Get ready for the third episode of soul-jazz, bop, fusion, and a few standards. Get in your easy chair, relax and enjoy these laid back tracks. Enjoy!
| TITLE | ARTIST | COMMENTS |
|---|---|---|
| Organ Grinder’s Swing | Jimmy Smith | “Organ Grinder’s Swing” is a song composed by Will Hudson, with lyrics credited to Mitchell Parish and Irving Mills, published in 1936. It became associated with the Jimmie Lunceford orchestra. Hudson based the “Organ Grinder’s Swing” on the nursery rhyme “I Love Coffee, I Love Tea”. The title’ refers to a street organist and evokes playful swing. The organ-led swing-jazz version by Jimmy Smith featured on his Organ Grinder Swing’ album. |
| Book’s Bossa | Donald Byrd | The song was written by Cedar Walton and Walter Booker. This bossa-nova influenced jazz piece from the album ‘Up With Donald Byrd’ combines Latin rhythms with Byrd’s lyrical trumpet. The title refers to Byrd’s sideman Duke Pearson (“Book”). |
| Trio Blues | John Scofield | John Scofield (born December 26, 1951, Dayton, Ohio), often referred to as “Sco”, is an American jazz-rock guitarist and composer. A bluesy jazz guitar trio track from Bar Talk. Showcases Scofield’s early style: funky lines and sharp phrasing. Instrumental mood: relaxed, playful blues. |
| Wesley Street | Alvin Dyers | Guitarist, Alvin Dyers, has a signature sound that blends elements of Latin, Cape Goema, African and Jazz. In 2000 he released his debut album, ‘Wesley Street’, named after a Cape Town location. |
| Slo Booze | Richard “Groove” Holmes | In this slow, bluesy organ shuffle Holmes’ Hammond B3 sound defines the tune of the instrumental mood: smoky, late-night blues. Richard Arnold “Groove” Holmes (born Richard Arnold Jackson in Camden, New Jersey on May 2, 1931 and died St. Louis, Missouri on June 29, 1991) was an American jazz organist who performed in the hard bop and soul jazz genre and is considered a precursor of acid jazz, influenced by sax players, like a lot of organ players. |
| Red Black and Green | Roy Ayers | This Afrocentric funk-jazz anthem reflecting on Black pride and cultural identity come from the Roy Ayers Ubiquity’s album ‘Red Black & Green’. The lyrics are a celebration of Black consciousness in the 70s. Roy Ayers (born Roy Edward Ayers, Jr. on September 10, 1940 in Los Angeles, California and died March 4, 2025 in New York) was an American funk, soul and jazz vibraphone player, composer and producer. |
| Captain Bacardi | Harry Allen | This is a cover of Antonio Carlos Jobim’s 1967 bossa nova tune, a lighthearted Brazilian samba dedicated to Jobim’s pilot friend. Allen gives it a warm tenor sax treatment. Harry Allen (born in Washington D.C. in 1966), is an American tenor saxophonist, composer, recording artist, arranger and producer. |
| Nothin’ but Love | Boney James | A smooth jazz saxophone track from the album ‘Sweet Thing’, an instrumental mood: sensual and upbeat. Boney James (born James Oppenheim on September 01, 1961 in Lowell, Massachusetts) is an American jazz saxophonist (tenor and soprano) and producer. |
| Brooklyn Breeze | Will Downing | Will Downing (born on 29.11.1963 in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, New York), known as The Prince of Sophisticated Soul, is one of the most versatile and loved voices of our time. This smooth-jazz/R&B vocal track celebrating New York romance comes from Downing’s 2002 album ‘Sensual Journey’. |
| Harlem Swing | Gus & Gus | Gus & Gus where Gus Viseur (born Gustave-Joseph Viseur in Lessines, Belgium on 15 May 1915 and died in Paris, France on 25 August 1974), a leading musette, swing and jazz-manouche (gypsy jazz) accordionist of the 1930s-1950s and Gus Deloof (born August Deloof on September 26, 1909 in Brussels, Belgium where he died on January 18, 1976), a Belgian jazz trumpeter, composer and bandleader. This track was written by Gus Deloof and features on accordion – G. Viseur, bass – J. Petitsigne, clarinet – J. Lowens, guitar – Joseph Reinhardt (nicknamed Nin-Nin, brother of Django Reinhardt) and R. Chaput and trombone – G. Deloof. |
| Thanks For The Memory | Stan Getz | This jazz standard from 1938 composed by Ralph Rainger, including lyrics by Leo Robin, is a nostalgic ballad about bittersweet memories of love. Stan Getz’s tenor sax version is cool, lyrical and understated. This track appeared on his 1953 album ‘The Artistry Of Stan Getz’. Stan Getz (real name Stanley Gayetzsky) was born at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Feb. 2, 1927. His parents had come from the Kiev area in Ukraine in 1903. |
| Peter’s Waltz | The Sahib Shihab Quintet | A lyrical 3/4-time waltz composed by saxophonist Sahib Shihab during his European period. Sahib Shihab (born Edmund Gregory on June 23, 1925 in Savannah, Georgia and died on October 24, 1989 in Nashville, Tennessee) is an American jazz baritone saxophonist, also flutist and alto saxophonist. He changed his name on conversion to Islam in 1947. |
| In Full Swing | Ronny Jordan | Original. Acid-jazz guitar track from A Brighter Day. Blends funk, hip-hop groove, and jazz improvisation. Instrumental mood: energetic, urban jazz. |
| Brand New Thing (ft. Steve Williamson) | Us3 | This acid-jazz/hip-hop fusion track, from the 1993 album ‘The Jazz Mixes’, celebrates jazz’s innovation and reinvention, featuring English saxophonist and composer Steve Williamson (born 28 June 1964 in London). Us3 is a jazz-rap group founded in London in 1992. Their name was inspired by a Horace Parlan recording produced by Alfred Lion, the founder of Blue Note Records. |
| Pick Up the Pieces (New Jazz Mix) | Average White Band | In spite of their name, AWB was that rarest of musical species: a band out of Scotland that specialised in R&B funk. This high-spirited instrumental (the only lyrics being the occasional chanting of the song’s title) was their signature tune. |
| Mr. Walker | Wes Montgomery | This blues tune from Wes Montgomery (born John Leslie Montgomery on 6 March 1923 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA and died on 15 June 1968 (sudden heart attack) in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA) comes from his 1960 album ‘The Incredible Jazz Guitar Of Wes Montgomery’. Known for his thumb-picking and the use of octaves, Montgomery plays his original “Mr. Walker” with the dynamic Philadelphia rhythm section of brothers Percy Heath on bass and drummer Albert Heath. |
| Things We Said Today | Larry Carlton | This is a cover of The Beatles’ 1964 ballad by Larry Carlton featuring Michele Pillar. Carlton reimagined it as a smooth jazz guitar instrumental. Michele Pillar Carlton (born Michele Diane Pillar on July 26, 1955), Larry Carlton’s wife, is a contemporary Christian music singer, songwriter and occasional actress. Larry Carlton (born March 2, 1948) was shot in the neck during a random gang related shooting. Larry struggled through physical and emotional recovery and Michele stood by his side, supporting his children and his efforts through every step. |
| Thelonious | Thelonious Monk | Thelonious Monk is one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time and one of first creators of modern jazz. Born on October 10 1917, in North Carolina, the young Thelonious Monk found himself aged 5 moving to Manhattan and what would soon become the heart of the jazz world. This is one of Monk’s signature compositions; quirky, angular bebop tune that represents Monk’s unique harmonic sense and humour. The tune was first recorded on October 15, 1947, for the Genius of Modern Music sessions. |
| Blue Mance | The Junior Mance | This soulful bluesy piano composition ‘Blue Mance’ was a music composition of the famous 20th century Human jazz musician Junior Mance. Julian Clifford Mance, Jr. (October 10, 1928 – January 17, 2021), known as Junior Mance, was an American jazz pianist and composer. |
| Can’t Get Satisfied | Brother Jack McDuff | A funky instrumental groove with gospel influences written by Brother Jack McDuff. Jack McDuff (born Eugene McDuffy on 17 September 1926, Champaign, Illinois, U.S.A. and died 23 January 2001, Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A.) was a talented bandleader and organist with the Hammond B-3 who started his career in the 50s as a pianist and bass player. |
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.
