John Scofield

Rhapsody Playlist:
"1. A Go Go - John Scofield
2. Chank - John Scofield
3. Boozer - John Scofield
4. Jeep On 35 - John Scofield
5. Green Tea - John Scofield
6. Hottentot - John Scofield
7. Cissy Strut - John Scofield
8. I'll Take Les - John Scofield
9. Kool - John Scofield
10. Ideofunk - John Scofield
11. Uberjam - John Scofield "

I used to think of Medeski, Martin and Wood as Phish for the jazzbo set, but here they do their best Jimmy Smith Trio impersonation backing John Scofield. Maybe Phish for the jazzbo set is just Phish.

Jimmy Smith

Rhapsody Playlist:
"1. Some Of My Best Friends Are Blues - Jimmy Smith
2. The Boss - Jimmy Smith
3. This Guy's In Love With You - Jimmy Smith
4. Fingers - Jimmy Smith
5. Tuxedo Junction - Jimmy Smith
6. Chitlins Con Carne - Kenny Burrell
7. Mule - Kenny Burrell
8. Soul Lament - Kenny Burrell
9. Midnight Blue - Kenny Burrell
10. Wavy Gravy - Kenny Burrell
11. Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You - Kenny Burrell
12. Saturday Night Blues - Kenny Burrell
13. Kenny's Sound - Kenny Burrell
14. K Twist - Kenny Burrell "

A funky, bluesy Hammond Organ with classic sixties Blue Note cover art - it must be Jimmy Smith. The first album features a young George Benson on guitar, the second features Jimmy backing Kenny Burell.

Boogaloo Joe Jones

Rhapsody Playlist:
"1. Boogaloo Joe - Ivan 'Boogaloo Joe' Jones
2. Boardwalk Blues - Ivan 'Boogaloo Joe' Jones
3. Atlantic City Soul - Ivan 'Boogaloo Joe' Jones
4. Right On - Ivan 'Boogaloo Joe' Jones
5. Poppin' - Ivan 'Boogaloo Joe' Jones
6. Someday We'll Be Together - Ivan 'Boogaloo Joe' Jones
7. Brown Bag - Ivan 'Boogaloo Joe' Jones
8. No Way - Ivan 'Boogaloo Joe' Jones
9. Sunshine Alley - Ivan 'Boogaloo Joe' Jones
10. Inside Job - Ivan 'Boogaloo Joe' Jones
11. Confusion - Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones
12. Trouble In Mind - Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones
13. Sweetback - Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones
14. You've Got It Bad, Girl - Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones "

Get your bad self in here! Anyone who goes by Boogaloo is OK by me.

Grant Green

Rhapsody Playlist:
"1. Upshot - Grant Green
2. The Final Comedown - Grant Green
3. Cantaloupe Woman - Grant Green
4. Dracula - Grant Green
5. California Green - Grant Green
6. Flood In Franklin Park - Grant Green"

Brought the funk to jazz. A slightly dirtier sound, locks in with the organ more than the totally clean Wes Montgomery sound.

Wes Montgomery

Wes Montgomery:
"1. No Blues - Wynton Kelly Trio & Wes Montgomery
2. If You Could See Me Now - Wynton Kelly Trio & Wes Montgomery
3. Unit 7 - Wynton Kelly Trio & Wes Montgomery
4. Four On Six - Wynton Kelly Trio & Wes Montgomery
5. What's New - Wynton Kelly Trio & Wes Montgomery
6. Willow Weep For Me - Wynton Kelly Trio & Wes Montgomery
7. Portrait Of Jennie - Wynton Kelly Trio & Wes Montgomery
8. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top - Wynton Kelly Trio & Wes Montgomery
9. Oh, You Crazy Moon - Wynton Kelly Trio & Wes Montgomery
10. Misty - Wynton Kelly Trio & Wes Montgomery
11. Impressions - Wynton Kelly Trio & Wes Montgomery "

Most of what you think of when you think of jazz guitar is Wes Montgomery. Clean sound, smooth phrasing accentuated with double stops and partial chords.

Flattering Comparisons

The Beatles - AABA/Verse-Chorus-Bridge song structures utilizing a harmonic pivot to transition between song sections.
Steely Dan - Slickly produced, harmonically complex pop for piano and guitar.
Everything But The Girl - Dance rhythms and electronica stylings linked to traditional song structures and instrumentation.
Roxy Music - Technically limited vocals embodying a mature, cosmopolitan worldview.
Keith Richards - Crunchy, augmented 3rd, Telecaster rhythm guitar riffs which slip the beat from the snare drum into their back pocket and go for a ride.
Elmore Leonard - Characters and dialog lifted from an Elmore Leonard novel.

The Matrix

Rhapsody Playlist:

1. Since U Been Gone - Kelly Clarkson
2. Behind These Hazel Eyes - Kelly Clarkson
3. Gone - Kelly Clarkson
4. Complicated - Avril Lavigne
5. Sk8er Boi - Avril Lavigne
6. Take Me Away - Avril Lavigne
7. My Happy Ending - Avril Lavigne
8. Extraordinary - Liz Phair
9. Rock Me - Liz Phair

I think the key to this sound is Antares pitch correction/vocal processing modules. http://www.antarestech.com/products/index.shtml.

It's kind of strange to have Kelly Clarkson in this list, because I think she can actually sing unaided. Bob Mould said that "Since U Been Gone" was his favorite song of the year, and I can see why - it sounds exactly like a Bob Mould song, especially in the "Shut your mouth I just can't take it" section of the bridge - except a little more perky and upbeat.

David Gray

David Gray:
"1. Faster, Sooner, Now - David Gray
2. Late Night Radio - David Gray
3. Sell, Sell, Sell - David Gray
4. Babylon - David Gray
5. My Oh My - David Gray
6. White Ladder - David Gray
7. This Years Love - David Gray"

Somewhere between Dylan and Coldplay. I'm not sure that this is a good place to be. I thought his combination of electronica and traditional songwriting would be more compelling than it actually is.