Top 5 Jazz Ballads to Put on While Engaging in Sweet Baby-Making Love
Top 5 Jazz Ballads to Put on While Engaging in Sweet Baby-Making Love
1. Anything from John Coltrane’s Ballads album
2. “Tenderly,” Ben Webster
3. “When I Fall in Love,” Isaac Hayes
4. “Duke Ellington’s Sound of Love,” Charles Mingus
5. “La Mesha,” Joe Henderson
Notes: Coltrane’s Ballads album is a masterpiece in quiet beauty; if pressed, I’d recommend “Nancy (With the Laughing Face),” but just put the entire album on while doing your thing. Ben Webster’s tone is silky smooth and airily husky, perfect for any romantic encounter. Isaac Hayes croons a standard here in the most pleading, honest manner — laced with vibrato and Memphis soul — but still delicately. The only drawback is the tune’s short length; try putting it on repeat for longer engagements. Mingus’s long composition echoes both Ellington and Billy Strayhorn (listen for the allusion to “Lush Life”), and presents some adventurous soloing. Stick around for the melody’s climax at the end (hopefully literally). Disregard McCoy Tyner’s piano intro to “La Mesha” and get right into the action. The trumpet’s leading tones during the spacious melody are lovely and Henderson’s passionate tenor is always a welcome sound while creating a little passion of your own.
DJ: Jack Murphy (http://runningreturning.blogspot.com)
Running, Returning — Exploration into the depths of swinging, funky rhythm drawing from the Venn diagrams of jazz, funk, soul, and other stellar regions.
Time: 8-10 Sunday nights between “R&B Jukebox” and “For Your Pleasure”