Cannonball Adderley played the alto like he was having the time of his life -- and he was. Mercy Mercy Mercy is one of those records that makes you smile before you even know why. He was on Kind of Blue. He made soul-jazz a thing. A big man with a bigger sound, and the happiest alto saxophonist in the music.

Julian Adderley from Tampa, Florida was teaching high school music and leading the school band when he came to New York in 1955. He sat in with the Oscar Pettiford band at Cafe Bohemia and the jazz world collectively asked where this guy had been. Cannonball -- the nickname came from 'cannibal,' which was too much for his high school band director -- joined Miles Davis's sextet and played on Kind of Blue.

Then he formed his own quintet with his brother Nat on cornet, and they recorded Mercy Mercy Mercy live at the Club De Lisa in Chicago. Joe Zawinul's electric piano, a groove so deep it crossed over to the pop charts, and Cannonball's alto singing over the top. The happiest sound in hard bop. He died of a stroke at 46. The music never stopped smiling.

Cannonball Adderley played on Kind of Blue, then made Mercy Mercy Mercy. The happiest sound in jazz. Soul-jazz's joyful architect.