Jimmy Smith (1925-2005) helped to popularize the Hammond B-3 electric organ and had significant success with a series of instrumental jazz albums. He was also responsible for forging a connection between ’60s soul and jazz.
Jimmy Smith wasn’t the first organ player in jazz, but no one had a greater influence with the instrument than he did; Smith coaxed a rich, grooving tone from the Hammond B-3, and his sound and style made him a top instrumentalist in the 1950s and ’60s, while a number of rock and R&B keyboardists would learn valuable lessons from Smith’s example.
Smith recorded more than 30 albums for Blue Note between 1956 and 1963 working with artists like Kenny Burrell, Stanley Turrentine, and Jackie McLean. In 1963, Smith signed a new record deal with Verve.
Smith’s first album for Verve, Bashin’: The Unpredictable Jimmy Smith, was a critical and commercial success, and the track “Walk on the Wild Side” became a minor hit. Smith maintained his busy performing and recording schedule throughout the 1960s, and in 1966 he cut a pair of celebrated album with guitarist Wes Montgomery. In 1972, Smith’s contract with Verve expired, and tired of his demanding tour schedule, he and his wife opened a supper club in California’s San Fernando Valley.
In 2004, he was honored as a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Personell for Back at the Chicken Shack: Jimmy Smith (organ); Kenny Burrell (guitar); Stanley Turrentine (tenor saxophone); Donald Bailey (drums).