It’s coming on fall. The greatest time of year. The air finally gets cooler and it gets dark earlier. Autumn always stokes the creative fires for me. It also signifies the coming of the “Jazz Months”. I don’t know exactly which months comprise the Jazz Months, but I do know that they begin somewhere in the fall.
The term Jazz Months was just something my friend, Chris Moses, and I came up with a few years back to describe this magical time of year. A time of year that is so perfectly encapsulated by the sound of jazz. More specifically, organ jazz (to my mind anyway). Changing leaves. Crisp, breezy nights. Apple cider and pumpkin flavored foods. There’s just a mood to it all and the sound of organ jazz matches the mood so perfectly.
Tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine’s recorded collaborations with his then wife and organist, Shirley Scott, always fit the bill. As do any number of assorted organ greats. Some suggested albums of interest for the Jazz Months could be:
Stanley Turrentine – Hustlin’
Ike Quebec – Heavy Soul
Johnny Lytle – The Village Caller!
Lonnie Smith – Think
Shirley Scott – Soul Sister
Of course, the Jazz Months are not limited to organ jazz. That is simply my preference. Most types of jazz can apply. As long as it swings, it can certainly qualify for inclusion in the Jazz Months. Some non-organ jazz selections might include the following:
Big Al Sears – Swing’s The Thing
Hank Mobley – Workout
Victor Feldman – Merry Olde Soul
Red Garland – Red Garland’s Piano
Art Pepper – Meets The Rhythm Section
By no means is this a comprehensive list. Simply a starting point. After all, the Jazz Months can stretch on well into winter. Soothing swing can blend easily with a few inches of snow and ice too. Though the image of snowflakes falling across the glow of a streetlight often conjures the sound of a velvety crooner from the 1940′s like Columbia era Sinatra. That’s probably an entirely different topic though. So, Happy Jazz Months to one and all and to all, a good night.
