#1 Jazz Albums of 1981: Side-by-Side Charts

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Week	Billboard	Cash Box	Record World
Jan 3	Winelight Grover Washington, Jr.	Winelight Grover Washington, Jr.	Winelight Grover Washington, Jr.
Jan 10
Jan 17
Jan 24
Jan 31
Feb 7
Feb 14
Feb 21
Feb 28
Mar 7
Mar 14
Mar 21
Mar 28
Apr 4
Apr 11
Apr 18
Apr 25
May 2
May 9
May 16
May 23
May 30
June 6
June 13
June 20
June 27
July 4		The Clarke/Duke Project Stanley Clarke & George Duke
July 11	The Clarke/Duke Project Stanley Clarke & George Duke		The Clarke/Duke Project Stanley Clarke & George Duke
July 18	Winelight Grover Washington, Jr.
July 25	Voyeur David Sanborn		The Man with the Horn Miles Davis
Aug 1	As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays
Aug 8	Winelight Grover Washington, Jr.
Aug 15	The Man with the Horn Miles Davis	The Man with the Horn Miles Davis	(chart unavailable)
Aug 22			The Man with the Horn Miles Davis
Aug 29
Sept 5	Breakin’ Away Al Jarreau
Sept 12			Breakin’ Away Al Jarreau
Sept 19		Breakin’ Away Al Jarreau
Sept 26
Oct 3
Oct 10
Oct 17
Oct 24
Oct 31	Freetime Spyro Gyra
Nov 7
Nov 14	Breakin’ Away Al Jarreau		(chart unavailable)
Nov 21			Breakin’ Away Al Jarreau
Nov 28			(chart unavailable)
Dec 5			Breakin’ Away Al Jarreau
Dec 12			The George Benson Collection
Dec 19			(chart unavailable)
Dec 26		The George Benson Collection	The George Benson Collection
Week	Billboard	Cash Box	Record World

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#1 Jazz Albums of 1980: Side-by-Side Charts

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Week	Billboard	Cash Box	Record World
Jan 5	One on One Bob James & Earl Klugh	One on One Bob James & Earl Klugh	One on One Bob James & Earl Klugh
Jan 12
Jan 19
Jan 26	American Garage Pat Metheny Group
Feb 2	One on One Bob James & Earl Klugh		Angel of the Night Angela Bofill
Feb 9			One on One Bob James & Earl Klugh
Feb 16
Feb 23
Mar 1			Every Generation Ronnie Laws
Mar 8	Every Generation Ronnie Laws	Every Generation Ronnie Laws	Fun & Games Chuck Mangione
Mar 15	Fun & Games Chuck Mangione	Fun & Games Chuck Mangione
Mar 22
Mar 29	Skylarkin’ Grover Washington, Jr.
Apr 5
Apr 12
Apr 19			Skylarkin’ Grover Washington, Jr.
Apr 26	Catching the Sun Spyro Gyra
May 3		Catching the Sun Spyro Gyra	Catching the Sun Spyro Gyra
May 10			Skylarkin’ Grover Washington, Jr.
May 17	Skylarkin’ Grover Washington, Jr.		Catching the Sun Spyro Gyra
May 24	Catching the Sun Spyro Gyra		Skylarkin’ Grover Washington, Jr.
May 31
June 7			Catching the Sun Spyro Gyra
June 14
June 21			Skylarkin’ Grover Washington, Jr.
June 28	Wizard Island Jeff Lorber Fusion		(chart unavailable)
July 5	Catching the Sun Spyro Gyra		Catching the Sun Spyro Gyra
July 12	This Time Al Jarreau		This Time Al Jarreau
July 19		This Time Al Jarreau
July 26
Aug 2	Rhapsody and Blues Crusaders	Rhapsody and Blues Crusaders	Rhapsody and Blues Crusaders
Aug 9			Give Me the Night George Benson
Aug 16	Give Me the Night George Benson	Give Me the Night George Benson
Aug 23
Aug 30
Sept 6
Sept 13
Sept 20
Sept 27
Oct 4
Oct 11
Oct 18
Oct 25
Nov 1
Nov 8	Love Approach Tom Browne
Nov 15	Give Me the Night George Benson
Nov 22
Nov 29			Winelight Grover Washington, Jr.
Dec 6
Dec 13
Dec 20	Winelight Grover Washington, Jr.
Dec 27		Winelight Grover Washington, Jr.
Week	Billboard	Cash Box	Record World

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#1 Jazz Albums of 1979: Side-by-Side Charts

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Week	Billboard	Cash Box	Record World
Jan 6	Touchdown Bob James	Touchdown Bob James	Touchdown Bob James
Jan 13
Jan 20
Jan 27
Feb 3
Feb 10
Feb 17
Feb 24
Mar 3
Mar 10			Carmel Joe Sample
Mar 17	Carmel Joe Sample	Carmel Joe Sample
Mar 24		Livin’ Inside Your Love George Benson
Mar 31	Livin’ Inside Your Love George Benson		Livin’ Inside Your Love George Benson
Apr 7
Apr 14
Apr 21
Apr 28
May 5
May 12
May 19
May 26			Paradise Grover Washington, Jr.
June 2		Paradise Grover Washington, Jr.	Morning Dance Spyro Gyra
June 9			Paradise Grover Washington, Jr.
June 16			Street Life The Crusaders
June 23	Street Life The Crusaders	Street Life The Crusaders
June 30
July 7
July 14
July 21
July 28
Aug 4
Aug 11
Aug 18
Aug 25
Sept 1
Sept 8
Sept 15
Sept 22
Sept 29
Oct 6
Oct 13
Oct 20
Oct 27
Nov 3
Nov 10
Nov 17	Rise Herb Alpert
Nov 24			One on One Bob James & Earl Klugh
Dec 1		One on One Bob James & Earl Klugh
Dec 8
Dec 15	One on One Bob James & Earl Klugh
Dec 22
Dec 29
Week	Billboard	Cash Box	Record World

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#1 Jazz Albums of 1978: Side-by-Side Charts

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Week	Billboard	Cash Box	Record World
Jan 7	Heads Bob James	Heads Bob James	Reach for It George Duke
Jan 14
Jan 21		Reach for It George Duke	Live at The Bijou Grover Washington, Jr.
Feb 4		Live at The Bijou Grover Washington, Jr.
Feb 11	Live at The Bijou Grover Washington, Jr.
Feb 18		Weekend in L.A. George Benson	Weekend in L.A. George Benson
Feb 25
Mar 4
Mar 11	Weekend in L.A. George Benson
Mar 18
Mar 25
Apr 1
Apr 8
Apr 15
Apr 22
Apr 29
May 6
May 13		Feels So Good Chuck Mangione
May 20
May 27		Weekend in L.A. George Benson
June 3		Feels So Good Chuck Mangione	Feels So Good Chuck Mangione
June 10
June 17
June 24	Feels So Good Chuck Mangione
July 1
July 8
July 15			Sounds…and Stuff Like That!! Quincy Jones
July 22		Sounds…and Stuff Like That!! Quincy Jones
July 29
Aug 5
Aug 12	Images The Crusaders
Aug 19			Images The Crusaders
Aug 26
Sept 2		Images The Crusaders
Sept 9	Sounds…and Stuff like That!! Quincy Jones
Sept 16	Images The Crusaders
Sept 23
Sept 30
Oct 7	Children of Sanchez Chuck Mangione
Oct 14		Children of Sanchez Chuck Mangione	Children of Sanchez Chuck Mangione
Oct 21
Oct 28
Nov 4	Reed Seed Grover Washington, Jr.		Reed Seed Grover Washington, Jr.
Nov 11		Reed Seed Grover Washington, Jr.
Nov 18
Nov 25
Dec 2	Mr. Gone Weather Report		Mr. Gone Weather Report
Dec 9			Reed Seed Grover Washington, Jr.
Dec 16
Dec 23	Flame Ronnie Laws
Dec 30		Touchdown Bob James
Week	Billboard	Cash Box	Record World

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#1 Jazz Albums of 1977: Side-by-Side Charts

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Week	Billboard	Cash Box	Record World
Jan 1	Breezin’ George Benson	Breezin’ George Benson	Breezin’ George Benson
Jan 8
Jan 15
Jan 22			A Secret Place Grover Washington, Jr.
Jan 29	A Secret Place Grover Washington, Jr.	A Secret Place Grover Washington, Jr.
Feb 5
Feb 12
Feb 19		In Flight George Benson	In Flight George Benson
Feb 26	In Flight George Benson
Mar 5
Mar 12
Mar 19
Mar 26
Apr 2
Apr 9
Apr 16		Heavy Weather Weather Report
Apr 23		In Flight George Benson
Apr 30		Heavy Weather Weather Report
May 7
May 14
May 21			Heavy Weather Weather Report
May 28	Heavy Weather Weather Report
June 4
June 11	Conquistador Maynard Ferguson	Friends and Strangers Ronnie Laws
June 18		Heavy Weather Weather Report
June 25	In Flight George Benson	Free as the Wind The Crusaders	Free as the Wind The Crusaders
July 2
July 9	Free as the Wind The Crusaders
July 16
July 23			Lifestyle (Living and Loving) John Klemmer
July 30			Free as the Wind The Crusaders
Aug 6
Aug 13
Aug 20
Aug 27
Sept 3
Sept 10			Lifeline Roy Ayers Ubiquity
Sept 17
Sept 24
Oct 1
Oct 8			Nightwings Stanley Turrentine
Oct 15
Oct 22	Nightwings Stanley Turrentine		Engimatic Ocean Jean-Luc Ponty
Oct 29		Engimatic Ocean Jean-Luc Ponty
Nov 5
Nov 12			Reach for It George Duke
Nov 19
Nov 26	Enigmatic Ocean Jean-Luc Ponty	Feels So Good Chuck Mangione
Dec 3		Reach for It George Duke
Dec 10	Feels So Good Chuck Mangione
Dec 17		Heads Bob James
Dec 24
Dec 31
Week	Billboard	Cash Box	Record World

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#1 Jazz Albums of 1976: Side-by-Side Charts

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Week	Billboard	Cash Box	Record World
Jan 3	Feels So Good Grover Washington, Jr.	No chart	Feel So Good Grover Washington, Jr.
Jan 10
Jan 17
Jan 24
Jan 31
Feb 7
Feb 14	Places and Spaces Donald Byrd		(chart unavailable)
Feb 21			City Life Blackbyrds
Feb 28
Mar 6
Mar 13	City Life Blackbyrds
Mar 20			Places and Spaces Donald Byrd
Mar 27	The Leprechaun Chick Corea		City Life Blackbyrds
Apr 3
Apr 10	City Life Blackbyrds
Apr 17
Apr 24			The Leprechaun Chick Corea
May 1			Breezin’ George Benson
May 8	Breezin’ George Benson
May 15
May 22			(chart unavailable)
May 29			Breezin’ George Benson
June 5
June 12			(chart unavailable)
June 19			Breezin’ George Benson
June 26
July 3			(chart unavailable)
July 10		Breezin’ George Benson	Breezin’ George Benson
July 17
July 24			(charts unavailable)
July 31
Aug 7
Aug 14			Breezin’ George Benson
Aug 21
Aug 28
Sept 4
Sept 11
Sept 18
Sept 25
Oct 2
Oct 9	Secrets Herbie Hancock
Oct 16			(chart unavailable)
Oct 23	Breezin’ George Benson		Breezin’ George Benson
Oct 30			(chart unavailable)
Nov 6			Breezin’ George Benson
Nov 13
Nov 20
Nov 27	I Heard That!! Quincy Jones
Dec 4
Dec 11	Breezin’ George Benson		(charts unavailable)
Dec 18
Dec 25	I Heard That!! Quincy Jones		Breezin’ George Benson
Week	Billboard	Cash Box	Record World

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Dr. Smooth’s Flashback #17: Billboard/Cash Box/Record World charts of June 21, 1980

Spend an hour remembering some of the most popular jazz of 1980 as listed on the Top 40 Jazz Albums charts in the June 21, 1980 issues of Billboard, Cash Box, and Record World magazines.

Playlist:

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Track 1: “Never Givin’ Up” by Al Jarreau, from the album This Time. Written by Al Jarreau and Ron Canning, produced by Jay Graydon.

Jazz Album Charts:	June 21, 1980
Billboard	–
Cash Box	20
Record World	10

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Track 2: “Every Generation” by Ronnie Laws, from the album Every Generation. Written and produced by Ronnie Laws.

Jazz Album Charts:	June 21, 1980
Billboard	17
Cash Box	10
Record World	14

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Track 3: “Back Together Again” by Roberta Flack featuring Donny Hathaway from the album Roberta Flack featuring Donny Hathaway. Written by James Mtume and Reggie Lucas, produced by Roberta Flack and Eric Mercury.

Jazz Album Charts:	June 21, 1980
Billboard	10
Cash Box	–
Record World	–

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Track 4: “All Hell Broke Loose” by Stanley Clarke, from the album Rocks, Pebbles and Sand. Written and produced by Stanley Clarke.

Jazz Album Charts:	June 21, 1980
Billboard	16
Cash Box	15
Record World	6

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Track 5: “Spellbound” by Earl Klugh, from the album Dream Come True. Written and produced by Earl Klugh.

Jazz Album Charts:	June 21, 1980
Billboard	8
Cash Box	5
Record World	12

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Track 6: “Baseball” by Michael Franks from the album One Bad Habit. Written by Michael Franks, produced by Tommy LiPuma and Andre Fischer.

Jazz Album Charts:	June 21, 1980
Billboard	7
Cash Box	4
Record World	8

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Track 7: “Brazilian Sugar” by George Duke, from the album A Brazilian Love Affair. Written and produced by George Duke.

Jazz Album Charts:	June 21, 1980
Billboard	6
Cash Box	9
Record World	4

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Track 8: “Carly’s Song” by David Sanborn, from the album Hideaway.  Written by David Sanborn, produced by Michael Colina.

Jazz Album Charts:	June 21, 1980
Billboard	4
Cash Box	7
Record World	3

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Track 9: “Stars in Your Eyes” by Herbie Hancock, from the album Monster. Written by Gavin Christopher, Herbie Hancock, Lisa Capuano and Ray Parker, Jr., produced by David Rubinson & Friends.

Jazz Album Charts:	June 21, 1980
Billboard	3
Cash Box	6
Record World	5

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Track 10: “Snake Eyes” by Grover Washington, Jr., from the album Skylarkin’. Written and produced by Grover Washington, Jr.

Jazz Album Charts:	June 21, 1980
Billboard	5
Cash Box	2
Record World	1

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Track 11: “Catching the Sun” by Spyro Gyra from the album Catching the Sun. Written by Jay Beckenstein, produced by Jay Beckenstein and Richard Calandra.

Jazz Album Charts:	June 21, 1980
Billboard	1
Cash Box	1
Record World	2

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Dr. Smooth’s Flashback #15: Record World #1 albums of 1978

Spend an hour remembering the #1 jazz albums of 1978 according to Record World magazine.

Playlist:

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Track 1: “Reach for It” by George Duke, from the album Reach for It.

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Track 2: “You Make Me Dance” by Grover Washington, Jr., from the album Live at The Bijou.

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Track 3: “Windsong” by George Benson from the album Weekend in L.A..

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Track 4: “Maui-Waui” by Chuck Mangione, from the album, Feels So Good.

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Track 5: “Stuff Like That” by Quincy Jones, from the album Sounds…And Stuff Like That!!.

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Track 6: “Merry-Go-Round” by The Crusaders from the album Images.

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Track 7: “Children of Sanchez” by Chuck Mangione, from the album Children of Sanchez.

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Track 8: “Maracas Beach” by Grover Washington, Jr., from the album, Reed Seed.  

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Track 9: “Young and Fine” by Weather Report, from the album Mr. Gone.

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Thanks to Herc of Herc’s Hideaway for support.

Dr. Smooth’s Flashback #14: Billboard/Cash Box/Record World charts of June 10, 1978

Spend an hour remembering some of the most popular jazz of 1978 as listed on the Top 40 Jazz Albums charts in the June 10, 1978 issues of Billboard, Cash Box, and Record World magazines.

Playlist:

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Track 1: “Daisy Mae” by Raul de Souza, from the album Don’t Ask My Neighbors.

Jazz Album Charts:	June 10, 1978
Billboard	34
Cash Box	33
Record World	24

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Track 2: “Magic in Your Eyes” by Earl Klugh, from the album Magic in Your Eyes.

Jazz Album Charts:	June 10, 1978
Billboard	33
Cash Box	38
Record World	15

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Track 3: “Lotus Blossom” by David Sanborn from the album Heart to Heart.

Jazz Album Charts:	June 10, 1978
Billboard	23
Cash Box	23
Record World	31

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Track 4: “Superwoman” by Noel Pointer, from the #39 album of the week, Hold On.

Jazz Album Charts:	June 10, 1978
Billboard	17
Cash Box	25
Record World	26

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Track 5: “Mead” by Spyro Gyra, from the album Spyro Gyra.

Jazz Album Charts:	June 10, 1978
Billboard	20
Cash Box	21
Record World	21

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Track 6: “Loveland” by Lonnie Liston Smith from the album Loveland.

Jazz Album Charts:	June 10, 1978
Billboard	11
Cash Box	8
Record World	10

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Track 7: “Love Island” by Deodato, from the album Love Island.

Jazz Album Charts:	June 10, 1978
Billboard	10
Cash Box	9
Record World	8

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Track 8: “Rainbow Seeker” by Joe Sample, from the album, Rainbow Seeker.  

Jazz Album Charts:	June 10, 1978
Billboard	3
Cash Box	6
Record World	5

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Track 9: “Modern Man” by Stanley Clarke, from the album Modern Man.

Jazz Album Charts:	June 10, 1978
Billboard	7
Cash Box	3
Record World	3

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Track 10: “Windsong” by George Benson, from the album, Weekend in L.A.

Jazz Album Charts:	June 10, 1978
Billboard	1
Cash Box	2
Record World	2

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Track 11: “Feels So Good” by Chuck Mangione from the album Feels So Good.

Jazz Album Charts:	June 10, 1978
Billboard	2
Cash Box	1
Record World	1

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Thanks to Herc of Herc’s Hideaway for research assistance and support.

Charting the Charts: Grover Washington, Jr – A Secret Place (1976)

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Here’s a look at how the Grover Washington, Jr. album A Secret Place fared on various charts (chart peaks in bold):

1977	Billboard			Cash Box			Record World*
Date	200	Jazz	Soul	200	Jazz	R&B	200	Jazz	R&B
Jan 1					31
Jan 8			45	159	9	59	109
Jan 15	121	10	37	109	2	50	72	3	18
Jan 22	71		15	87	2	36	60
Jan 29	51	1	11	73	1	19	54	1	13
Feb 5	41		9	65	1	17	49	1	12
Feb 12	39	1	7	58	1	16	44	1	12
Feb 19	36		7	54	2	14	40	2	11
Feb 26	33	2	12	51	2	13	45
Mar 5	31		12	48	2	12	65	2	11
Mar 12	31	2	12	63	2	14	67	3	17
Mar 19	42		12	71	2	14	71	3	24
Mar 26	39	2	15	76	3	20	81	3
Apr 2	55		15	76	3	28	130	4
Apr 9	132	2	17	119	3	43
Apr 16	132		48	122	4	50	166
Apr 23	178	4	48	148	7	62
Apr 30	195			173	8	71
May 7					9
May 14		7			10			18
May 21					11			22
May 28		11			10			33
Jun 4					10			35
Jun 11		12			12
Jun 18					20
Jun 25		12			23
Jul 2					29
Jul 9		34
1977	Billboard			Cash Box			Record World*

*Record World chart data incomplete, will update as information becomes available

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