Dave Grusin – Night Lines (LP)

first edition: 1984

Some recordings belong to history, and Night Lines, released in 1984, is one of them. Crafted by the prolific composer and keyboardist Dave Grusin, the album reached No. 4 on the iconic Billboard charts, a feat that would be virtually impossible today for a jazz record. The modern music industry rarely takes creative risks, often pushing disposable works with little artistic value to a public whose cultural expectations have been steadily eroded. In an era where image often trumps talent, it’s easier than ever to manufacture stars with little more than good looks and a marketing budget.

Back then, albums like this often featured now-legendary names like Marcus Miller and David Sanborn, musicians in high demand far beyond the jazz world. The unmistakable sound of the ’80s is front and center here, shaped by era-defining tools like Yamaha’s DX7 synthesizer and the Linn Drum machine. Everything about this production reflects a specific moment in time: from analog mixing boards to the transitional phase between vinyl and CD. For collectors, a vinyl edition of Night Lines is more than nostalgia, it’s a time capsule.

This album also marked a turning point in Dave Grusin’s career, introducing him to a broader audience. Though he’d been working behind the scenes since the late 1960s, including composing for The Andy Williams Show, it was Night Lines that helped propel him to mainstream recognition. Over the years, Grusin amassed ten Grammy Awards and 38 nominations, along with four Golden Globe nods. Now in his 90s, he remains an enduring figure in the smooth jazz world and continues to perform internationally.

Beyond its historical significance, Night Lines offers a tightly structured musical journey. It opens with a track that leans into the disco-infused grooves of the early ’80s before evolving into more refined and nuanced compositions. The arrangements foreshadowed what would later become hallmarks of the smooth jazz genre, many of the foundational ideas are already present. What stands out most is the vibrant, celebratory spirit of the decade.

As discreet as he is prolific, Dave Grusin has always approached music like a craftsman, adapting to the changing trends of his time. Night Lines stands as a vivid example of that ethos.

By Thierry De Clemensat
Member, Jazz Journalists Association
Editor-in-Chief, Bayou Blue Radio
U.S. Correspondent – Paris-Move / ABS Magazine

To by this LP

Musicians :

Dave Grusin, keyboards

Daviud Sanborn, Saxophone

Ed Walsh, Synthetizer programming

Marcus Miller, bass

Lincoln Goines, fretless bass

Buddy Williams, Simmon drums

Rubens Bassini, percuissions

Phoebe Snow, lead &backing vocals – 2, 9

Gary Rode, backing vocals – 2

Randy Goodrum, lead & vocals – 4,7

Tracking list :

1. Power Wave
2. Thankful ‘n’ Thoughtful
3. St. Elsewhere
4. Haunting Me
5. Secret Place
6. Night Lines
7. Tick Tock
8. Kitchen Dance
9. Somewhere Between Old and New York
10. Bossa Baroque