NAJEE-Center Of The Heart

It’s almost as if he needs no introduction. He’s achieved the honor and reached the status of having a name that identifies him simply using two syllables, Najee.

- Althea Turner

This Grammy-nominated artist put his distinguished touch on bringing together jazz and R&B over 30 years ago, with “Najee’s Theme” and has set him apart as one of smooth jazz’s musical geniuses. His saxophone and flute, combined with his love of music, awarded him multiple platinum and gold albums.

Najee has collaborated with some of the finest musicians in the business. His upcoming CD, “Center of the Heart,” to be released November 15, 2019, features Darren Rahn, Kenny Lattimore, and Greg Manning, to name a few. This CD is a follow-up to his “Poetry in Motion” CD, which featured Maysa, Incognito, Will Downing and more. So, to say he has some of music industry’s BEST collaborating with him is an understatement.

Smooth Jazz Magazine had the pleasure of catching Najee between shows at Blues Alley in Washington, DC, and he graciously took the time to answer a few questions. So, let’s see what he’s been up to, find out more about this new CD and get more into the personal side of Najee.

SJM: Thank you for this interview and thank you for taking time from your busy schedule to sit down and talk to us. Our readers, your fans, are most appreciative. With that said, let’s start with some basics.

SJM: What age did you start playing the saxophone and flute?