Like I said a bunch of posts earlier, I wanted to do a Jazz mix. Not just any old mix, with lots of Miles and Coltrane (believe me I dig them a lot), rather a mix of some not so popular stuff. I wanted to compile some sides that I was really feeling, and stuff that I would listen to on my Sundays, while reading the Times and drinking some fresh roasted coffee from Asbury Park. There’s a great variety of stuff I dig: From the trumpet of Blue Mitchell, to the guitars of Grant Green and Wes Montgomery to the Adderly’s, to the great piano of Wynton Kelley, and more. I’ve tried to include some stuff to keep it mellow as you enjoy your Sunday. So I hope you have a great start to your week, and the next time you’re off, you listen to some Soulful Jazz courtesy of FMF.

Chico Hamilton – I Got My Mojo Workin’ (But It Won’t Work On You)/ Impulse
Blue Mitchell – Blue Soul/ Riverside
Sonny Stitt – Tasty Cakes/ Solid State
Freddy Roach – One Track Mind/ Prestige
Lou Donaldson – Midnight Creeper/ Blue Note
Wynton Kelley – Mama G/ Vee Jay
Jimmy McGriff – Butterfly/ Groove Merchant
Jimmy Smith – Respect/ Verve
Nat & Julian Adderly – Sun Dance/ Limelight
Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers – Cubano Chant/ Columbia
Grant Green – The Windjammer/ Blue Note
Wes Montgomery – Musty/ Verve
Yusef Lateef – Brother/ Atlantic
Cal Tjader – Soul Sauce/ Verve

1) Chico Hamilton – I Got My Mojo Workin’ (But It Won’t Work On You)/ Impulse. This track is a favorite of mine. I’ve always been a fan of Chico, and try to pick up anything I can, especially the Impulse stuff. This version of the Blues classic features the bass of Ron Carter and the hollering of trumpet player Clark Terry.

2) Blue Mitchell – Blue Soul/ Riverside. A nice Soulful and sometimes Funky Blues side, with Mitchell’s trumpet and rhythm section of Phily Joe Jones on drums, Sam Jones on Bass, and Wynton Kelley (who we will hear from later on in this mix) on piano.

3) Sonny Stitt – Tasty Cakes/ Solid State. Stitt’s varitone-alto sax is quite prevelent on this side, and with arrangements by Jimmy Mundy, this entire Lp “Come Hither” is definitely a winner.

4) Freddy Roach – One Track Mind/ Prestige. A strong offering from one of my favorite Jazz labels, according to the liner notes this side is “dedicated to those who like to dance. It is geared for soulful shufflin’.”

5) Lou Donaldson – Midnight Creeper/ Blue Note. Featuring the trumpet of Blue Mitchell and guitar of George Benson, this tune definitely does a little more than creep along.

6) Wynton Kelley – Mama G/ Vee Jay. I’ve been waiting a long time to put this line up of Philly Joe Jones (drums), Lee Morgan (trumpet), Wayne Shorter (tenor sax), Paul Chambers (bass), and Kelley the Great on Piano in a mix. I think “Mama G” is the record’s best cut.

7) Jimmy McGriff – Butterfly/ Groove Merchant. I am a huge fan of the Fly Dude, and dig the Funky Jazz McGriff lays down with George Freeman and John Thomas on guitars. “Butterfly” is a great slice of funk this Hammond pioneer churned out.

Eight) Jimmy Smith – Respect/ Verve. Keeping on with the Hammond sound, Smith puts his short twist on the Otis Redding classic. If the record cover weren’t enough (Smith in a karate ghi in various karate poses), the record and this cut simply smoke.

9) Nat & Julian “Cannonball” Adderly – Sun Dance/ Limelight. These two brothers sure could write some music. They would assemble a great team of studio musicians on this as well: Roy Haynes (drums), Horace Silver (piano), Paul Chambers (bass), while Nat on trumpet and Cannonball on alto sax lay the foundation early on, becoming a great Jazz force to be reckoned with.

10) Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers – Cubano Chant/ Columbia. Originally I thought De La Soul lifted this version for their tune “Watch Out” on AOI: Bionix. However, it was the Cal Tjader (also on this mix) version. Honestly, this song is just as hot. If you don’t have any Art Blakey (and you definitely should), please go to your nearest record store and get some.

11) Grant Green – The Windjammer/ Blue Note. Easily one of my most favorite Grant Green sides, this studio version was picked up in some crazy, hole in the wall record store in San Francisco circa 1997. It’s off of a Blue Note Records Box set #5, and any box set would not be complete with out Green contributing something, be it as a soloist or sideman.

12) Wes Montgomery – Musty/ Verve. Excellent string arrangements punctuate this tune, arrange and conducted by Don Sebesky, featuring Montgomery, of course, on guitar and a great piano solo by Roger Kellaway.

13) Yusef Lateef – Brother/ Atlantic. Lateef was a talented performer that excelled in many instruments. On this full length, he plays the flute and finger flute, oboe, tenor sax, and on “Brother”, he plays alto sax. This side moves and grooves, and has an all together Bluesy feel to it.

14) Cal Tjader – Soul Sauce/ Verve. Ending the mix is a guy who I definitely dig, and an album that I drew a lot of inspiration from (design, sound, etc.). Remember the 90’s rap group The Boogiemonsters that copied the album cover art? Written by the conga drummer Chano Pozo and Dizzie Gillespie, and interpreted by Cal, this side is welcome anytime. Tjader hired some great players on this record, including Wille Bobo on percussion, Donald Byrd on trumpet, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Grady Tate on drums, as well as an all star cast of studio musicians. A great song to end the mix with.

Keep Diggin’!