Gregory Groover Jr. tenor sax · Dabin Ryu piano · Max Ridley acoustic bass · drums
Saxophonist and composer Gregory Groover Jr. presents Old Knew, the follow-up to his 2024 Criss Cross debut Lovabye. The album brings together a remarkable quintet featuring some of today’s most sought-after jazz musicians: Joel Ross on vibraphone, Paul Cornish on piano, Harish Raghavan on bass and Kendrick Scott on drums.
Produced by acclaimed saxophonist Walter Smith III—once Groover’s hero and now his colleague at Berklee College of Music—the record moves toward a more open musical approach, centered on interaction and spontaneity. The eleven compositions are designed to highlight the distinctive tonal personalities of each member of the band.
At just 32, Groover serves as Assistant Chair of Berklee’s Ensemble Department and Interim Director of the Global Jazz Institute, founded by Danilo Pérez. The album was recorded without rehearsal, relying on the musicians’ shared intuition and Groover’s artistic vision.
Groover’s deep spiritual connection to music—rooted in his upbringing as the son of the pastor of Boston’s historic Charles Street A.M.E. Church—adds emotional depth to the project. The blend of tenor saxophone and vibraphone, Ross’s expressive playing, Cornish’s thoughtful approach, Raghavan’s balance of intensity and care, and Scott’s dynamic rhythmic energy create the vibrant sound world Groover envisioned.
The title Old Knew reflects how creative sparks and shared experiences shape an artist’s path. The album ultimately reveals a more mature and confident Groover—an artist focused not on proving anything, but on expressing the warmth and clarity of his musical voice.
