Tom Scott With The California Dreamers - The Honeysuckle Breeze

Year Released: 1967

Genre: Jazz, Soul Jazz, Psychedelic Pop

Description:

The Honeysuckle Breeze is the debut album by American jazz saxophonist Tom Scott, released in 1967 on the prestigious Impulse! Records label. The album is a fascinating and often overlooked document of a young musician on the verge of a long and prolific career. At just 19 years old, Scott was given the opportunity to lead a session with a nine-piece vocal group, The California Dreamers, and a stellar lineup of session musicians, including legendary bassist Carol Kaye and guitarist Glen Campbell.

The album's sound is a unique and somewhat dated fusion of jazz, pop, and the psychedelic sounds of the late 1960s. It blends Scott's smooth jazz saxophone playing with breezy, pop-oriented vocal harmonies from The California Dreamers. The album is a mix of pop and rock covers of the era, including a jazz-inflected take on The Beatles' "She's Leaving Home" and Donovan's "Mellow Yellow," alongside jazz standards like John Coltrane's "Naima." The album's psychedelic element is heightened by the use of sitar, played by Bill Plummer.

While not a critical success upon its release and dismissed by some as a "commercial" record, The Honeysuckle Breeze has gained a cult following over the years, particularly among Hip-Hop producers and crate-diggers. Its most significant legacy is the track "Today," which features a saxophone solo that was famously sampled by the legendary Hip-Hop duo Pete Rock & CL Smooth for their critically acclaimed 1992 song "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)." The sample's iconic use in one of Hip-Hop's most beloved tracks has given The Honeysuckle Breeze a place in music history that transcends its original reception