soul jazz
what it is
Soul jazz was a development of hard bop which incorporated strong influences from blues, gospel and rhythm and blues in music for small groups, often the organ trio which featured the Hammond organ. Important soul jazz organists included Bill Doggett, Charles Earland, Richard Holmes, Les McCann, Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, Lonnie Smith, Big John Patton, Don Patterson, Shirley Scott, Hank Marr, Reuben Wilson, Jimmy Smith and Johnny Hammond Smith. Tenor saxophone and guitar were also important in soul jazz; soul jazz tenors include Gene Ammons, Eddie Davis, Eddie Harris, Houston Person, and Stanley Turrentine; guitarists include Grant Green, Kenny Burrell and George Benson.
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questions
What is soul jazz?
Soul jazz was a development of hard bop which incorporated strong influences from blues, gospel and rhythm and blues in music for small groups, often the organ trio which featured the Hammond organ. Important soul jazz organists included Bill Doggett, Charles Earland, Richard Holmes, Les McCann, Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, Lonnie Smith, Big John Patton, Don Patterson, Shirley Scott, Hank Marr, Reuben Wilson, Jimmy Smith and Johnny Hammond Smith. Tenor saxophone and guitar were also important in soul jazz; soul jazz tenors include Gene Ammons, Eddie Davis, Eddie Harris, Houston Person, and Stanley Turrentine; guitarists include Grant Green, Kenny Burrell and George Benson.
What are good soul jazz albums to start with?
Try Afro-Harping by Dorothy Ashby, Leaving This Planet by Charles Earland, Grantstand by Grant Green, and Dialects by Joe Zawinul.
Who are some women making soul jazz?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/soul-jazz/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making soul jazz, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-21