Urban Jazz

Although the term urban commonly signposts rap and R&B, you can argue that jazz was the first, and purest, urban musical style in the history of pop. Solidified by the migration of musicians to America's cities, jazz came to embody urban attributes. These essentials deliver the genre in its smoothest, most sophisticated form.

Pop and jazz are blended into a satisfying instrumental cocktail by Bob James, who came to be identified with the essence of Manhattan after his composition "Angela" became the theme song of the TV series Taxi. Joe Sample began his journey towards jazz-pop in hard bop, before settling on the mellowness of tracks like "Carmel."

Saxophony reaches a groovy zenith in the capable hands of Grover Washington, Jr. ("Knucklehead"), one of jazz-pop's most influential players. He died before the turn of the millennium, but his legacy and spirit are kept alive by the likes of Boney James, whose song titles (e.g. "Grand Central") mark him down as an urban jazz sax maestro.

Urban jazz is what happens when the cream of the world's jazz musicians shelve their more obscure urges to indulge the popular appeal of their talents. Just listen to Miles Davis' cover of the Cyndi Lauper hit "Time After Time" to understand what's possible. Our Essentials will sweep you away on a tide of technical wizardry — these players make it all sound so freakin' easy — and force you to reappraise your understanding of the limits of popular music.