Dave Grusin: S/D?

For a long time I thought of Dave Grusin as awful smooth jazz. But I also thought that about George Benson, whose CTI stuff (and pre-CTI stuff) I now think is pretty badass. And lately I've been loving a LOT of CTI stuff. I haven't really listened to Grusin, I get the impression that he/GRP is maybe not that away from the CTI sound. So what do you say? Is he all bad, or is there some quality stuff in his discography?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXYkcL3ACGk

Could be worse, but I'm definitely not going to run out and buy anything based on it...

probably earlier and different than you are looking for but...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uojzfwMaCho

S: keyboards on Brothers Johnson "Right On Time" album

Baretta theme ffs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuqyQkDW0kA

Awesome

I only know his film work...I haven't seen The Milagro Beanfield War which earned him an Oscar but to be brutally honest his music tends to be one of the worst things about the films I've seen. (Tootsie, The Friends of Eddie Coyle, etc.)

One exception is The Firm, which is almost entirely done on the piano. This scene in particular stands out thanks to Grusin's score:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0vCzkK_AJ0

Otherwise the film's okay - it can be dumb but it's not a bad thriller and to be fair I don't expect miracles from a John Grisham movie.

Should clarify, I like The Friends of Eddie Coyle - one of Mitchum's great performances. I like certain things about Tootsie - the opening alone is great even with the cheeseball music cues - but everything it does with gender roles and feminism feels dubious and reactionary at heart.