Jimmy Smith - Crazy! Baby (1960)

Note: the CD I listened to was the 1989 re-release with 2 bonus tracks.

While I'm a big fan of The Incredible Jimmy Smith, I have to admit this simply isn't one of his better releases. Too many average-at-best arrangements of pop covers and only one Smith original. I hate to say this trio was phoning it in after a long weekend of New Year's gigs, but it sure sounds that way to me. However, I will give special mention to guitarist Quentin Warren whose soloing is quite good on several cuts.

Recorded Monday, January 4, 1960 at the infamous Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.

Original album liner notes by Leonard Feather.

Smith - organ
Quentin Warren - guitar
Donald Bailey - drums

Reviews/ratings:

• CashBox: "One of the few organists who can really swing the thing"
• Billboard (★★★★): "Smith again comes thru"
• The Penguin Guide to Jazz (5th ed., 2000): ★★½ "discouragingly rational"
• The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (1999): ★★★
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★★

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks:

Both Makin' Whoopee and Mack The Knife were released as singles, but my top pick today is Sonnymoon For Two.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Previously revisited for the blog:

The Best of Jimmy Smith (1988)	Midnight Special (1961)
Keep On Comin' (1983)	Houseparty (1958)
Back At The Chicken Shack (1963)	The Sermon! (1958)
Home Cookin' (1961)