By Gerard Cox While "Jazz for the Open Road" might seem a bit too subjective from the outset, there are a few constant principles involved in what makes for good road music. No. 1: The music has got to have a sense of forward motion that accentuates your own sense of going forward in the car, without overwhelming at the same time. No. 2 is the groove or "the neck factor"- if you can get your groove on while your driving, then this is all for the better. Who doesn't like to be jammin' down the highway? Finally, and this is important if you're driving in wide-open spaces or at night, you want something that will occasion a reflective mood. When the sky seems to go on forever and you feel like you are on some kind of meaningful journey (even though you might just be going to work), you can really lose yourself in music, provided it has the right amount of depth and reflective feeling. Quiet chamber music tends not to do the trick though - there has to be something dynamic about the music, because if nothing else driving has a way of making your mind want to keep pace with the road in some way. So here's some great road jams: Generally grooving, straight-ahead Jazz, but with some more mellow selections for good measure. There's a real favoring of Jazz guitar in these choices, and that's no accident. Jazz guitar generally sounds great on the road, especially on a sunny day, as does the broader guitar-organ combo sound. Something about that GibsonÂÂ

Danny Gatton and Joey DeFrancesco: Relentless The title says it all. If anything, Relentless might make you just a little bit restless, but the no b.s. straight-ahead swinging, exploratory solos, and the outright bluesiness of this music makes for a very pleasing ride. The nice burnished sound feels like a warm autumn day and it's as "open" as swinging organ jazz can be. Charles Earland: Blowin' The Blues Away The late Charles Earland leads a classic set here that is marked by the intense soloing of Eric Alexander, Jim Rotondi, and of course The Mighty Burner himself. Why is this a great road listen?? Ohhh, the neck factor, as well as a "let the good times roll" feeling, are in full effect here.....and dig Earland's ever-rising (in volume) chord sustain on "Put it Where You Want It"......turn that up as loud as you want, and you'll have an ecstatic experience, guaranteed. Gene Harris: Black and Blue Gene is tha' bluesy bomb for Jazz road music. His sunny touch and soulful sincerity will come radiating through the music like the sun through your windshield. Ron Eschete's mellow guitar is the perfect foil for Harris as well. Bobby Hutcherson: Stick-Up From the opening serenade of Ornette Coleman's bouncy "Una Muy Bonita," this record has a wonderful wide-open vibe. A total range of feels too: "8/4 Beat" is intense modal music, "Summer Night" a moody ballad, "Black Circle" is propulsive swing and "Verse" a sentimental refrain. The constants, though, are the adventurous soloing of Joe Henderson, Bobby H. and McCoy Tyner and an open, positive feeling. A great listen,especially at night. Jack McDuff and Joey DeFrancesco: It's About Time Two words: very fun. This is a blues-drenched and swangin' extravaganza full of good vibes for a sunny day on the road. It's a "party" but there's always enough going on intellectually with the solos to keep you tuned in. And the pounding organ bass lines will sound like they are actually moving your car along, piston-like as they are. Stan Getz: Serenity Serene, yes. But this record also has a very wide-open feeling, lent in part through the reverb that comes from the acoustics of the club the band was playing, but moreover through the extended and exploratory solos that manage to stay on the mellow, reflective side of things. No one gets too hot here, but that's the point - it's a forward-looking statement by a man in the autumn of his career. Jackie McLean: Rhythm of the Earth Not many would call this a "classic" but it plays very well on a highway-bound road trip, perhaps because the narrative form of the record feels like a journey in itself, perhaps moreover because the themes are so driving yet somehow able to produce a detached state of mind. A modal program with epic solos by McLean, Roy Hargrove, Steve Nelson and Steve Davis. McCoy Tyner: Autumn Mood Under-publicized music that is probably the most mellow and space-conserving set by Tyner one will ever hear - and a cheapie on the small LRC label, no less (don't worry, the sound is very good.) The end result is a record that has a fine sense of spirited playing, and does indeed have a warm autumn glow about it. Claudio Roditi on fluegelhorn is a great counter to the normally fiery Tyner. Sonny Rollins: G-Man How could we forget G-Man, certainly one of the most road-ready records out there You'll easily lose track of how many miles it is to your destination as Sonny unfurls note after note of spontaneous genius and Smitty Smith stokes the flames on drums. And recall how this was recorded outside on a beautiful sunny day. Hank Marr: Groovin' It Again, nice, burnished organ Jazz for the road. Marr, a veritable dean of Jazz organ, takes us on a long trip, B-3 style, with a variety of destinations: Blues, ballads, bossas and more. Bill Stewart is an ace in the pocket, and Wilbert Longmire is passionate and precise on guitar. This is a charming and varied record. Mary Stallings: Fine and Mellow The lone vocal pick here, but road music in every sense. There is an ever-moving forward feel to this record, Stallings is absolutely personable as a vocalist, and you can feel the vibe of this band as they play before a live audience. Of course, the generally sunny selection of tunes and Ms. Stallings' sunny disposition don't hurt either. Wes Montgomery: Smokin' at The Half Note Maybe this choice is too obvious, but "Unit 7" was virtually written FOR the road. The rolling feeling of this cut and two others are a perfect metaphor for the spinning of your car's wheels. The ballads offer a nice respite, but no need to get off at the rest stop. This is Wes' true "Road Song" and should be in every jazz fan's CD changer.