Bobby Timmons, with his piano style deeply rooted in the blues, represents a very cool kind of soul jazz, most famously represented with the composition ‘Moanin’, recorded with Art Blakey and his Jazz Messengers.

On the 1966 recordings for ‘The Soul Man!” on Prestige, Mr. Timmons has backing musicians from the classic second Miles Davis quintet who can subordinate themselves quite organically to the soul sound, but are more than just groovy partners. The great Wayne Shorter provides hardbop elements with his bristling contagious sound.

Ron Carter provides half of the compositions, of which the melancholy, suitable for any rainy day ‘Little Waltz’ appeals to me the most. Jimmy Cobb, another Miles Davis veteran, provides his typical straight, elemental drum groove. A varied recording, including blues, soul, hardbop, and top musicians representing ease through skill. Or as Mr. Timmons puts it ‘Always try to be your best!‘ What more does the dedicated jazz listener want?

Stefan Mohr