Jimmy Smith at Club Baby Grand, Vol. 2 (1956)

Note: the CD I listened to was the mono 2008 Rudy Van Gelder Edition.

If a little bit is good, more is better.

Smith - organ
Thornel Schwartz - guitar
Donald Bailey - drums

Original liner notes by Leonard Feather. 2008 reissue liner notes by Bob Blumenthal.

Reviews/ratings:

• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★

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

Tracks, with favorites indicated:

	Title	Writer(s)
1	Caravan	Juan Tizol & Duke Ellington	✔
2	Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing	Sammy Fain & Paul Francis Webster
3	Get Happy	Harold Arlen & Ted Koehler
4	It's All Right With Me	Cole Porter	✔

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)	Crazy! Baby (1960)
The Dynamic Duo (1967)	Houseparty (1958)
Back At The Chicken Shack (1963)	The Sermon! (1958)
Home Cookin' (1961)	At Club Baby Grand, Vol. 1 (1956)

Jimmy Smith at Club Baby Grand, Vol. 1 (1956)

Note: the CD I listened to was the mono 2008 Rudy Van Gelder Edition.

Smith's first live album, recorded on August 4, 1956 at Club Baby Grand in Wilmington, Delaware, just months after his first Blue Note releases. We're treated to Smith in a loose, exuberant club environment, where his astonishing technique is apparent. And, for the most part, the rhythm section gets the hell out of the way and lets Smith shine. More relaxed and less polished than Smith's studio records, sure, but it's solid work and, at times, electrifying.

Smith - organ
Thornel Schwartz - guitar
Donald Bailey - drums

Original liner notes by Leonard Feather. 2008 reissue liner notes by Bob Blumenthal.

Reviews/ratings:

• Billboard (74 out of 100): "skillful modern stylings strapped to a fundamental, deep-rooted beat."
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★

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

Tracks, with favorites indicated:

	Title	Writer(s)
1	Introduction	Mitch Thomas
2	Sweet Georgia Brown	Maceo Pinkard	✔
3	Where Or When	Rodgers & Hart
4	The Preacher	Horace Silver	✔
5	Rosetta	Earl Hines & Henri Woode

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)	Crazy! Baby (1960)
The Dynamic Duo (1967)	Houseparty (1958)
Back At The Chicken Shack (1963)	The Sermon! (1958)
Home Cookin' (1961)

Jimmy Smith & Wes Montgomery - The Dynamic Duo (1967)

I first heard of this album through a jazz sampler CD and later wrote that the "Jimmy Smith/Wes Montgomery album is on my radar..." It was easy to find a copy so the CD was at my doorstep within a couple of weeks. As a fan of both musicians, I've been enjoying it ever since. Not only are we treated to the characteristic stylings of Smith on organ and Montgomery on guitar, there are arrangements by Oliver Nelson, the whole thing is produced by inestimable Creed Taylor, and engineered by Rudy Van Gelder at his legendary studio. It's a little thin on material, but this thing swings and grooves. There was a follow-up album, Further Adventures of Jimmy and Wes, recorded during the same sessions and later released in 1968.

Personnel listing plus original liner notes by Holmes "Daddy-O" Daylie.

Reviews/ratings:

• Stereo Review: "All too predictable"
• CashBox: "a tasty brew of jazz sessions."
• The Penguin Guide to Jazz (5th ed., 2000): ★★★½
• The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (1999): ★★★
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★★

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: #129
• Billboard Jazz: #1
• Billboard R&B: #10
• Record World Jazz: #1

Tracks: As I alluded to earlier, playing ★★★★, selections ★★.

1. Down By The Riverside - traditional African-American spiritual.
2. Night Train - a twelve-bar blues instrumental standard first recorded in 1951 by its writer, saxophonist Jimmy Forrest. Also the track that got me to buy the album.
3. James And Wes - a Jimmy Smith blues trio original.
4. 13 (Death March) - originally written by Gary McFarland for the 1966 motion picture Eye Of The Devil. When I first heard this album, I could've sworn I already knew this tune, but I can't find it anywhere in my collection so my old mind might be playing tricks on me. Again.
5. Baby It's Cold Outside - Frank Loesser tune from the romantic comedy Neptune's Daughter. The song was awarded an Oscar for Best Original Song in 1950. It has somehow been associated with the Christmas holiday as if we don't have cold weather in months other than December, but there are no lyrics on this album so that misconception is moot.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None.

Previously revisited for the blog:

---

Jimmy Smith

The Best of Jimmy Smith (1988)	Midnight Special (1961)
Keep On Comin' (1983)	Crazy! Baby (1960)
Back At The Chicken Shack (1963)	Houseparty (1958)
Home Cookin' (1961)	The Sermon! (1958)

---

Wes Montgomery

Classics, Volume 22 (1987)

A Day In The Life (1967)

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)

Jimmy Smith - Home Cookin' (1961)

Note: the CD I listened to was the 2003 Rudy Van Gelder Edition with 5 bonus tracks.

The advertisement below lists this album as "an 'all blues' date" and that's the best way describe it: blues and/or bluesy bordering on soulful R&B. And lots of it. It always amazes me to hear Smith play the bass lines with his feet (just listen to Sugar Hill or Gracie, for example, literally some walking bass lines!). The other outstanding performance here comes from guitarist Kenny Burrell - nothing but quality solos throughout. Pair with any of Smith's other early '60s Blue Note releases such as Midnight Special and Back At The Chicken Shack (1963)

The tracks were compiled from three recording dates:

• Tuesday, July 15, 1958
• Sunday, May 24, 1959
• Tuesday, June 16, 1959

All in the infamous Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.

Original album liner notes by Ira Gitler.

Smith - organ
Percy France - tenor saxophone
Kenny Burrell - guitar
Donald Bailey - drums

Reviews/ratings:

• Stereo Review: "his most listenable album to date"
• CashBox: "One of the most evocative of jazz organs."
• Downbeat (★★★★): "one must admit that the album is a cooker (no pun intended) from start to finish."
• The Penguin Guide to Jazz (5th ed., 2000): ★★★
• The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (1999): ★★★½
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★★

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

Tracks: My top tracks are Sugar Hill, a cover of the Ray Charles hit I Got A Woman, Messin' Around, and Come On Baby (which contains Smith's best solo on the disc).

Bonus tracks: An alternate take of Motorin' Around, plus four cuts that didn't appear on the original 1961 release: Apostrophe, Groanin' and two takes of Since I Fell For You. All fit perfectly in this bluesfest. Apostrophe is particularly a great listen because it sounds like the musicians are having a blast.

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)

Jimmy Smith - Midnight Special (1961)

Fantastic, bluesy, soulful cuts from The Incredible Jimmy Smith and a top-flight band. The album was recorded at the same 1960 session that produced Back at the Chicken Shack on Monday, April 25, 1960. Highly enjoyable - definitely one of Smith's better releases.

Original liner notes by Del Shields

Smith - organ
Kenny Burrell - guitar
Stanley Turrentine - tenor saxophone
Donald Bailey - drums

Reviews/ratings:

• CashBox: "proof positive of Smith's stature as a significant jazz artist."
• DownBeat (★★★): "a relaxed, informal studio session that makes few demands on the listener."
• The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (1999): ★★★
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★★
• The Penguin Guide to Jazz (5th ed., 2000): ★★½

Midnight Special, Part 1 peaked at #69 pop, #13 R&B in 1962

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #28

Tracks: You can't go wrong with any of the five here. Makes a great pairing with the aforementioned Chicken Shack album, for obvious reasons.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None.

Previously revisited for the blog:
The Best of Jimmy Smith: The Blue Note Years (1988)
Keep On Comin' (1983)
Back At The Chicken Shack (1963)
Houseparty (1958)
The Sermon! (1958)

Jimmy Smith - Keep On Comin' (1983)

ELEKTRA/MUSICIAN MONTH (FEBRUARY 2023)

In the '50s and '60s, Jimmy Smith was a prolific recording artist, sometimes releasing as many as five albums a year on various labels, including Blue Note and Verve. He slowed down only slightly into the '70s, but continued to average an album a year into the '90s. This is the second of his two releases on the Elektra/Musician label, recorded live at the Atlanta Free Jazz Festival, Saturday, September 3, 1983. (If I'm not mistaken, the term "free" refers to the price of admission to the festival, not the sub-genre of jazz to be performed.) Smith was pushing 60 at the time and could still deliver the goods. Judging from the liner notes, it seems like he had a great time:

Smith - organ, piano
Kenny Burrell - guitar
Johnny Griffin - tenor saxophone
Mike Baker - drums

I almost always look to see who is playing bass on Smith records and then facepalm as I remember that Smith is playing the bass lines himself...with his feet! This album is a fun, bluesy, soulful listen and Burrell often steals the show - what a great pairing. Plus, one track features Smith on solo piano which is a very rare treat indeed.

Reviews/ratings:

• Billboard
• Musician: "as unadorned and funky a record as the organist has made in years."
• Downbeat (★★★): "Not a bad set, but not inspired, either."
• The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (1999): ★★★
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: Did not chart
• Billboard Jazz: #35
• Radio & Records Jazz Airplay: #10

Tracks: The title blues track makes for a smokin' opener and is followed by a beautiful Burrell cut, Be Yourself, which is my favorite track today.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None, but 17-year-old Mark certainly would have had a great time and learned a great deal had he been at the Atlanta show that evening.

Previously revisited for the blog:
The Best of Jimmy Smith: The Blue Note Years (1988)
Back At The Chicken Shack (1963)
Houseparty (1958)
The Sermon! (1958)

Jimmy Smith - Back At The Chicken Shack (1963)

You know its good when someone gives you the honorific "The Incredible" on the album cover. With the help of the invention of the drawbar B-3 organ and people like Smith, the organ moved from the church to club. Smith was prolific, releasing over 100 albums (he recorded around forty sessions just for Blue Note, 1956-63) and also found occasional success on the single charts - the title track from this release peaked at #63 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1963.

And what a supporting cast: Stanley Turrentine, Kenny Burrell, and Donald Bailey. Turrentine is featured throughout and, from what I've read, this is the album that really put him on the map. Plus, Burrell's tone is unparalleled.

Original liner notes by Ira Gitler.

Featured in an early edition of the book, 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: "arguably Smith's greatest album, relentlessly grooving, harmonically sophisticated, and earthy as the Delta mud."

Other reviews/ratings:

• Billboard: "another powerhouse album from Smith"
• CashBox: "unleashes his potent organ talents full-blast"
• DownBeat: ★★★
• The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (1999): ★★★
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★★ 

In 1987, this album was selected by Blue Note (Europe) as one of the 25 Best Albums on the label.

Update: In 2024, uDiscover Music ranked this album at #27 on its list of The 50 Greatest Blue Note Albums.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #14

Tracks: 4 tracks, lots of R&B (heavy on the B) with similar swingin' grooves throughout. But if you like that sorta thing, then it's all good. This 2007 Rudy Van Gelder Edition contains one bonus track, On The Sunny Side Of The Street, and while it isn't blues, it's a great take on a standard.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Previously revisited for the blog:
The Best of Jimmy Smith: The Blue Note Years (1988)
Houseparty (1958)
The Sermon! (1958)

Jimmy Smith - Houseparty (1958)

This 1987 attempt at a CD re-release of this album was a hot mess. From the CD liner notes:

So there are 5 tracks on this CD, only two of which appeared on the original 1958 album. This poor editorial decision was corrected on later reissues (I direct you specifically to The Rudy Van Gelder Editions), but that's not doing me much good. However, one simply does not pass up a Jimmy Smith CD especially when it is calling loudly from a cutout bin, so let's focus on the music. First, check out this all-star line up:

On a side note, I recently watched a documentary about Lee Morgan titled "I Called Him Morgan" which I thoroughly enjoyed. And Morgan tears through every solo take he's given on these tunes. I've often mentioned that the Hammond B-3 organ is one of my favorite instruments and it's in the hands of a true master as this group tears through 5 extended tracks of standards, swinging bop, and true rhythm and blues. Every time I hear a Smith track, I listen to the bass player for a while before realizing there's no bass player and that's Smith playing bass lines on the organ pedals. Simply amazing.

Tracks: While this reissue isn't the best, I really can't complain about 70 minutes of Smith on one CD.

1.  J.O.S.* - a ripping Smith original - this bop tune never lets up. James Oscar Smith apparently simply used his own initials as the title. (11:55) 
2. What Is This Thing Called Love* - Groovin', swingin' take on the 1929 Cole Porter show tune. My favorite track on the disc. (15:12)
3. Just Friends - the band takes it down a peg for a smooth, relaxing rendition of another standard. (15:15)
4. Cherokee* - this 1938 Ray Noble tune should be familiar to most jazz lovers and this group's marathon bop version simply doesn't let up for a full third of an hour, leaving me exhausted. But what a fun ride. (20:18)
5. Blues After All - a Kenny Burrell original - soulful, laid back 12 bar blues. (6:06)

*Does not appear on original LP configuration

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None, but it makes me wish I could buy my own Hammond B-3 organ with Leslie speaker. Not that I've got the funds to buy it nor the room to set it up, but why let such limitations crush my dreams?

Previously revisited for the blog:
The Best of Jimmy Smith: The Blue Note Years (1988)
The Sermon! (1958)

The Best of Jimmy Smith: The Blue Note Years (1988)

A nice compilation from the pioneer jazz electric organist. The seven numbers included here span the years 1958-86, but most come from around 1960. Smith has a lot of legendary sidemen on these cuts (Kenny Burrell, Art Blakey, Lee Morgan, Stanley Turrentine, etc.) but no matter who is playing, this band swings. Playing the crap out of a Hammond B-3 organ, Smith's jam sessions were a trailblazing mix of jazz, R&B, and soul, paving the way for Booker T and the soul crowd that cribbed his style in the later '60s. If the name Jimmy Smith is unfamiliar to you, this disc is a good place to start.

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

Tracks:  Most of the tracks are extended blues jams that last from eight to twenty minutes. I'm digging all of 'em but I've giving special mention to the tunes Fungii Mama and Back At The Chicken Shack because of the titles (they're also two of the best cuts on the album).

1. The Sermon, taken from The Sermon! (1958)
2. Fungii Mama, taken from Go For Whatcha Know (1986)
3. When Johnny Comes Marching Home, originally on Crazy! Baby (1960)
4. The Jumpin' Blues, taken from Midnight Special (1961)
5. Back At The Chicken Shack, taken from Back At The Chicken Shack (1963)
6. The Champ, taken from A New Sound - A New Star, Vol. 2 (1956)
7. All Day Long, taken from At The Organ, Vol. 1 (1958)

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Previously revisited for the blog:
The Sermon! (1958)

Jimmy Smith - The Sermon! (1958)

Since it's Sunday, I figured another sermon couldn't hurt. The Hammond B-3 organ is one of my favorite instruments and it's in the hands of a master on this Blue Note release. Other jazz greats on this release include Kenny Burrell, Art Blakey, Lou Donaldson, and Lee Morgan. Makes me wish I had a spare $10K lying around so I could buy my own B-3.

Reviews/ratings:

• Billboard (★★★★): "A strong album for modern jazz buffs.""
• DownBeat: ★★★
• 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:

1. The Sermon - recorded February 25, 1958: This 20 minute title track is a swinging 12-bar blues number with everyone getting a solo (or two).
   Jimmy Smith – organ
   Lee Morgan – trumpet
   Kenny Burrell – guitar
   Art Blakey – drums
   Lou Donaldson – alto saxophone
   Tina Brooks – tenor saxophone
2. J.O.S. - recorded August 25, 1957: a fast-paced minor-key bop number.
   Smith – organ
   Morgan – trumpet
   George Coleman – alto saxophone
   Eddie McFadden – guitar
   Donald Bailey – drums
3. Flamingo - recorded February 25, 1958: a nice take on the 1940 standard with some excellent trumpet work by Lee Morgan.
   Smith – organ
   Morgan – trumpet
   Burrell – guitar
   Blakey – drums

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None. This was a recent find at a Half Price Books.