Best Soul Jazz albums of all time - Rate Your Music
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Top Soul Jazz albums of all time

Separate: live, archival, soundtracks and scores
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Updated: 23 April
Average Ratings Reviews
Freddie Hubbard - Red Clay, Cover art
Red Clay
Freddie Hubbard
3.80 3k 2,502 32 32
June 1970 Album
Post-Bop Soul Jazz
Jazz-Funk
instrumental passionate urban nocturnal improvisation mellow playful warm
3k Ratings 32 Reviews 3.80 Average
Chico Hamilton introducing Larry Coryell - The Dealer, Cover art
The Dealer
Chico Hamilton introducing Larry Coryell
3.81 978 978 16 16
January 1967 Album
Post-Bop Soul Jazz
Hard Bop Soul Jazz
improvisation instrumental acoustic
978 Ratings 16 Reviews 3.81 Average
Jimmy Smith - The Sermon, Cover art
The Sermon
Jimmy Smith
3.77 1k 1,383 26 26
December 1959 Album
Soul Jazz
Hard Bop
improvisation instrumental mellow uplifting technical melodic sentimental romantic
1k Ratings 26 Reviews 3.77 Average
Grant Green - Feelin' the Spirit, Cover art
Feelin' the Spirit
Grant Green
3.74 694 694 10 10
October 1963 Album
Soul Jazz
Hard Bop Gospel Post-Bop
instrumental improvisation mellow uplifting meditative
694 Ratings 10 Reviews 3.74 Average
Wes Montgomery - Boss Guitar, Cover art
Boss Guitar
Wes Montgomery
3.74 517 517 9 9
August 1963 Album
Hard Bop Soul Jazz
improvisation technical instrumental
517 Ratings 9 Reviews 3.74 Average
Baby Face Willette - Face to Face, Cover art
Face to Face
Baby Face Willette
3.75 326 326 9 9
July 1961 Album
Soul Jazz
Hard Bop
warm uplifting instrumental playful energetic rhythmic improvisation party
326 Ratings 9 Reviews 3.75 Average
Sonny Rollins - Horn Culture, Cover art
Horn Culture
Sonny Rollins
3.76 212 212 6 6
November 1973 Album
Soul Jazz Jazz Fusion
Post-Bop Spiritual Jazz
212 Ratings 6 Reviews 3.76 Average
Bobbi Humphrey - Blacks and Blues, Cover art
Blacks and Blues
Bobbi Humphrey
3.71 1k 1,016 14 14
January 1974 Album
Jazz-Funk Soul Jazz
Psychedelic Soul
warm melodic calm repetitive rhythmic psychedelic
1k Ratings 14 Reviews 3.71 Average
Jimmy Smith - House Party, Cover art
House Party
Jimmy Smith
3.73 251 251 6 6
January 1959 Album
Soul Jazz
Hard Bop
instrumental
251 Ratings 6 Reviews 3.73 Average
Steve Reid - Rhythmatism, Cover art
Rhythmatism
Steve Reid
3.73 259 259 4 4
March 1976 Album
Soul Jazz Spiritual Jazz
Free Jazz Jazz Fusion
rhythmic spiritual
259 Ratings 4 Reviews 3.73 Average
The Incredible Jimmy Smith - Organ Grinder Swing, Cover art
Organ Grinder Swing
The Incredible Jimmy Smith
3.73 245 245 2 2
September 1965 Album
Soul Jazz
instrumental atmospheric
245 Ratings 2 Reviews 3.73 Average
Jimmy Smith - Bashin': The Unpredictable Jimmy Smith, Cover art
Bashin': The Unpredictable Jimmy Smith
Jimmy Smith
3.73 239 239 6 6
May 1962 Album
Big Band Soul Jazz
Soul Jazz
239 Ratings 6 Reviews 3.73 Average
Grant Green - Green Street, Cover art
Green Street
Grant Green
3.70 1k 1,080 14 14
October 1961 Album
Hard Bop Soul Jazz
instrumental nocturnal mellow soothing melodic technical improvisation uplifting
1k Ratings 14 Reviews 3.70 Average
Ike Quebec - Heavy Soul, Cover art
Heavy Soul
Ike Quebec
3.73 228 228 7 7
March 1962 Album
Soul Jazz Hard Bop
Cool Jazz
mellow soothing melodic instrumental bittersweet
228 Ratings 7 Reviews 3.73 Average
Grant Green - Street of Dreams, Cover art
Street of Dreams
Grant Green
3.70 679 679 10 10
August 1967 Album
Cool Jazz Soul Jazz
Hard Bop Post-Bop Modal Jazz
mellow nocturnal improvisation rhythmic complex warm melodic atmospheric
679 Ratings 10 Reviews 3.70 Average
Calvin Keys - Shawn-Neeq, Cover art
Shawn-Neeq
Calvin Keys
3.71 320 320 6 6
1971 Album
Soul Jazz
Spiritual Jazz Jazz Fusion Jazz-Rock
improvisation spiritual instrumental psychedelic uplifting peaceful technical mysterious
320 Ratings 6 Reviews 3.71 Average
Stanley Turrentine With The 3 Sounds - Blue Hour, Cover art
Blue Hour
Stanley Turrentine & Three Sounds
3.70 331 331 10 10
March 1961 Album
Soul Jazz Hard Bop
Cool Jazz
nocturnal instrumental acoustic mellow improvisation calm melodic passionate
331 Ratings 10 Reviews 3.70 Average
Big John Patton - Let 'Em Roll, Cover art
Let 'Em Roll
Big John Patton
3.70 329 329 8 8
April 1967 Album
Soul Jazz
Lounge Hard Bop
playful sensual mellow rhythmic instrumental
329 Ratings 8 Reviews 3.70 Average
Pat Martino - El hombre, Cover art
El hombre
Pat Martino
3.68 839 839 11 11
October 1967 Album
Soul Jazz
Samba-jazz Hard Bop
instrumental technical summer tropical warm uplifting calm mellow
839 Ratings 11 Reviews 3.68 Average
Idris Muhammad - Power of Soul, Cover art
Power of Soul
Idris Muhammad
3.68 720 720 9 9
15 April 1974 Album
Soul Jazz Jazz-Funk
Jazz Fusion Smooth Jazz
instrumental rhythmic warm spiritual
720 Ratings 9 Reviews 3.68 Average
The Awakening - Hear, Sense and Feel, Cover art
Hear, Sense and Feel
The Awakening
3.70 261 261 2 2
1972 Album
Spiritual Jazz Soul Jazz
Modal Jazz
spring uplifting spiritual lush mysterious ethereal nocturnal happy
261 Ratings 2 Reviews 3.70 Average
Terry Callier - Timepeace, Cover art
Timepeace
Terry Callier
3.72 187 187 3 3
1998 Album
Soul Jazz Smooth Soul
Downtempo Jazz Pop
mellow nocturnal warm melodic atmospheric passionate lush soothing
187 Ratings 3 Reviews 3.72 Average
Bobby Timmons - This Here Is Bobby Timmons, Cover art
This Here Is Bobby Timmons
Bobby Timmons
3.68 506 506 9 9
1960 Album
Hard Bop Soul Jazz
Cool Jazz
instrumental urban melodic playful energetic mellow acoustic autumn
506 Ratings 9 Reviews 3.68 Average
Ike Quebec - Blue & Sentimental, Cover art
Blue & Sentimental
Ike Quebec
3.67 491 491 9 9
June 1963 Album
Hard Bop Soul Jazz
instrumental nocturnal lonely soothing improvisation sensual mellow calm
491 Ratings 9 Reviews 3.67 Average
Jimmy Smith & Wes Montgomery - Jimmy & Wes: The Dynamic Duo, Cover art
Jimmy & Wes: The Dynamic Duo
Jimmy Smith & Wes Montgomery
3.67 417 417 10 10
May 1967 Album
Soul Jazz Big Band
417 Ratings 10 Reviews 3.67 Average
Lonnie Smith with Lee Morgan and David Newman - Think!, Cover art
Think!
Lonnie Smith with Lee Morgan and David Newman
3.68 312 312 4 4
December 1968 Album
Soul Jazz
Afro-Cuban Jazz Jazz-Funk
warm instrumental hypnotic rhythmic
312 Ratings 4 Reviews 3.68 Average
The Wes Montgomery Trio - The Wes Montgomery Trio, Cover art
The Wes Montgomery Trio
The Wes Montgomery Trio
3.67 340 340 8 8
February 1960 Album
Hard Bop Soul Jazz Cool Jazz
sparse autumn instrumental improvisation peaceful mellow nocturnal playful
340 Ratings 8 Reviews 3.67 Average
Grant Green - Talkin' About!, Cover art
Talkin' About!
Grant Green
3.68 295 295 8 8
October 1965 Album
Soul Jazz Post-Bop
Hard Bop Modal Jazz
improvisation mellow complex warm melodic atmospheric soothing instrumental
295 Ratings 8 Reviews 3.68 Average
The Incredible Jimmy Smith - The Cat, Cover art
The Cat
The Incredible Jimmy Smith
3.66 503 503 14 14
September 1964 Album
Soul Jazz Big Band
Hard Bop
energetic instrumental happy mellow uplifting
503 Ratings 14 Reviews 3.66 Average
Dorothy Ashby - The Rubáiyát of Dorothy Ashby, Cover art
The Rubáiyát of Dorothy Ashby
Dorothy Ashby
3.65 725 725 8 8
July 1970 Album
Soul Jazz Vocal Jazz
Psychedelic Soul Jazz-Funk Spiritual Jazz Jazz Fusion
soothing spiritual concept album lush warm melodic nocturnal poetic
725 Ratings 8 Reviews 3.65 Average
Hareton Salvanini - S.P. 73, Cover art
S.P. 73
Hareton Salvanini
3.66 309 309 5 5
1973 Album
Baroque Pop Soul Jazz Progressive Big Band
MPB Jazz-Funk Samba-jazz
lush melodic melancholic urban lonely sensual rhythmic warm
309 Ratings 5 Reviews 3.66 Average
Ike Quebec - It Might as Well Be Spring, Cover art
It Might as Well Be Spring
Ike Quebec
3.67 307 307 3 3
July 1964 Album
Soul Jazz
Cool Jazz Hard Bop
improvisation instrumental peaceful soft mellow spring warm atmospheric
307 Ratings 3 Reviews 3.67 Average
The Incredible Jimmy Smith - Midnight Special, Cover art
Midnight Special
The Incredible Jimmy Smith
3.66 364 364 6 6
November 1961 Album
Soul Jazz
acoustic improvisation rhythmic instrumental
364 Ratings 6 Reviews 3.66 Average
Duke Pearson - The Phantom, Cover art
The Phantom
Duke Pearson
3.68 165 165 5 5
February 1969 Album
Post-Bop Soul Jazz
Modal Jazz
165 Ratings 5 Reviews 3.68 Average
Image blocked in settings
Sugar
Stanley Turrentine
3.65 276 276 8 8
22 November 1970 Album
Soul Jazz
Modal Jazz Hard Bop
passionate improvisation instrumental rhythmic
276 Ratings 8 Reviews 3.65 Average
Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson - From South Africa to South Carolina, Cover art
From South Africa to South Carolina
Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson
3.64 431 431 7 7
November 1975 Album
Soul Jazz Afro-Jazz
Jazz-Funk Spiritual Jazz
rhythmic political conscious
431 Ratings 7 Reviews 3.64 Average
Cassandra Wilson - Traveling Miles, Cover art
Traveling Miles
Cassandra Wilson
3.65 240 240 3 3
23 March 1999 Album
Vocal Jazz Soul Jazz
Contemporary Folk
calm mellow peaceful romantic soft
240 Ratings 3 Reviews 3.65 Average
Gene Ammons - Boss Tenor, Cover art
Boss Tenor
Gene Ammons
3.63 342 342 8 8
1960 Album
Soul Jazz Hard Bop
Soul Jazz Cool Jazz Hard Bop
improvisation warm acoustic romantic playful soothing instrumental
342 Ratings 8 Reviews 3.63 Average
Quincy Jones - Walking in Space, Cover art
Walking in Space
Quincy Jones
3.62 476 476 9 9
November 1969 Album
Soul Jazz
Lounge Big Band
lush
476 Ratings 9 Reviews 3.62 Average
Brother Jack McDuff - Moon Rappin', Cover art
Moon Rappin'
Brother Jack McDuff
3.65 237 237 2 2
May 1970 Album
Soul Jazz
Jazz-Funk
psychedelic
237 Ratings 2 Reviews 3.65 Average
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Soundtracks

  • Booker T. & The M.G.'s - Up Tight, Cover art
    Up Tight
    1969 Album
    155 Ratings 4 Reviews 3.31 Average
    3.31 155 155 4 4
  • Kamasi Washington - Becoming, Cover art
    Becoming
    2020 Album
    165 Ratings 2.98 Average
    2.98 165 165
  • Quincy Jones - In the Heat of the Night, Cover art
    In the Heat of the Night
    1967 Album
    69 Ratings 1 Reviews 3.57 Average
    3.57 69 69 1 1
  • Quincy Jones - $ [Dollar], Cover art
    $ [Dollar]
    1972 Album
    70 Ratings 3.55 Average
    3.55 70 70
  • Image blocked in settings
    Lialeh
    1974 Album
    74 Ratings 7 Reviews 3.34 Average
    3.34 74 74 7 7
    • See all 17 Include in main chart

    Live

  • Nina Simone - Emergency Ward!, Cover art
    Emergency Ward!
    1972 Album
    409 Ratings 9 Reviews 3.95 Average
    3.95 409 409 9 9
  • Grant Green - Alive!, Cover art
    Alive!
    1971 Album
    551 Ratings 16 Reviews 3.93 Average
    3.93 551 551 16 16
  • Jimmy Smith - Root Down: Jimmy Smith Live!, Cover art
    Root Down: Jimmy Smith Live!
    1972 Album
    617 Ratings 19 Reviews 3.93 Average
    3.93 617 617 19 19
  • The Cannonball Adderley Quintet - Mercy, Mercy, Mercy!, Cover art
    Mercy, Mercy, Mercy!
    1967 Album
    2k Ratings 29 Reviews 3.91 Average
    3.91 2k 1,749 29 29
  • Les McCann & Eddie Harris - Swiss Movement, Cover art
    Swiss Movement
    1969 Album
    420 Ratings 17 Reviews 3.85 Average
    3.85 420 420 17 17
    • See all 100 Include in main chart

    Archival

  • Grant Green - Nigeria, Cover art
    Nigeria
    1981 Album
    210 Ratings 5 Reviews 3.93 Average
    3.93 210 210 5 5
  • Grant Green - Matador, Cover art
    Matador
    1979 Album
    522 Ratings 13 Reviews 3.85 Average
    3.85 522 522 13 13
  • Grant Green - Solid, Cover art
    Solid
    1979 Album
    248 Ratings 7 Reviews 3.81 Average
    3.81 248 248 7 7
  • Lonnie Smith - Live at Club Mozambique, Cover art
    Live at Club Mozambique
    1995 Album
    151 Ratings 5 Reviews 3.89 Average
    3.89 151 151 5 5
  • Jimmy Smith - Cool Blues, Cover art
    Cool Blues
    1980 Album
    143 Ratings 4 Reviews 3.87 Average
    3.87 143 143 4 4
    • See all 47 Include in main chart
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