Mercy Mercy Mercy

I wouldn't have learned this song if it hadn't been for one of the main principles in jazz: Listen, listen, listen! I haven't learned many songs without listening to them before, during and after learning them.
When hearing this song at a concert, I was desperate to pick up its name so I could learn it. Now, I'd give this song a five-star rating, especially with the improvising I added in. That's another important technique which should not be used in a formal examination! Unless you want to lose marks, of course.

I remember listening to a recording of the song by "Cannonball" Adderley, and I was wondering, "Who would have a name like Cannonball?" I don't know where they get these nicknames from.

So here you have it!

Click here for the improved 2020 recording.

Listening back in 2019 to my original recording, I decided that the left hand pattern I was using didn't have a lot of rhythm to it, and it wasn't the best choice for harmony on the solo. I missed a lot of notes, too, and I didn't put as much emphasis on the riff section which usually repeats in the solo.
2017 recording: