Nighthawks - jazz marketed as rock?

[Hermes]

The best bass playing I ever heard was Jim Hughart on all those '70s Tom Waites albums. Now THATS the kind of bass stuff I want to try and play. But what kind of music is that? Jazz? Rock?

I know Waites is kind of a one off. But what is that kind of music that comes on whenever a film noir Philip Marlow character comes on the TV? The smokey sax and the slow walking bass. I've never heard anyone else play like that. Can anyone recommend people to listen to in a similar style? Thanks in advance for any pointers.