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Soul Jazz

 
 

Description of Soul Jazz

 
Soul Jazz was the crossover jazz of the 1960s, a descendant of the Gospel-influenced Hard Bop of Horace Silver and the sounds of R&B. At a time when jazz was losing commercial ground to the youth market, Soul Jazz got the heart pumping and the backside shaking. Les McCann infused his piano with a whole lot of Funk. Jimmy Smith brought the organ out of the roller rink and into the dancehalls. Inspired by his example, Hammond B-3 experts including Jimmy McGriff and Richard "Groove" Holmes played in combination with such gifted guitarists as Kenny Burrell and George Benson. Hank Crawford and Stanley Turrentine were both master balladeers who demonstrated the emotional side of the style. Soul Jazz led to Funk and gave way to Fusion Jazz and Smooth Jazz, but it's experiencing a major Renaissance today. Hip-hop endlessly samples the masters, while groove-orientated Acid Jazz-sters study their licks. You want to start a party? Put on some Soul Jazz and watch things kick into high gear.

Subgenres

 

Filed Under

 
Jazz  >  Soul Jazz
 

Soul Jazz Key Artists

 
Cannonball Adderley

This hard bopping alto sax
star was one of the biggest
names in jazz during the
soul-infused 1960s.
Adderley got funkier and...

David 'Fathead' Newman

Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis

"Lockjaw" Davis became a
sax star with Count Basie,
and his searing style had a
big impact on R&B and soul
jazz.

Gene Ammons

Ammons' richly melodic
tenor sax style helped to
establish soul and blues
jazz, and was widely
studied by other players....

Gene Harris

After retiring from the
popular Three Sounds, this
funky bop 'n' blues pianist
stepped into the solo
spotlight.

George Benson

From Soul Jazz guitar
innovator to Crossover Jazz
star to Smooth Jazz elder
statesman, George Benson
has done it all. Benson's e...

Grant Green

One of the jazz world's most
esteemed guitarists, Grant
Green was equally skilled in
Bebop, R&B, Funk, blues, and
Soul-Jazz. George Benson...

Hank Crawford

Crawford's soulful sax
sound has made him a major
part of jazz, R&B and pop
music for the past four
decades. Crawford was a...

Houston Person

A tenor saxophonist with a
masculine tone, Person
excels at soul jazz and hard
bop, and really lays out on
ballads.

Ivan "Boogaloo Joe" Jones

This solid soul jazz
guitarist's swingin' 1960s
sound is once again highly
appreciated. Jones's soulful
style was considered old-...

Jimmy Smith

The dazzling architect of
modern bop'n'blues fueled
organ, Smith scored hit
singles deep into the rock
era. Smith was among the...

Les McCann

McCann excels at playing
deep, extended jazz piano
ballads and funked-up
dancefloor jams. He's a
soulful vocalist. In the yea...

Lou Donaldson

Donaldson's rich blues 'n'
bop alto sax sound uplifts
ballads and smokers alike.
One of Donaldson's most
popular albums is "Lush Lif...

Ramsey Lewis

Veteran pianist Ramsey
Lewis has also embraced
the pop market, performing
quality crossover jazz for
many years. The Ramsey...

Stanley Turrentine

Turrentine always played
elegant, soul-infused Bop
but his rich, deep sax
sound is what set him apart
from the pack. His deep,...

The Greyboy Allstars

DJ Greyboy and Karl
Denson formed this talented
Acid Jazz quintet out of San
Diego, Calif. Many of the
members have sidecar pr...

The Three Sounds

Led by the pianist Gene
Harris, this tight Hard Bop
trio could cross over into
Funk or dive into flowing
ballads.

Willis Jackson

Nicknamed Gator, this
squealing, goodtime
R&B-drenched honky tonk
saxophonist was always a
fine Bop soloist.

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