My Favorite Jazz Classics for Autumn

Cecelia Moore 

Music Journalist 

We’ve finally reached my favorite time of year. While it may still be 90 degrees daily, my music rotation has gone full-on cozy. Throughout the year, I’m consistently listening to new releases, but once fall hits, I travel back to the 1950s-70s with one of my favorite genres, jazz. These four tracks are my must-listens for this season, getting played almost daily from September until Thanksgiving. Get out your chunky knit sweaters, light a cinnamon candle and let these songs wrap you up and take you back in time. 

“Autumn in New York” by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong is one of my absolute favorite songs, perfectly capturing the quiet coziness of autumn. Fitzgerald and Armstrong have iconic voices that continue to speak to new generations, making this song truly timeless. 

 The song holds a melancholy undertone that often accompanies the seasonal shift, as nature slowly yet beautifully decomposes. “Dreamers with empty hands / They sigh for exotic lands / It’s autumn in New York / It’s good to live it again” effortlessly paints a picture of the wistfulness that comes with the seasonal changes, capturing the warm welcome we give the season.  

Fitzgerald’s voice oozes over the raw piano and brushing drums sound like honey glistening in the sun, with Armstrong’s vocals warm and familiar. This song captures the bittersweet comfort of fall with a nostalgic quality that I never get tired of. 

“The Great Pumpkin Waltz” by Vince Guaraldi has the exact warmth and comfort I seek on a true fall day. It reminds me of being a little kid in upstate New York, jumping into a pile of leaves in my front yard I remember being as big as a football field.  

The song was composed for a Charlie Brown special, giving it an air of simplicity and ease. The inviting piano combined with soft drums and flutes bring comfort and nostalgia to the front of your mind.  

Listening to this song transports me to a simpler time, where I would carve pumpkins and pick apples with my mom, dad and brother surrounded by orange foliage and a cool breeze. This song transports me to my first experiences of autumn, gently letting me relive those cherished memories for a moment not long enough. 

“It Had to be You” by Frank Sinatra is the epitome of autumn romance. The melancholy undertone that comes with soul-bearing, unconditional, fated love is expertly captured in this stunning arrangement. “The somebody who / Could make me be true / And could make me blue / And even be glad / Just to be sad / Thinking of you” are words written for true romantics that pull on your heartstrings, whether you’ve found the person it had to be or not.  

Sinatra’s unmistakable voice pours over the strings, making this song an enthralling experience that would remain just as powerful without any accompaniment. This song never fails to make me emotional with its vintage, romantic honesty rippling through every note. 

These songs all move me in one way or another, and they transport me to a different moment in time. For me, great music elicits emotions, and nothing does that for me like classic jazz. These songs are essential to awaken my autumn spirit, and I hope you find the same comfort, love and understanding in them that I do.