soul jazz
A jazz subgenre combining hard bop with gospel, blues, and R&B, emphasising groove and emotional directness.
In Depth
Soul jazz emerged in the late 1950s as jazz musicians reconnected with the African American church music and blues they had grown up with. The Hammond organ became soul jazz's signature instrument, with Jimmy Smith, Brother Jack McDuff, and Jimmy McGriff leading trios through funky, bluesy territory. Soul jazz was more accessible than bebop, popular in jukeboxes and clubs, and directly influenced the development of funk and acid jazz.
Jimmy Smith's virtuosic Hammond organ playing was so physically demanding that he would practise 12 hours a day, using his feet on the bass pedals so intensely that he wore through shoes weekly.