Jeff Golub (April 15, 1955 – January 1, 2015) was an American
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
guitarist who had a solo career and who led the band Avenue Blue. He worked as a sideman for a number of rock and pop musicians. He was arguably best known for his work with
Rod Stewart
Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British singer and songwriter. Known for his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists of all time, having sold ...
.
Career
Golub was born in
Copley Township, Ohio, near Akron.
He grew up listening to pop music, rock, blues, funk, and R&B. In the 1970s, he attended the
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music () is a Private university, private music college in Boston, Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern Music of the United ...
in Boston. 1980, he moved to New York city, and worked for rock guitarist
Billy Squier
William Haislip Squier (, born May 12, 1950) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter who had a string of arena rock and crossover hits in the early 1980s. His best-known songs include " The Stroke", " Lonely Is the Night", " My Kinda Love ...
. During the 1980s and '90s, he worked as a sideman for
Ashford & Simpson
Ashford & Simpson were an American husband-and-wife songwriting, production and recording duo composed of Nickolas Ashford (May 4, 1941 – August 22, 2011) and Valerie Simpson (born August 26, 1946).
Ashford was born in Fairfield, South Carol ...
,
Tina Turner
Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939 – May 24, 2023) was a singer, songwriter, actress, and author. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", her vocal prowess, raspy voice, and electrifyin ...
,
John Waite
John Charles Waite (born 4 July 1952) is an English rock singer and musician. As a solo artist, he has released ten studio albums and is best known for the 1984 hit single "Missing You (John Waite song), Missing You", which reached No. 1 on th ...
,
Dar Williams
Dorothy Snowden "Dar" Williams (born April 19, 1967) is an American pop folk singer-songwriter from Mount Kisco, New York. Hendrik Hertzberg of ''The New Yorker'' has described Williams as "one of America's very best singer-songwriters."
She ...
,
Vanessa Williams
Vanessa Lynn Williams (born March 18, 1963) is an American singer, actress, model, producer and dancer. She gained recognition as the first Black woman to win the Miss America title when she was crowned Miss America 1984. She would later Vanes ...
, and
Peter Wolf
Peter Wolf (born March 7, 1946) is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist of The J. Geils Band from 1967 to 1983 and as a solo artist.
Early life and education
Wolf was born Peter Walter Blankfield on March 7, 1946, in the Bronx ...
. 1988–95, he recorded and toured with
Rod Stewart
Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British singer and songwriter. Known for his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists of all time, having sold ...
.
He was a member of
Dave Koz
David Stephen Koz (born March 27, 1963) is an American saxophonist, composer, record producer, and radio personality based in Los Angeles, California.
Early life
Dave Koz was born in Encino, California, to Jewish parents: Norman, a dermatologis ...
and the Kozmos, the house band of ''
The Emeril Lagasse Show''.
In 1988, Golub released his first solo album ''Unspoken Words''; in 1994, he formed the band Avenue Blue, and the group released its first album ''Avenue Blue Featuring Jeff Golub''. For the album ''Out of the Blue'' (
Atlantic
The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...
, 1999), he dropped the Avenue Blue prefix and recorded simply as Jeff Golub. He recorded a blues album with Billy Squier, Peter Wolf, and
John Waite
John Charles Waite (born 4 July 1952) is an English rock singer and musician. As a solo artist, he has released ten studio albums and is best known for the 1984 hit single "Missing You (John Waite song), Missing You", which reached No. 1 on th ...
, and an album with blind jazz pianist
Henry Butler in 2011.
Illness
In 2011, Golub lost his eyesight from pressure on his optic nerve. In September 2012, he fell on the tracks of a subway, but was saved by people nearby. He was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
Soon after, he released the album ''Train Keeps A Rolling'' with keyboardist
Brian Auger
Brian Albert Gordon Auger (born 18 July 1939) is an English jazz rock and rock keyboardist who specialises in the Hammond organ.
Auger has worked with Rod Stewart, Tony Williams, Jimi Hendrix, John McLaughlin, Sonny Boy Williamson, Eric B ...
.
In 2014, Golub was diagnosed with
progressive supranuclear palsy
Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a late-onset neurodegenerative disease involving the gradual deterioration and death of specific volumes of the brain, linked to 4-repeat tau pathology. The condition leads to symptoms including Balance di ...
. He died from the disease on January 1, 2015, at the age of 59.
Discography
As leader
* ''Unspoken Words'' (Gaia, 1988)
* ''Avenue Blue Featuring Jeff Golub'' (Bluemoon, 1994)
* ''Naked City'' (Bluemoon, 1996)
* ''Nightlife'' (Bluemoon, 1997)
* ''Out of the Blue'' (Bluemoon/Atlantic, 1999)
* ''Dangerous Curves'' (GRP, 2000)
* ''Do It Again'' (GRP, 2002)
* ''Soul Sessions'' (GRP, 2003)
* ''Temptation'' (Narada, 2005)
* ''Grand Central'' (Narada, 2007)
* ''Six String Santa'' (Metro Café, 2007)
* ''Blues for You'' (E1, 2009)
* ''The Three Kings'' (E1, 2011)
* ''Train Keeps A Rolling'' with
Brian Auger
Brian Albert Gordon Auger (born 18 July 1939) is an English jazz rock and rock keyboardist who specialises in the Hammond organ.
Auger has worked with Rod Stewart, Tony Williams, Jimi Hendrix, John McLaughlin, Sonny Boy Williamson, Eric B ...
(E1, 2013)
* ''The Vault'' (E1, 2015)
As sideman
With
Rick Braun
Rick Braun (born July 6, 1955) is an American smooth jazz trumpet, flugelhorn, trombone and keyboards player, vocalist, composer, and record producer.
Early life and education
Braun was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania and attended Dieruff High ...
* ''Night Walk'' (Bluemoon/Rhino, 1994)
* ''Beat Street'' (Bluemoon/Atlantic, 1995)
* ''Body and Soul'' (Bluemoon/Atlantic, 1997)
* ''Full Stride'' (Atlantic, 1998)
* ''Kisses in the Rain'' (Warner Bros, 2001)
* ''Yours Truly'' (Artizen, 2005)
* ''Sessions Volume 1'' (Artizen, 2006)
With
Billy Squier
William Haislip Squier (, born May 12, 1950) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter who had a string of arena rock and crossover hits in the early 1980s. His best-known songs include " The Stroke", " Lonely Is the Night", " My Kinda Love ...
* ''Emotions in Motion'' (Capitol, 1982)
* ''Signs of Life'' (Capitol, 1984)
* ''Enough Is Enough'' (Capitol, 1986)
* ''Hear & Now'' (Capitol, 1989)
* ''Creatures of Habit'' (Capitol, 1991)
* ''Tell the Truth'' (Capitol, 1993)
With
Rod Stewart
Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British singer and songwriter. Known for his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists of all time, having sold ...
* ''Vagabond Heart'' (Warner Bros., 1991)
* ''Unplugged ...and Seated'' (Warner Bros., 1993)
* ''A Spanner in the Works'' (Warner Bros., 1995)
With others
*
Marc Antoine, ''Universal Language'' (Verve, 2000)
*
Gato Barbieri
Leandro "Gato" Barbieri (November 28, 1932 – April 2, 2016) was an Argentine jazz tenor saxophonist who rose to fame during the free jazz movement in the 1960s and is known for his Latin jazz recordings of the 1970s. His nickname, Gato, is Spa ...
, ''Que Pasa'' (Columbia, 1997)
*
David Benoit, ''Conversation'' (Heads Up, 2012)
*
David Broza
David Simon Berwick Broza (; born September 4, 1955) is an Israeli singer-songwriter. His music mixes modern pop with Spanish music.
Biography
David Broza was born in Haifa, Israel. His father was an Israeli–British businessman of German-Dutch ...
, ''Away From Home'' (EMI, 1989)
*
Steve Cole, ''True'' (Narada, 2006)
*
Richard Elliot
Richard Elliot (born January 16, 1960) is an American saxophonist. He was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards for '' Summer Horns''.
Biography
Early life
Elliot was born in the Scot ...
, ''Crush'' (GRP, 2001)
*
Bill Evans
William John Evans (August 16, 1929 – September 15, 1980) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist and composer who worked primarily as the leader of his trio. His use of impressionist harmony, block chords, innovative chord voicings, a ...
, ''The Alternative Man'' (Blue Note, 1985)
* Bill Evans, ''Push'' (Lipstick, 1994)
*
Steve Ferrone
Stephen A. Ferrone (born 25 April 1950) is an English drummer. He is known as a member of the rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers from 1994 to 2017, replacing original drummer Stan Lynch, and as part of the "classic lineup" of the Aver ...
, ''More Head'' (Drumroll, 2006)
*
Euge Groove, ''S7ven Large'' (Shanachie, 2011)
*
Everette Harp
Everette Harp (born August 17, 1961, in Houston, Texas) is an American jazz saxophonist who has recorded for Blue Note, Capitol and Shanachie Records. His album ''Jazz Funk Soul'', a collaboration with Chuck Loeb and Jeff Lorber, received his ...
, ''For the Love'' (Blue Note, 2000)
*
Marcia Hines, ''Time of Our Lives'' (WEA, 1999)
*
Grayson Hugh, ''Road to Freedom'' (MCA, 1992)
*
Bob James &
Kirk Whalum
Kirk Whalum (born July 11, 1958) is an American R&B and smooth jazz saxophonist and songwriter. Whalum has recorded a series of commercially and critically acclaimed solo studio albums. Along with several film soundtracks, with music ranging fro ...
, ''Joined at the Hip'' (Evosound, 2019)
*
Michael Lington, ''Pure'' (Trippin 'n' Rhythm, 2012)
*
Jimmy Norman
James Norman Scott (August 12, 1937 – November 8, 2011) was an American R&B and jazz singer and songwriter. In his early career, Norman had a charting single of his own, "I Don't Love You No More (I Don't Care About You)", as well as per ...
, ''Little Pieces'' (Wildflower, 2004)
*
Philippe Saisse
Philippe Saisse (; born 1957) is a French jazz musician, composer, record producer, and arranger.
Career
He was born in Marseille and raised in Paris. After studying at the Paris Conservatory he won a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music. ...
, ''Halfway 'Til Dawn'' (GRP, 1999)
* Philippe Saisse, ''At World's Edge'' (Koch, 2009)
*
Miu Sakamoto, ''Dawn Pink'' (WEA Japan, 1999)
*
Paul Shaffer
Paul Allen Wood Shaffer (born November 28, 1949) is a Canadian musician, actor, and comedian who served as David Letterman's musical director, bandleader, and sidekick on ''Late Night with David Letterman'' (1982–1993) and ''Late Show with D ...
, ''Coast to Coast'' (Capitol, 1989)
*
Tina Turner
Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939 – May 24, 2023) was a singer, songwriter, actress, and author. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", her vocal prowess, raspy voice, and electrifyin ...
, ''Simply the Best'' (Capitol, 1991)
*
Randy VanWarmer, ''Beat of Love'' (Bearsville, 1981)
*
Kirk Whalum
Kirk Whalum (born July 11, 1958) is an American R&B and smooth jazz saxophonist and songwriter. Whalum has recorded a series of commercially and critically acclaimed solo studio albums. Along with several film soundtracks, with music ranging fro ...
, ''Everything Is Everything'' (Mack Avenue, 2010)
*
Cheryl Wheeler, ''Mrs. Pinocci's Guitar'' (Philo, 1995)
*
Bernie Williams
Bernabé Williams Figueroa Jr. (born September 13, 1968) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball player and current musician. He played his entire 16-year career in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the New York Yankees from 1991 through ...
, ''Moving Forward'' (in-akustik, 2010)
*
Dar Williams
Dorothy Snowden "Dar" Williams (born April 19, 1967) is an American pop folk singer-songwriter from Mount Kisco, New York. Hendrik Hertzberg of ''The New Yorker'' has described Williams as "one of America's very best singer-songwriters."
She ...
, ''End of the Summer'' (Razor & Tie, 1997)
*
Peter Wolf
Peter Wolf (born March 7, 1946) is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist of The J. Geils Band from 1967 to 1983 and as a solo artist.
Early life and education
Wolf was born Peter Walter Blankfield on March 7, 1946, in the Bronx ...
, ''Come As You Are'' (EMI, 1987)
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Golub, Jeff
1955 births
2015 deaths
Guitarists from Ohio
Musicians from Akron, Ohio
Berklee College of Music alumni
American jazz guitarists
Smooth jazz guitarists
20th-century American guitarists
Jazz musicians from Ohio
Neurological disease deaths in New York (state)
Deaths from progressive supranuclear palsy