[Autumn Jazz] Classic and Popular Jazz Songs to Enjoy in the Fall

Feeling GoodNina Simone

Nina Simone Feeling Good

Overflowing with a blues feeling, this song was composed by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse as a number in a musical.

Written in 1964, it’s a relatively new piece and the same musical also includes well-known jazz standards such as “Who Can I Turn To?” and “The Joker.” Nina Simone’s distinctive vocal style at moments brings to mind Japanese folk singers and artists from the world music scene.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Stormy WeatherBillie Holiday

Stormy Weather

Billie Holiday, the female jazz vocalist who won popularity with her richly expressive voice, is one of the key figures who changed the very concept of jazz singing.

This piece is a torch song about a heartbreaking breakup: ever since her lover left, the weather—both inside her heart and out in the world—has been stormy.

Her searing emotional expression, as if reflecting her own tumultuous life, deeply moves those who listen.

First performed in 1933, the song became a widely loved standard—so much so that a musical film of the same name was made in 1943—and Holiday’s recording can be heard on the classic album “An Evening with Billie Holiday.” It’s perfect for a long autumn night, lost in thought.

Body and SoulColeman Hawkins

Coleman Hawkins – Body and Soul

Coleman Hawkins, the trailblazer who elevated the tenor saxophone to a leading instrument in jazz.

A major star of the Swing Era, he also had a profound influence on later modern jazz.

Among his many celebrated performances, one recorded in 1939 is especially famous.

In this piece, he intentionally departs from the melody, crafting improvisations guided by the sound of the chords.

His deep, lustrous tone evokes a cool atmosphere tinged with the stillness and melancholy of an autumn night.

This performance was included on compilation albums such as Body and Soul.

Give it a listen on an evening when you want to spend some grown-up time.

Autumn LeavesMiles Davis

Miles Davis – Autumn Leaves (Live at Salle Pleyel, Paris Oct 1, 1964)

Miles Davis, whose restrained trumpet tone reshaped the course of jazz.

Among his many classic performances, this is the one I want to savor on a long autumn night.

His cool, lyrical trumpet eloquently tells the story of a world where fallen leaves symbolize a love that has passed and the lyrics cherish its memories.

You can clearly hear the influence of the pianist Ahmad Jamal—whom Davis revered so much that he declared, “I got all my inspiration from him.” This rendition was recorded in March 1958, and the famous take appears on alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderley’s masterpiece Somethin’ Else.

Be sure to give it a listen as a companion to a quiet, contemplative evening.

Blue in GreenMiles Davis

Miles Davis – Blue In Green (Official Audio)

Miles Davis, the imperious figure who constantly rewrote the history of jazz.

This is one track from his historic masterpiece Kind of Blue, recorded in August 1959, that seeps deeply into a long autumn night.

His muted trumpet resonates like a whisper escaping from the depths of the heart, intertwined with Bill Evans’s light, transparent piano, which nestles gently alongside it.

Though there are no lyrics, the piece’s structure exquisitely renders a complex inner landscape where blue melancholy blends with green tranquility.

The album that contains this work is also known for having been selected in 2002 for the National Recording Registry of the U.S.

Library of Congress.

It’s perfect for a quiet afternoon of contemplation.

These Foolish ThingsNat King Cole

These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You)

Legendary jazz vocalist Nat King Cole.

Among the many jazz singers, he stands out for his exceptionally warm voice, and his sweet baritone is beloved by professionals as well.

This piece is crafted as a jazz number that captures a bittersweet feeling: how trivial things you notice in a fleeting moment can evoke a love that has slipped away, like a scene from a film.

It’s one track from the classic album “Just One of Those Things,” released in November 1957, where Billy May’s dazzling orchestral arrangement and Cole’s tender yet wistful vocals are a perfect match, conjuring a melancholic atmosphere befitting autumn.

Round MidnightThelonious Monk

‘Round Midnight

There may be few songs that suit the word “midnight” as perfectly as this one.

So achingly beautiful, its wistful melody seeps into the heart; this work stands as a towering jazz-ballad masterpiece created by modern jazz giant Thelonious Monk.

In the world of its lyrics, it depicts an inescapable loneliness and yearning over lost love.

Monk’s characteristically unexpected harmonies seem to deepen that helpless emotion even further.

You can hear Monk’s own 1947 recording on the album “Genius of Modern Music Vol.

1,” and Miles Davis also featured it on his classic “’Round About Midnight.” It’s also known for the film of the same name released in 1986.

A perfect song for a long autumn night when you want to drift into your thoughts.