Sweater Weather Jazz is my fall jazz playlist for cozy gatherings and crisp days. I’m not sure exactly when I became so enchanted by the standards, but I can point to a few clues. Growing up, I watched plenty of old film musicals and started to hear those familiar voices, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Sammy Davis Jr., each one effortlessly smooth and full of charm. I still remember buying the single cassette of Natalie Cole’s “Unforgettable,” that famous virtual duet with her father, and being completely smitten.

And of course, there’s my adoration of Christmas music and all the crooners who’ve made those songs timeless. Somewhere along the way, I realized that this sound, these songs, make the perfect backdrop for just about anything. Dinner parties, cozy nights, or walks around city streets, they all feel elevated with a little jazz in the air.

Sweater Weather Jazz is my ode to that classic sound. It’s a one-hour mix designed for cooking, friends gathering around, or a big dinner feast like Thanksgiving. It’s also ideal for quiet strolls when the air turns crisp and the light starts to fade. For me, nothing captures that mood quite like New York City in the fall. You’ll hear it in the tracklist, from Billie Holiday’s Autumn in New York to Ella Fitzgerald’s Manhattan.

The playlist opens with Nat King Cole’s ’Tis Autumn, a warm invitation into the season. Frank Sinatra’s Oh, You Crazy Moon and Chet Baker’s Time After Time carry things even further into the chill zone, that lovely stretch of evening when everyone’s full, the music’s easy, and the world outside feels calm again.

Whether you’re hosting or strolling, this fall jazz playlist sets the tone for the season.