Gregory Groover Jr Quartet

Gregory Groover Jr. tenor saxophone · Xavi Torres piano · Max Ridley bass · Andreu Pitarch-Mach drums
Saxophonist and composer Gregory Groover Jr. presents Old Knew, his new album and follow-up to his debut Criss Cross Lovabye (2024).
Produced by renowned saxophonist Walter Smith III, formerly a reference for Groover and now his colleague at Berklee College of Music, the album opts for more open music based on interaction and spontaneity. The album’s eleven pieces are conceived to enhance the sonic personality of each group member.
At just 32, Groover is currently Assistant Chair of Berklee’s ensembles department and interim director of the Global Jazz Institute founded by Danilo Pérez. The album was recorded without prior rehearsals, relying on the musicians’ rapport and experience, as well as the leader’s artistic vision.
Groover’s spiritual connection with music, shaped by his upbringing in the church—he is the son of the pastor of Boston’s historic Charles Street A.M.E. Church—imbues the project with great emotional intensity. The combination of tenor saxophone with Joel Ross’s vibraphone, Paul Cornish’s pianistic sensitivity, Harish Raghavan’s balance between energy and precision, and Kendrick Scott’s rhythmic power create the soundscape Groover imagined.
The title Old Knew functions as an affirmation: creative sparks and shared experiences are what ultimately define the artistic path. The album reveals a more mature, confident and patient Groover, a musician who no longer needs to prove anything beyond the warmth and expressive clarity of his musical voice.