JIMMY SMITH — Jimmy Smith (review)

JIMMY SMITH — Jimmy Smith album cover Boxset / Compilation · 1975 · Blues Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
js
In the mid 70s Blue Note began issuing compilations of some of their best artists in double LP format and often at a very reasonable price. These days these comps still show up at thrift stores and used record stores and the price remains very low for jazz vinyl. Generally the tunes on these double LPs are quite good, and the sound can be good also, although some of these records will have a more compressed and quiet sound than the originals. This Jimmy Smith compilation, simply titled “Jimmy Smith”, offers a great overview of some of Smith’s best recordings from the late 50s through the late 60s. These tunes represent Smith in his prime, before the commercial concerns of later years would knock a lot of his music off track.

One of the first jazzers to exclusively play the Hammond B3, Smith is often credited with being the father of the soul jazz sound that grew out of jazz men utilizing the unique features of the B3, but when you listen to these sides you can hear that Jimmy was a little different from the rest of the soul jazz crowd. Jimmy’s music is a little leaner and cleaner, its basically hard bop played to simple blues changes without the extra BBQ sauce and soul/gospel influence of the soul jazz crowd.

If you have ever listened to Smith’s earliest recordings you will know that he started out as a high speed bopper, you can hear his bop roots on the up tempo “The Champ”, but most of the rest of this album is very laid back blues with an occasional standard played like a blues. The main appeal of this album is in the atmosphere and ambiance it creates. This is the perfect late night smokey jazz club sound, this is the kind of music musicians play when the pressure of the busy hours are over and they just want to stretch out on some relaxed solos. Put this on and you are instantly transported to a noire jazz club in NYC in the early 60s, cool.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Cecil Taylor Unit : Live At Fat Tuesdays, February 9, 1980 First Visit Avant-Garde Jazz
CECIL TAYLOR
Buy this album from MMA partners
Solo Bern 1984 - First Visit Avant-Garde Jazz
ANTHONY BRAXTON
Buy this album from MMA partners
Ernesto Rodrigues, Bruno Parrinha & Johannes von Buttlar : Whispers and Reveries Jazz Related Improv/Composition
ERNESTO RODRIGUES
Buy this album from MMA partners
Ernesto Rodrigues, Nuno Torres & Johannes von Buttlar : Cosmic Collision Jazz Related Improv/Composition
ERNESTO RODRIGUES
Buy this album from MMA partners
Ernesto Rodrigues, Carlos Bechegas, João Madeira & Monsieur Trinité : Free to Open Jazz Related Improv/Composition
ERNESTO RODRIGUES
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Songs My Mom Liked EPK - Anthony Branker
ANTHONY BRANKER
js· 1 day ago
“INFLUENCES” by Jared Hall, trumpeter & composer
JARED HALL
js· 1 day ago
Jean-Pierre (feat. Darryl Jones)
BILL EVANS (SAX)
snobb· 1 day ago
Magic Box
CHRISTOPHE MARGUET
snobb· 1 day ago
The Peacocks
ANTOINE DRYE
js· 1 day ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed