Immediately after college, Albright began to master his talent by working extensively in the studio with such artists as Patrice Rushen, Anita Baker, Lola Folana, Atlantic Starr, The Winans, Olivia Newton-John, The Temptations, and Maurice White. He also toured with Les McCann, Rodney Franklin, Jeff Lorber, Teena Marie, Marlene Shaw, Debra and Eloise Laws, Quincy Jones, Whitney Houston, Phil Collins, and many others. In addition to numerous appearances at clubs and jazz festivals, Albright had also been a part of the popular Jazz Explosion tours, which saw him teaming up with contemporary jazz stars like Will Downing, Jonathan Butler, Hugh Masekela, Chaka Khan, and Rachelle Ferrell, to name a few.
Gerald Albright has also branched out as a TV Star to his already substantial resume. The saxman has appeared on numerous shows, such as “A Different World,” “Melrose Place,” Channels 2 and 5 “Morning News Shows,” “BET” jazz segments as well as piloting a show in Las Vegas with “Designing Women” star Meshach Taylor.
Albright's contemporary and straight-ahead collections have established the Los Angeles-based musician as one of the most prominent artists. Indeed, Albright was one of the ten featured saxophonists who performed at President Clinton’s inauguration. He was also featured at the Presidential Summit, as well as several private functions for the President.
Albright had sold over 1,000,000 albums in the U.S. alone. His self-produced music features him on bass guitar, keyboards, flutes, drum programming, and background vocals. Gerald has definitely earned the reputation as the “musician’s musician.”
Besides music, Albright is also a family man. He is married to his junior high school sweetheart, Glynis, and has two children, Selina and Brandon. He believes in giving back to the community. He has participated in numerous fund-raisers for the NAACP, The American Cancer Society, and The Institute for Black Parenting. As a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, he constantly donates his talents to raise funds to promote academic excellence nationwide.
Whether he is playing contemporary or straight-ahead jazz, Albright stands in a class all by himself. He is known for his swiftness on stage, his unique round sound which is percussive yet soulful. He has the ability to surprise the audience with something out of the ordinary. Albright gives his audience what they come for - a great show!
Born in Los Angeles, Albright began piano lessons at an early age, even though he professed no great interest in the instrument. His love of music picked up considerably when he was given a saxophone that belonged to his piano teacher. It was further reinforced when he attended Locke High School, a breeding ground for many young West Coast musicians, where his peers at the time included Patrice Rushen and Ndugu.
Already a polished saxophonist by the time he enrolled at the University of Redlands, Albright suddenly switched to bass guitar after he saw Louis Johnson in concert A few months after graduating from college, Gerald joined Patrice Rushen, who was in the process of forming her own band, in which he played the saxophone. Later, when the bass player left in the middle of a tour, Albright replaced him and finished the tour on bass guitar. From then on, he often performed on both instruments.
Soon, Albright began to make a name for himself as a sideman of great insight and musicianship, playing on albums by a wide variety of artists -- including Anita Baker, Ray Parker, Lola Folana, Atlantic Starr, Olivia Newton-John, the Temptations and Maurice White. He also toured extensively with Les McCann, Rodney Franklin, Jeff Lorber, Teena Marie, the Winans, Marlena Shaw, Debra and Eloise Laws, Quincy Jones, Whitney Houston, Phil Collins, and many others.
With 9 CDs under his belt and one collaboration CD, Albright has definitely gained his place in the music world as a player, songwriter and producer.
Like A Lover
Gerald Albright Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Slowly rises and kisses you awake
Your smile so soft and drowsy
As you let it play upon your face
Oh, how I dream
I could be like the morning sun to you
Slides and ripples its finger through your hair
Upon your cheek, it lingers
Never having known a sweeter place
Oh, how I dream
I could be like the river wind to you
How I envy your cup that knows your lips
Let it be me, my love
And a table that feels your fingertips
Let it be me, let me be your love
Bring it into the endless days and nights
Without you
Like a lover, the velvet moon
Shares your pillow and watches while you sleep
Its light arrives on tiptoe
Gently taking you in its embrace
Oh, how I dream
I could be like the velvet moon to you
I could be like the morning sun
I could be like a lover to you
The song “Like A Lover” by Gerald Albright sings about his desire to be everything for the one he loves. The first four lines paint a picture of the morning sun, rising slowly and gently kissing the person awake. The smile on the person’s face is soft and drowsy, and Albright dreams of being the morning sun to them. The river wind is similarly romanticized in the following verse. The wind slides and ripples its finger through the person’s hair, lingering upon their cheek. Albright once again dreams of being this wind.
The third verse speaks of envy toward inanimate objects. Albright wishes he was the cup that knows the person’s lips or the table that feels their fingertips. The final verse speaks of the moon, watching the person sleep, and Albright wishes he could be like the velvet moon to them. Throughout the song, Albright’s longing to be everything and more to the object of his affection is clear.
Line by Line Meaning
Like a lover, the morning sun
The morning sun rises slowly like a lover and wakes you up with a gentle kiss.
Slowly rises and kisses you awake
The morning sun rises slowly and kisses you awake with its light.
Your smile so soft and drowsy
Your smile is soft and drowsy as you're waking up.
As you let it play upon your face
You let the morning sun's light play on your face as it wakes you up.
Oh, how I dream
The artist is dreaming of being like the morning sun to their lover.
I could be like the morning sun to you
The singer wishes they could wake up their lover like the morning sun.
Like a lover, the river wind
The river wind slides and ripples through your hair like a lover's fingers.
Slides and ripples its finger through your hair
The river wind moves through your hair in a gentle and caressing way.
Upon your cheek, it lingers
The river wind lingers on your cheek and feels like the sweetest touch.
Never having known a sweeter place
The river wind has never felt a sweeter place than on your cheek.
Oh, how I dream
The singer is dreaming of being like the river wind to their lover.
I could be like the river wind to you
The artist wishes they could touch their lover like the river wind.
How I envy your cup that knows your lips
The singer is envious of the cup that touches their lover's lips.
Let it be me, my love
The singer wishes they could replace the cup and be the one touching their lover's lips.
And a table that feels your fingertips
The singer is envious of the table that feels their lover's fingertips.
Bring it into the endless days and nights
The artist wants to be with their lover forever, day after day and night after night.
Without you
The artist can't imagine being without their lover.
Like a lover, the velvet moon
The velvet moon is like a lover to you when it shares your pillow and watches you sleep.
Shares your pillow and watches while you sleep
The velvet moon shares your pillow and watches over you while you sleep.
Its light arrives on tiptoe
The velvet moon's light arrives softly and gently like a lover's touch.
Gently taking you in its embrace
The velvet moon's light gently embraces you while you sleep, like a lover's arms.
Oh, how I dream
The artist is dreaming of being like the velvet moon to their lover.
I could be like the velvet moon to you
The singer wants to be like the velvet moon and watch over their lover while they sleep.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALAN BERGMAN, DORIVAL TOSTES CAYMMI, MARILYN BERGMAN, NELSON MOTTA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cris J
2021 and still sounding absolutely sick!!!!!!!!
Quinton Butler
Gerald Albright Is the Best in the game now and has been for years! He's a technician of this!
Michael Fears
That guitar player is Marlon "the magician" McClain form Pleasure fame. Also, Nathaniel Phillips on bass from Pleasure. They play with Jeff Lorber when he tours. Have been doing this with Lorber for years..Albright is unquestionably the best saxophonist in the world...Bar none!!
BriansThing
I think Gerald is in the discussion of best living sax players
AmericanJazzLady is Creative and Totally Blessed
This is sooooo good. God bless you!!
Leroy Jackson
This Brother can blow some Alto sax's the best I have herd in a long time he is a master.
JD Goldberg
the best on the planet.Gerald is a musical freak!! love em
: Evris-Martin: Stanley.
Gerald you are the best. I enjoy hearing you play. The guys that back you up are very very good.
regina jackson
I Love this song!!!
DestinMillerMusic
Gerald is most definitely my favorite saxophonist #my idol