Alex, jazz is the only music that springs from the heart and soul into the realm of the living where we can hear it. Jazz as you and I know it, is an expression of the emotions, the life and experiences of African Americans in the cities of the United States of America, as they went through the daily struggles required to survive.
While that most certainly is not the complete picture, it is the essence of the music. Bobby Timmons captures the core of what I'm talking about in his music, which is why it was so popular when presented, and is still recorded by many artists. "Moanin", "This Here" and "Dat Dere" were on juke boxes in the 60's, and still remains popular.
Of course it's possible "intellectually" to produce good jazz, but regardless how good it sounds, it lacks "soul"; that's a word which starts arguments, but the arguments are raised by those who are lacking that missing ingredient which can not be acquired.
The reason so many artists record "Moanin" is because when you hear the music, you can feel the emotion of the story behind it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv9NSR-2DwM
My favorite version with Bobby and the Messengers; Lee Morgan blows his a-- off; this is the ultimate version, Benny Golson never sounded better.
While there is a ton of good jazz in my collection that lacks "soul", it is still what projects the most intense human emotions.
