The Best Is Yet to Come (Grover Washington Jr. album)

The Best Is Yet to Come
The Best Is Yet to Come
Studio album by Grover Washington Jr.
Released	1982
Studio	Group IV Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA; Rosebud Recording Studio, New York, NY; Sigma Sound Studios-Starship One, Philadelphia, PA
Genre	Jazz
Length	39:59
Label	Elektra 60215
Producer	Grover Washington, Jr., Ralph MacDonald, Nathan Sassover, Dexter Wansel
Grover Washington Jr. chronology

Last updated September 17, 2024

The Best Is Yet to Come is a 1982 studio album by American jazz musician Grover Washington Jr., released via the Elektra label. The album includes his major hit "The Best Is Yet to Come" recorded with Patti LaBelle.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings	^[2]
The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide	^[3]

A reviewer of Billboard wrote "When a musician of unassailable integrity, honesty and commitment makes a bold, adventurous statement about his art, what do you do? You believe him".^[4] Ron Wynn of AllMusic stated on "The Best Is Yet to Come", the title cut was a major R&B hit, with Patti Labelle doing vocals. The rest, unfortunately, is formulaic fusion".^[1]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Can You Dig It"	Ralph MacDonald, William Salter	5:17
2.	"The Best Is Yet to Come"	Cynthia Biggs, Dexter Wansel	5:58
3.	"More Than Meets the Eye"	Grover Washington, Jr.	4:28
4.	"Things Are Getting Better"	Gerald H. Price	4:16
5.	"Mixty Motions"	William Eaton	5:17
6.	"Brazilian Memories"	William Eaton	6:08
7.	"I'll Be With You"	Grover Washington, Jr.	4:37
8.	"Cassie's Theme"	Grover Washington, Jr.	3:58
Total length:			39:59

Personnel

Grover Washington, Jr. – alto saxophone (1), tenor saxophone (2, 6), arrangements (2–4, 7, 8), soprano saxophone (3, 7, 8), saxello (4, 5), synthesizers (7)
Richard Tee – Fender Rhodes (1, 5, 6), clavinet (6), keyboards (8)
Paul Griffin – Oberheim OB-Xa (1, 5), synthesizers (6)
James K. Lloyd – keyboards (2–4, 7), acoustic piano (3, 4)
Dexter Wansel – Oberheim OB-Xa (2–4), arrangements (2, 7), synthesizers (7)
Teddi Schlossman – Rhodes electric piano (3)
Billy Childs – acoustic piano (8), synthesizers (8)
Eric Gale – guitars (1, 5, 6)
Herb Smith – guitars (2)
Richard Steacker – guitars (3, 4, 7)
Lee Ritenour – guitars (8)
Marcus Miller – bass (1, 5, 6)
Cedric A. Napoleon – bass (2–4, 7), lead vocals (7)
Abraham Laboriel – bass (8)
Yogi Horton – drums (1, 5, 6)
Darryl Washington – drums (2–4, 7)
Harvey Mason – drums (8)
Ralph MacDonald – percussion (1, 5, 6), bells (2), shaker (2)
Leonard Gibbs – percussion (3, 4, 7)
Victor Feldman – percussion (8)
Kevin Johnson – percussion (8)
Alex Foster – saxophones (1)
Frank Wess – saxophones (1)
Jon Faddis – trumpet (1)
Mona Goldman-Yoskin – flute (3)
William Eaton – arrangements (1, 5, 6)
Cynthia Biggs – arrangements (7)
Patti LaBelle – lead and backing vocals (2)
Bobby McFerrin – lead and backing vocals (4)
Carla L. Benson – backing vocals (7)
Evette Benton – backing vocals (7)
Lucille Jones – backing vocals (7)

Production

Grover Washington, Jr. – executive producer, producer, mixing
Ralph MacDonald – producer (1, 5, 6), mixing
Dexter Wansel – producer (2, 3, 4, 7)
Nathan Sassover – producer (8)
Richard Alderson – engineer (1, 5, 6), mixing
Kendall Brown – engineer (1, 5, 6), mixing
Peter Humphreys – engineer (2–4, 7), mixing
Dennis Sands – engineer (8)
Eddie Heath – assistant engineer (1, 5, 6)
Lamont Moreno – assistant engineer (1, 5, 6)
Barry Craig – assistant engineer (2–4, 7)
Scott E. MacMinn – assistant engineer (2–4, 7)
John Wisner – assistant engineer (2–4, 7)
Greg Orloff – assistant engineer (8)
Vlado Meller – mastering at CBS Studios (New York, NY).
Janaire Boger – production coordinator
Paul Silverthorn – production coordinator
Ron Coro – art direction, design
Denise Minobe – art direction, design
Jim Shea – photography

Charts

Chart (1984)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[5]	100
US Billboard Pop Albums ^[6]	50

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References

1 2 Wynn, Ron. "The Best Is Yet to Come – Grover Washington Jr". AllMusic . Retrieved 18 January 2019.
↑ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 1468. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.
↑ Swenson, John (1999). The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide . Random House. Retrieved 23 September 2019. Grover Washington Jr.
↑ "The Best Is Yet to Come". Billboard. 25 Dec 1982. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 333. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
↑ "The Best Is Yet to Come". Billboard . Archived from the original on January 19, 2019. Retrieved 16 January 2019.

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[AM-1] 1 2 Wynn, Ron. "The Best Is Yet to Come – Grover Washington Jr". AllMusic . Retrieved 18 January 2019.

[Penguin-2] Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 1468. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.

[3] Swenson, John (1999). The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide . Random House. Retrieved 23 September 2019. Grover Washington Jr.

[4] "The Best Is Yet to Come". Billboard. 25 Dec 1982. Retrieved 18 January 2019.

[aus-5] Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 333. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

[6] "The Best Is Yet to Come". Billboard . Archived from the original on January 19, 2019. Retrieved 16 January 2019.

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v t e Grover Washington Jr.
Studio albums	Inner City Blues (1972) All the King's Horses (1972) Soul Box (1973) Mister Magic (1975) Feels So Good (1975) A Secret Place (1976) Reed Seed (1978) Paradise (1979) Skylarkin' (1980) Winelight (1980) Come Morning (1981) The Best Is Yet to Come (1982) Inside Moves (1984) A House Full of Love: Music from The Cosby Show (1986) Strawberry Moon (1987) Then and Now (1988) Time Out of Mind (1989) Next Exit (1992) All My Tomorrows (1994) Soulful Strut (1996) Aria (2000)
Live albums	Live at The Bijou (1977)
Compilations	Baddest (1981) Anthology (1981) Breath of Heaven: A Holiday Collection (1997)
Singles	"Just the Two of Us" (1981) "The Best Is Yet to Come" (1983)