The 24th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 24, 1982, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, and were broadcast live on American television. The event recognized the accomplishments of musicians during the year 1981. Quincy Jones was the major recipient of awards with a total of five Grammys.
David William Sanborn was an American alto saxophonist. Sanborn worked in many musical genres; his solo recordings typically blended jazz with instrumental pop and R&B. He began playing the saxophone at the age of 11 and released his first solo album, Taking Off, in 1975. He was active as a session musician, and played on numerous albums by artists including Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Aretha Franklin, Sting, the Eagles, Rickie Lee Jones, James Brown, George Benson, Carly Simon, Elton John, Bryan Ferry and the Rolling Stones. He released more than 20 albums and won six Grammy awards.
Robert McElhiney James is an American jazz keyboardist, arranger, and record producer. He founded the band Fourplay and wrote "Angela", the theme song for the TV show Taxi. According to VICE, music from his first seven albums has often been sampled and believed to have contributed to the formation of hip hop. Among his most well known recordings are "Nautilus", "Westchester Lady", "Tappan Zee", and his version of "Take Me to the Mardi Gras".
Tutu is an album by jazz trumpeter Miles Davis, released in 1986 by Warner Bros. Records. The album is Miles Davis' tribute to Archbishop Desmond Tutu who was a human rights and anti-apartheid activist. It was recorded primarily at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles and Clinton Recording in New York, except the song "Backyard Ritual", which was recorded at Le Gonks in West Hollywood. Davis received the 1986 Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist Grammy Award for his performance on the album.
Back on the Block is a 1989 studio album by Quincy Jones. The album features musicians and singers from across three generations, including Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Joe Zawinul, Ice-T, Big Daddy Kane, Sarah Vaughan, Dizzy Gillespie, George Benson, Luther Vandross, Dionne Warwick, Barry White, Chaka Khan, Take 6, Bobby McFerrin, Al Jarreau, Al B. Sure!, James Ingram, El DeBarge, Ray Charles and a 13-year-old Tevin Campbell.
Mecca for Moderns is the sixth studio album by the Manhattan Transfer. It was released in 1981 by Atlantic Records.
The Dude is a 1981 studio album by the American musician and producer Quincy Jones. Jones used many studio musicians.
Amoroso is an album by João Gilberto, released in 1977. It is an album that uses an orchestral arrangement to produce the Brazilian sound of bossa nova. The album features Gilberto on vocals and guitar, backed by a large, but not overpowering, arrangement. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Jazz Vocal Performance".
Fourplay is the debut album by the American smooth jazz group Fourplay released in 1991 on Warner Bros. records. The album went to number 1 on the Contemporary Jazz charts, number 16 on the R&B charts and number 97 on the US Billboard 200. As an album, Fourplay has also been certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.
Straight to the Heart is a 1984 album by David Sanborn. It was recorded before a live studio audience and had performances of songs recorded on previous David Sanborn albums. The recording won the 1986 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Fusion Performance.
Breakin' Away is an album by Al Jarreau, released on June 30, 1981, through the Warner Bros. Records label. To quote AllMusic, "Breakin' Away became the standard bearer of the L.A. pop and R&B sound."
This Time is the fourth studio album by Jazz vocalist Al Jarreau, released in 1980 on Warner Bros. Records. The release marked a change in Jarreau's sound to a more R&B-oriented flavor. As a result, the album achieved more success on the mainstream charts than his previous works, while also topping the Jazz Charts. It also reached No. 6 on the R&B charts and No. 27 on the Billboard 200." In 1981 "Never Givin' Up" gave Jarreau a Grammy Award nomination for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male.
Breezin' is the fifteenth studio album by jazz/soul guitarist and vocalist George Benson. It is his debut on Warner Bros. Records. It not only was a chart-topper in the Jazz category but also went to #1 on the pop and R&B charts. It was certified triple platinum, making it one of the best-selling jazz albums of all time.
Between the Sheets is the second studio album of the jazz group Fourplay which was released in August 1993 on Warner Bros. Records. The album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart and No. 15 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart. Between the Sheets has sold over 500,000 copies in the United States and has thus been certified gold by the RIAA.
Two Eyes is the third studio album by the American singer/songwriter Brenda Russell, released in 1983 on Warner Bros. Records. The album got to No. 16 on the Blues & Soul Top British Soul Albums chart.
L Is for Lover is the eighth studio album by American R&B singer Al Jarreau, released on September 8, 1986, by Warner Bros. Records. It peaked at No. 30 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart, No. 9 on the Traditional Jazz Albums chart, and No. 17 on the Contemporary Jazz Albums chart.
As We Speak is a studio album by David Sanborn, released in 1982 on Warner Bros. Records.
Jarreau is the sixth studio album by Al Jarreau, released in 1983. It was his third consecutive #1 album on the Billboard Jazz charts, while also placing at #4 on the R&B album charts and #13 on the Billboard 200. In 1984 the album received four Grammy Award nominations, including for Jay Graydon as Producer of the Year (Non-Classical).
Look to the Rainbow is a live album by Al Jarreau, released on May 27, 1977, by Warner Bros. Records. It marked a breakthrough for his career in Europe and later also in the US. In 1978 it won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance.
High Crime is the seventh studio album by Al Jarreau, released in 1984. While slightly lower in the charts than his 1981 Breakin' Away and 1983 Jarreau release, this album scored in the top 10 on the Billboard Jazz charts and top 50 in the Billboard 200. In 1986 the album received a Grammy Award nomination for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male. The album was certified Gold in 1986.
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