxophone and flute. His extensive career is defined by a series of critically and commercially successful recordings that helped shape the smooth jazz landscape. Through his work as a solo artist and a highly sought-after collaborator, he has earned international recognition, numerous industry accolades, and a reputation for blending technical jazz proficiency with soulful popular sensibilities.

Early Life

Najee was born in the lower west side of Manhattan in New York City and spent his teenage years in Queens, New York. Following the death of his father at a young age, he and his siblings were raised by his mother, Mary Richards, who served as a vital supporter throughout his musical development. His musical pursuits began at age eight when he started playing the clarinet, though he harboured a deep desire to switch to the saxophone, inspired by his mother's recordings of Miles Davis. He made a pivotal decision to pursue jazz professionally during high school, joining the Jazzmobile program co-founded by Dr. Billy Taylor, where he studied tenor saxophone and flute under Jimmy Heath, Frank Foster, and Ernie Wilkins. At age 16, he furthered his classical flute training at the Manhattan School of Music Preparatory Division under Harold Jones of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Drawing early artistic inspiration from pioneering instrumentalists like John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Yusef Lateef, Hubert Laws, and James Galway, Najee began performing with local New York bands before embarking on his first world tour with the group Area Code, spending two years performing on military bases for the USO.

Upon his return, he toured in the summer of 1978 with the legendary vocalist Ben E. King before enrolling with his brother Fareed at Bronx Community College under Valerie Capers, and subsequently the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, where he studied performance and composition, took lessons from Joe Allard, and performed with the George Russell and Jaki Byard big bands.

Career

After returning to New York City in the early 1980s, Najee and his brother Fareed joined Chaka Khan's Ain't Nobody Tour in 1983. He launched his solo career in 1986 with his debut album, Najee's Theme, which earned him a Grammy Award nomination for Best Jazz Album and led to an opening slot on Freddie Jackson's Tasty Love tour. His 1988 sophomore effort, Day By Day, was produced by Barry Eastmond and achieved platinum status, while his 1990 follow-up, Tokyo Blue, produced by his brother Fareed, became one of his most successful recordings to date.

These consecutive releases earned Najee two Soul Train Awards for Best Jazz Artist in 1991 and 1993. He continued his chart success with the 1992 album Just an Illusion, which featured production from Arif Mardin, George Duke, Marcus Miller, and Wayne Brathwaite. In 1994, Najee joined Stanley Clarke, Billy Cobham, and Larry Carlton for the collaborative live project Live at The Greek, and performed with Quincy Jones at the Montreux Jazz Festival. His solo output continued with Share My World in 1994, followed by a George Duke-produced tribute album to Stevie Wonder's classic Songs In The Key of Life in 1995, featuring guest appearances by Herbie Hancock and Sheila E. His 1998 release, Morning Tenderness, secured a number one position on the contemporary jazz charts, capping off a prolific decade that included the release of The Best of Najee, a secondary USO tour to Spain and Turkey, and high-profile performances at Nelson Mandela's birthday celebration in South Africa and a White House state dinner hosted by President Bill Clinton. Between 2000 and 2003,

Najee toured extensively as a featured musician with Prince, contributing to the albums Rainbow Children and One Night Alone. He subsequently returned to solo recording with the Fareed-produced album Embrace in 2003, My Point of View featuring Will Downing in 2005, and Rising Sun in 2007, earning an NAACP Image Award for Best Jazz Artist in 2006.

Personal Life

Najee’s personal life remains deeply rooted in the strong family foundations established during his childhood in New York, particularly through his collaborative musical relationship with his brother, Fareed and the lasting influence of his mother. Beyond the commercial recording studio, he has consistently dedicated his time to cultural diplomacy and community service, evidenced by his multiple international tours entertaining military personnel on behalf of the USO. His artistic legacy is defined by his ability to bridge the gap between traditional jazz composition and contemporary urban music, inspiring subsequent generations of woodwind players.