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George Howard
Biography
George Howard's polished fusion of funk, jazz and urban soul helped the soprano saxophonist become one of the most popular contemporary jazz performers of the '80s and '90s. Since he concentrated on groove and overall sound instead of improvisation, Howard never received much attention from jazz critics, but he retained a large audience well into his second decade of performing.

Howard began his musical career in the late '70s. He received his first break when Grover Washington, Jr., one of his musical idols, invited him on a tour in 1979. The tour helped establish Howard's name, and in 1982 he released his debut album, Asphalt Garden, on Palo Alto. The record was a moderate hit, as was its follow-up, 1984's Steppin' Out. It wasn't until the 1985 release of Dancing in the Sun that Howard earned a large audience. The album reached number one on the contemporary jazz charts. Following the release of Dancing In the Sun, he moved to MCA, where he issued A Nice Place to Be, Reflections, Personal and Love Will Follow. All four records were considerable successes on the charts. In 1991, Howard signed to GRP, releasing his debut Love and Understanding that year. It was followed by Do I Ever Cross Your Mind in 1992 and When Summer Comes in 1993.