Soul jazz recommendations

[connoisseur series500]

I know that labels such as "soul jazz" are subjective and very broad, but I'm beginning to exlpore some of this type of music from the late 60s and early 70s. Two sessions that stick in my mind right now are Reuben Wilson, "Love Bug," and Charles Earland, "Black Talk." Can't do much better than these two as representatives of "soul jazz" at its best.

Let's hear your recommendations.

[undergroundagent]

Fred Jackson "Hootin' and Tootin"

Harold Vick "Steppin' Out"

Red Holloway "The Burner"

Lou Donaldson "Good Gracious"

Grassella Oliphant "Grass is Greener"

Lonnie Smith "Move Your Hand"

Grant Green "Alive!"

Too many to name! I haven't bothered with Patton albums, not to mention many of Grant Green's dates. Refer to the "Keepin' it Greazy" thread for more details on important soul jazz sessions that you must hear.

Edited November 10, 2003 by undergroundagent

[Soul Stream]

Well, keepin' it to the organists.... My top 10 most important Soul-Jazz organ records...in no particular order. Some of these artists made more important albums musically, but those albums don't contain as much of a certain element essential for what I would call "Soul-Jazz," that is GROOOOVE.

1. Lou Donaldson "Alligator Bogaloo". This is the greatest soul-jazz record ever made. After this, these all are a distant second...

2. Jimmy Smith "Back At The Chicken Shack"

3. Jack McDuff "Live"

4. Jimmy McGriff "All About My Girl"

5. Don Patterson "Brothers 4"

6. Baby Face Willette "Face To Face"

7. John Patton "Got A Good Thing Goin'"

8. Reuben Wilson "Love Bug"

9. Charles Earland "Black Talk"

10. Leon Spencer Jr. "Sneak Preview"

Edited November 10, 2003 by Soul Stream

[connoisseur series500]

Great list SS; especially since I haven't heard several of them. Same is true with Underground's suggestions.

You guys are giving me things to look for in the future.

[wolff]

I have many of those mentioned, but the one I play most is "Rockin' The Boat" by Jimmy Smith(BLP 4141). I love it when people hear this for the first time. Always puts a smile on their face. I love it just for the way Donaldson enters each song.

[jazzbo]

Mercy, Mercy, Mercy by Cannonball Adderley, on Capitol.

This one SMOKES so many others and BURNS like a welding torch.

[Clunky]

Mercy, Mercy, Mercy by Cannonball Adderley, on Capitol.

This one SMOKES so many others and BURNS like a welding torch.

I really like the title track but otherwise I was very disappointed by this date

For Soul jazz "Crash" by Burrell and Jack McDuff (Prestige 2LPs one 1 CD) is the business.

[king ubu]

Mercy, Mercy, Mercy by Cannonball Adderley, on Capitol.

This one SMOKES so many others and BURNS like a welding torch.

This one smokes indeed!

When reading the title of this topic, I immediately thought about Cannonball, but could not make up my mind about one album.

The Lighthouse one is very soulful, too! Or the Jazzworkshop album.

And how about Milt Jackson, "Plenty, plenty soul"?

ubu

[WD45]

Les McCan and Eddie Harris - Swiss Movement live at Montreaux.

Listened to this just last night again. I love the vocal on "Compared to What." It is more relevant now than ever. Benny Bailey is on fire!

[jazzbo]

Well, I guess the title track may be the one I play least often! I just think that this one is brimming with ideas from Cannon. Makes so many other albums sound stale.

[John L]

Good picks, people, although a bit of bluenotecentricitity is shinning through.

Blue Note cranked out some gems. But when it came to soul, it was Prestige that really knew how to let the chitlins just simmer in their own juice. Some of the tastiest:

Gene Ammons: Angel Eyes, Jug, Up Tight, etc., etc., etc.

Jack McDuff: Live! Tough Duff, The Honeydripper

Jimmy Forrest: Out of the Forrest, Most Much

Willis Jackson: Please Mr. Jackson

Arnett Cobb: Blow, Arnett, Blow, Party Time

Eddie Lockjaw Davis: ALL the Cookbooks. Every damn one of them.

King Curtis: The New Scene of King Curtis, Soul Meeting

Getting Back to Blue Note, you can't be without all of the Stanely Turrentine/Jimmy Smith collaborations: Back at the Chicken Shack, Midnight Special, Prayer Meeting.

I'm getting hungry just typing this.

Edited November 11, 2003 by John L

[connoisseur series500]

Good comments about Prestige and soul jazz.

Here are some other favorites:

Willis Jackson: Bar Wars

Grant Green, "Carryin On"

Roland Kirk, "Volunteered Slavery"

and one of the best:

Grant Green, "His Majesty King Funk."

[Brad]

Charles Kynard - The Soul Brotherhood - Prestige

Sonny Stitt - At the DJ Lounge

Shirley Scott - Queen of the Organ. Actually, any Shirley/Stanley date is good.

Eddie Lockaw Davis - Going to the Meetin'. Also his date with Shirley, Bacalao.

Lou Donaldson - Good Gracious

The Cannonball date is not bad. I didn't like it at first but repeated listenings changed my mind. Give it a chance.

[sidewinder]

Lonnie Smith's 'Think!'. 'Son of Ice Bag' hits a tremendous groove from the outset, with Morgan and Fathead Newman absolutely on fire..

Edited November 11, 2003 by sidewinder

[connoisseur series500]

Mercy, Mercy, Mercy by Cannonball Adderley, on Capitol.

This one SMOKES so many others and BURNS like a welding torch.

I loved this session the day I got it.

Funny thing, though, is that it seemed to get "old" fast. It has that immediate visceral appeal but the downside to that is that it doesn't stand up to many repeated listenings. Is this an accurate thing to say, folks? I'm gonna spin it again to see if it still sounds fresh.

[Joe]

Rusty Bryant's Prestige dates -- now available from Fantasy -- are among the best from this era that I've heard. SOUL LIBERATION and FIRE-EATER in particular are killer sessions.

And another plug for Fathead Newman's CAPTAIN BUCKLES. If you dig what he does on Smith's THINK!, well, you have to hear this one.

[jazzbo]

Conn, I get the opposite from Mercy, Mercy, Mercy. I can skip the title tune, but I can replay the album over and over and just revel in the sheer energy and the flow of ideas from Cannon.

[connoisseur series500]

Hmm, I listened once more to "Mercy..." and was immediately uplifted by the buoyant sounds; but alas, was tired of it by the end of the cd.

Great party music, but it's a fatiguing listen while in the car or doing normal pursuits. Strange.

Of course, I realize the irony of my earlier comment ragarding the immediate visceral appeal not holding up to repeated listenings. One could say that describes "soul jazz" in general.

[Clunky]

[

Funny thing, though, is that it seemed to get "old" fast.

agreed, see my earlier post, it's superficially appealing , but its lack of depth means only the absolutely grooviest of tracks (Mercy....) remain of interest after the first play through.

This session convinced me of the superiority of Adderly's earlier work on Emarcy and Riverside.

[davef]

For Soul-Jazz... The Natural Soul by Lou Donaldson is just awesome, and finally quite easily available in the US, great RVG here...

[Soul Stream]

For Soul-Jazz... The Natural Soul by Lou Donaldson is just awesome, and finally quite easily available in the US, great RVG here...

Yes. This is just an absolute "must-have." For years I had an old beat vinyl version of this, then a TOCJ and finally a nice RVG w/bonus cut. That's what makes the domestice RVG progam so great imho.

Funky Mama is right up there with Alligator Bogaloo as far as songs that define the term Soul-Jazz.

[connoisseur series500]

[

Funny thing, though, is that it seemed to get "old" fast.

agreed, see my earlier post, it's superficially appealing , but its lack of depth means only the absolutely grooviest of tracks (Mercy....) remain of interest after the first play through.

This session convinced me of the superiority of Adderly's earlier work on Emarcy and Riverside.

I put my money where my mouth is:

I've just unloaded "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" and have just repurchased "Alligator Bogaloo."

Obviously, I agree with Clunky.

And SS, I'm giving Alligator another try and this time I know I will like it.

I go through moods, I guess.

[Guy Berger]

Hmm, I listened once more to "Mercy..." and was immediately uplifted by the buoyant sounds; but alas, was tired of it by the end of the cd.

Great party music, but it's a fatiguing listen while in the car or doing normal pursuits. Strange.

Of course, I realize the irony of my earlier comment ragarding the immediate visceral appeal not holding up to repeated listenings. One could say that describes "soul jazz" in general.

You know, I listened to this CD for the first time in a while this summer and I was impressed quite a bit by the other tracks. There's the first one ("Fun") where Cannonball shows off the Trane influence. And then there's an absolute classic on the second side ("Sticks", I believe). I think it might be a bit overrated in the Cannonball canon but worth having nonetheless.

Guy

[montg]

Some personal favorites:

Stanley Turrentine: Rough 'n Tumble

Jack McDuff: 'Live'

Lou Donaldson: Signifyin'

Freddie Roach: 'Good Move'

And the John Patton Select has been getting a lot of play recently.

For something more recent that's sort of soul jazz, I really like Eric Alexander and Charles Earland "Alexander the Great"-- a sweet version of Al Green's "Let's stay together".

Put me in the column for Cannonball's Mercy Mercy

Edited November 15, 2003 by montg

[Sundog]

Cannonball's Mercy, Mercy, Mercy kicks ass! That band is so tight. Fun & Games stand out for me as well crafted blowing vehicles, that I actually like more than the title track. I've listened to this album 15-20 times in the last 6 months and I'm nowhere close to being sick of it. A stone classic Soul Jazz date.

Ray Charles anyone?

Edited November 17, 2003 by Sundog