Najee

When Najee was just a kid, he had the great fortune of meeting two iconic jazzmen: Sonny Rollins and Charles Mingus. The introductions, which left lasting impressions further led him down his musical path. As Najee honed his skills, he had the blessing of being mentored by iconic saxmen Jimmy Heath and Frank Foster and flutist Harold Jones. As an industrious and hungry young musician, Najee had the good fortune of coming through Dr. Billy Taylor’s now legendary Jazzmobile program. While a student at the New England he studied Jazz with luminaries George Russell and Jaki Byard. In the late 80s when Najee finished school and returned to New York, he landed a gig with Chaka Khan along with his brother, guitarist Fareed (who is his long-time manager).