Grinder is an original composition by alto saxophonist Justin Chart, appearing on his 2024 album Born of The Horn. Chart is a Los Angeles-based jazz musician whose body of work spans multiple albums including ART, Night Heat, Today's Tomorrow, The Midnight People, Prosper, and Adagio Grooves, all anchored by his melodic alto saxophone within hard bop and post-bop frameworks. As its title suggests, Grinder carries an intensity and rhythmic drive befitting a piece designed to push the ensemble through high-energy improvisation. On Born of The Horn, the tune features a focused trio of solos from keyboardist Mike Saul, trumpeter Mike Rocha, and Chart on alto saxophone, a streamlined solo order that concentrates the performance's energy across three distinct voices. The composition reflects Chart's commitment to raw, spontaneous jazz creation and soulful interplay between horns and rhythm section, qualities that reviewers have consistently noted across his discography. Born of The Horn pairs Chart with his regular collaborators Rocha, Saul, bassist Bill Markus, and drummer Danny Beallo, a quintet capable of delivering both the hard-driving intensity and nuanced expression that Chart's originals demand. Grinder remains exclusive to Chart's own recordings, contributing to a catalog that emphasizes original material over standard repertoire and prizes live-performance energy in the studio.
