Get ready for the next episode of jazzy tunes including funk and fusion gems, less commentary and more back-to-back tracks. Enjoy!
| TITLE | ARTIST | COMMENTS |
|---|---|---|
| Strut | Jimmy Smith | A funk-jazz organ track from the album 80’s, showing Smith adapting to disco/fusion grooves. Mostly instrumental, intended as danceable Hammond B3 funk. Jimmy Smith (James Oscar Smith) was an American jazz musician who helped popularise the Hammond B-3 organ, creating a link between jazz and 1960s soul music. |
| Acid Rock | The Funkees | The Funkees were a Nigerian afro-rock group formed in the late 1960s that moved to London in 1973 and quickly gained prominence in the expatriate West African and West Indian music scene. This Nigerian Afro-rock track blending funk, psychedelic rock, and highlife rhythms represents the Nigerian post-war “Afrobeat-funk” explosion. |
| Joe, The Farmer | Raf D Backer | Belgian contemporary jazz piano player’s modern fusion piece. Title likely pays tribute to an everyman character; instrumental with groove-driven improvisation. |
| Dorian 0437 | Jack Sels | Jean Jacques Sels (born on 29 January 1922 in Berchem, Belgium and died 21 March 1970 in Antwerp, Belgium) was a Belgian tenor saxophone player. Jack Sels, a prominent figure in the Belgian jazz scene, began his journey in music by collecting jazz records as a teenager while growing up in Antwerp. He was one of the legends of Belgian Jazz and a highly influential figure on the post-war Belgian Jazz scene. The “Dorian” suggests use of the Dorian mode; atmospheric, exploratory instrumental. |
| Sneakin Up Behind You | The Brecker Brothers | The Brecker Brothers was the musical duo of Michael (saxophone and EWI) and Randy Brecker (trumpet, flugelhorn), who recorded commercially successful jazz fusion albums together in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. This funk-fusion instrumental with horn-driven riffs, from their self-titled debut album, became a fusion standard that showcased the brothers’ NY session energy. The song is written by Don Grolnick, Will Lee, Dave Sanborn, Randy Brecker and Michael Brecker. |
| Room 3 | Johnny Coles Quartet | Trumpeter Johnny Coles’ bop piece from the album ‘The Warm Sound’ is a complex hard-bop with lyrical trumpet. |
| Come on, Come Over | Jaco Pastorius | John Francis Anthony Pastorius III, also known as Jaco Pastorius (born December 1, 1951 and died September 21, 1987) was an American jazz bassist, composer, and producer. He was member of the jazz fusion group Weather Report from 1976 to 1981. Bob Herzog and Jaco Pastorius wrote this funk-fusion song. It comes from Jaco’s self-titled debut album, featuring Sam & Dave on vocals, Alto Saxophone, Soloist – David Sanborn, Baritone Saxophone – Howard Johnson, Bass Trombone – Peter Graves, Congas – Don Alias, Drums – Narada Michael Walden, Keyboards – Herbie Hancock, Tenor Saxophone – Michael Brecker, Trumpet – Randy Brecker and Ron Tooley. |
| Red Baron | Billy Cobham | This funk-jazz fusion tune from the album ‘Spectrum’ is a laid-back groove with Billy Cobham’s powerful drumming that became one of his signature pieces. Billy Cobham (born William Emanuel Cobham on May 16, 1944 in Panama) is a Panamanian American jazz drummer, composer and bandleader. He is the brother of multi instrumentalist Wayne Cobham. Billy Cobham is a Swiss resident since the 1980s and lives in Schüpfen, canton Bern. |
| Incidental Affair | Chris Joss | This French producer’s acid-jazz/funk instrumental is a cinematic, retro-funk vibe, drawing on 70s blaxploitation soundtracks. Playing all instruments including drums, bass, guitar and keyboards Chris Joss produces, mixes and masters all his recordings making sound production an integral part of his compositions. Chris is no longer playing live due to severe tinnitus and hyperacusis making performing in loud environments impossible. |
| Lily Was Here (ft. Candy Dufler) | Dave Stewart | “Lily Was Here” is a single released in November 1989 from the Dutch movie “De Kassière”. The smooth jazz/pop instrumental with saxophonist Candy Dulfer, daughter of Dutch sax legend Hans Dulfer. Guitar is by David A. Stewart and drums by Swedish producer & percussionist Olle Romo (formerly Eurythmics drummer mid-to-late 80’s). |
| Celestial Blues | Deep Jazz | Cover of Andy Bey’s 1974 spiritual-jazz vocal. Lyrics describe cosmic peace and transcendence. Deep Jazz’s version brings modern groove. Andy Bey (born on October 28, 1939 in Newark, New Jersey and died April 26, 2025, Englewood, New Jersey, USA) was a jazz and soul pianist and baritone singer. According to Savoyjazz.com, he was John Coltrane’s favourite singer. |
| Mustang | Donald Byrd | This hard-bop album title track with soul-jazz influences was written by Sylvester Kyner Jr. (a.k.a. Sonny Red). It features Byrd’s lyrical trumpet and Horace Silver’s influence. Donald Byrd (born Donaldson Toussaint L’Ouverture Byrd II on December 9, 1932 in Detroit, Michigan, USA and died February 4, 2013 in Dover, Delaware, USA) was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, bandleader and educator. |
| Black & Bitter (ft. James Copley) | Electro Deluxe | This funk-jazz-soul track with gritty vocals was written by Electro Deluxe, James Copley and Thomas Faure. Electro Deluxe is a French nu-jazz group, formed in 2001, mixing modern groove with retro soul energy. James Copley is an American singer from Cincinnati. |
| Un Eté A Paris | DJ Cam | This downtempo trip-hop/jazz fusion track called “Un Été À Paris” or “Summer In Paris” evokes atmospheric, cinematic Parisian moods. DJ Cam (real name Laurent Daumail) is a French DJ/producer, born on the 29th of March 1973 in Paris. |
| Cheeka’s Dance | Richard “Groove” Holmes | Richard Holmes (Richard Arnold Jackson), renowned for his Hammond B3 grooves, wrote this soul-jazz organ tune blending blues and funk. |
| Listen Here | Gene Harris | A cover of American jazz and funk saxophonist, pianist, vocalist and composer Eddie Harris’ 1966 soul-jazz tune. . American jazz pianist and keyboard player Gene Harris gives this funky, riff-driven instrumental, a gospel-jazz edge. |
| Memphis Underground | Herbie Mann | Herbie Mann (real name Herbert Jay Solomon, a.k.a. Herbert Solomon) is an American jazz flutist, tenor saxophonist, clarinetist & bass clarinetist who branched out to latin jazz, reggae and disco, to name some of the styles he explored. This jazz-funk instrumental with flute, guitar, and groove comes from his landmark Memphis Underground album, a cornerstone of jazz fusion. |
| Vista | Yaron Herman | Yaron Herman is an Israeli jazz and experimental pianist, born 12 July 1981 in Tel-Aviv, Israel, now living in Paris, France. This modern jazz piano piece comes from his 2015 album ‘Everyday’ and holds European contemporary jazz influences. |
| Suite Sioux | Freddie Hubbard | Freddie Hubbard was born on April 7, 1938, In Indianapolis, Indiana and moved in 1958 to New York where he quickly established himself as one of the bright young trumpeters on the scene. He achieved his greatest popular success with his early ‘70s jazz albums Red Clay (1970), Straight Life (1970) and First Light (1971). This modal/fusion jazz composition from the album ‘Red Clay’ is spiritual-jazz inspired, with tribal rhythmic undertones. The recording features Freddie Hubbard — trumpet, Joe Henderson – tenor sax, Herbie Hancock — piano, Ron Carter – bass and Lennie White — drums. |
| The Gypsy | Martin Taylor | Dr. Martin Taylor (born on 20 October 1956 in Harlow, Essex, England) is a virtuoso guitarist, composer, educator and musical innovator. This is a cover of the 1945 pop ballad by English orchestra leader and songwriter Billy Reid (1902-1975). The lyrics (by vocalist Dorothy Squires) tell of a fortune teller foretelling lasting love. Taylor’s solo guitar version is lyrical and introspective. |
Sources
The information sources of the song facts include, but are not limited to, Wikipedia, songfacts.com, Discogs.com, secondhandsongs.com, YouTube and artists’ related websites.
