Jimmy Smith

Recorded after he signed with Blue Note Records, 'Unity' marks jazz organist Larry Young's distinctive shift toward modal jazz. The exploratory record went on to redefine jazz organ.

The 1980s wunderkind who is credited with reviving the soulful jazz of the Hammond organ, Joey DeFrancesco, died August 25. He was 51.

Often using an electric Hammond organ, soul jazz drew influences from gospel, blues and R&B and, of course, the popular soul genre. Stephanie Anne Johnson explores the early days of the soul jazz.