A Sound for Sore Ears is a jazz instrumental with no lyrics, composed by the American saxophonist, composer and arranger Jimmy Heath (1926-2020). Milt Jackson first recorded it with The Ray Brown Big Band on October 9, 1969, at Annex Recording Studios in Hollywood. The recording was released in 1970 on the album Memphis Jackson, issued by Impulse! and produced by Ed Michel, where it is the fifth track and lasts about three minutes. Heath later recorded the piece with his Heath Brothers in 1980. Other recordings have been made by Najee, Russell Malone and Jordan VanHemert.
