“Jimmy was one of the greatest and most innovative musicians of our time. I love the man and I love the music. He was my idol, my mentor and my friend,” fellow Hammond B-3 artist Joey Defrancesco said yesterday.
Jimmy Smith, the Hammond B-3 icon who creatively revolutionized the instrument in jazz, died of apparent natural causes yesterday, February 8, at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Born in Norristown, Pennsylvania on December 8, 1925, Jimmy Smith ruled the Hammond B-3 organ in the 1950s and 1960s. He turned the instrument into almost an ensemble itself, fusing R&B, blues, and gospel influences with bebop references into a jubilant, warm, compelling sound that many others emulated.
After service in the Navy, in 1948 he studied bass at the Hamilton School of Music and piano at Ornstein's School of Music in Philadelphia. He began playing the Hammond organ in 1951, but didn't find his sound right away.
He described the process and epiphany: "I got my organ from a loan shark had it shipped to the warehouse. I stayed in that warehouse, I would say, six months to a year. Nobody showed me anything, man, so I had to fiddle around with my stops."
After various draw bar combinations, Jimmy finally discovered the sound that he wanted. "I pulled out that third harmonic and there! The bulb lit up, thunder and lightning! Stars came out of the sky!"
He soon earned a reputation that followed him to New York, where he debuted at the Café Bohemia. A date at Birdland and then a 1957 Newport Jazz Festival appearance launched Smith's career. He toured extensively throughout the 1960s and ‘70s.
Smith’s Blue Note sessions from 1956 to 1963 were extremely influential and included collaborations with Kenny Burrell, Lee Morgan, Lou Donaldson, Tina Brooks, Jackie McLean, Ike Quebec, and Stanley Turrentine. Smith also recorded for Verve from 1963 to 1972, many releases noteworthy for the use of big bands and arrangements by Oliver Nelson.
Jimmy Smith was the master, but the authentic sound of the Hammond lives on in his protégé and good buddy Joey DeFrancesco. The pair recently recorded a studio album together, Legacy, to be released on Concord Records February 15. A national tour was in place for the B-3 soul mates to commence at Yoshi’s February 16-20, along with a special Iridium engagement in New York, March 23-27.
See Wally Bangs's passionate and informative review of Retrospective here.
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Article comments
1 - wally bangs
I saw the news on Soul Sides a little while ago and I wondered if there would be a write up here. Glad to see there is one, but saddened by Jimmy's passing.
He's the player that introduced me to organ jazz and nobody could do it like him. I had just reviewed the Blue Note Retrospective set too (if anybody wants to read more on Jimmy, it's located here: http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/01/24/085058.php).
A true legend has left us.
2 - Mark Saleski
weird. just this morning, i brought in a copy of "Midnight Special" because a co-worker sez he doesn't like jazz. i figured that something like Smith, who crosses over from jazz into blues, might do the trick.
very sad news, though.
3 - Eric Olsen
(cue Twilight Zone theme) you are attuned to the collective subconcious Mark, so how did the guy like the groove-jazz?
4 - JR
I'm seriously bummed. I would have loved to see him again; he was the ultimate "shredder" on the organ and a great character in person. He was a focal point in my discovery of jazz because he managed to stay true to the traditions while turning them on their ear in a way that I could identify with.
I hope this spurs some more reissues, 'cause I've only got about 30 of his albums so far.
5 - Eric Olsen
very nice thoughts JR, thanks, a quick trip to the collection reveals only 3 CDs and zero vinyl - I am seriously slacking here
6 - Mark Saleski
i'll let you know about my friend's "conversion" tomorrow.
7 - Shark
Ditto to all entries-- and for the homage, Eric.
Like JR, I got turned onto Jimmy Smith very early, mid-1960s -- probably my first inkling of jazz. Nobody sounded like Jimmy, and that B-3, jeesus, it's one of those sounds that just makes you feel like you're in Heaven. Warm. Soft. Homey. I dunno. Like mother's milk or sumthin'.
Sad day. Gawd, I would have LOVED to have seen he and JoeyD play together! [Shark shaking fist at God]
I've got a few of the reissue CDs; I'll have to blast one in memory (after my grandson wakes from his nap; at 4, he probably needs to hear it, too!).
Acid Jazz -- I put that one when the ol' gang gets together to drink, smoke, and have some laughs. It's certainly greases the skids. Nobody can remain uncool while that's playing in the background.
RIP.
8 - HW Saxton
This is so f***ing weird.I was listening
to "Back At The Chicken shack" in my car
stereo on my way into work this morning.
Great driving on the freeway music,helps
me cool out and ignore the a holes that
are honking at you to speed up when you
are already pushing 80 MPH in a 65 MPH
stretch of freeway. Groove on Jimmy RIP.
9 - Eric Olsen
ah, thanks for reminding me Shark, quite a few Smith tunes on acid jaz collections!
10 - Tom Johnson
Beastie Boys fans should be doing a bit of mourning themselves, seeing that they lifted the samples of riffs from him all the time.
That said, I sadly don't own a single Smith recording. Recommendations (on the cheap side, please - no boxsets! I've got a baby to save for!)
11 - Eric Olsen
congrats Tom! taking the ultimate plunge
The Best Of th eBlue Note Years is a single disc
12 - godoggo
bye Jimmy
13 - JR
The afformentioned Midnight Special is good, as is its identical twin Back At the Chicken Shack. Slightly less funky but more bang for your buck would be Open House/Plain Talk which is two albums on one disc. I also find Crazy! Baby interesting for a little more variety in textures, including that fantastic version of "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" mentioned in Wally Bangs review. Generally though, those are all pretty much in the classic Blue Note style (my favorite).
In the Creed Taylor mode (but not as "pop" as late Wes Montgomery), there are a couple of fantastic Verve albums with Wes Montgomery on guitar and Oliver Nelson scores, James and Wes - The Dynamic Duo probably being the better of the two. Then there's The Cat with an arguably even better orchestrator in Lalo Schiffrin; it sounds like it ought to be the soundtrack to an Austin Powers movie. Also Bashin', the sound of which inspired the rockers like Keith Emerson and John Lord. The Verve albums tend to be relatively short (say ~35 minutes) and pricey.
Then there is Root Down, which I gather was sampled by the likes of the Beasties. That's a seventies album, more electrified and groove oriented. Like the Blue Note albums, you can get that for under $10 pretty easily if you shop around.
A caveat, if it matters: you won't find much bass playing on Jimmy Smith records.
(Talk about coincidence, that new album is less than a week away.)
14 - sonny
rest in peace, jimmy.
he and joey d. are 2 of the musicians that make me proud to be from philly.
15 - Raymond
I started learning to play the Hammond Organ in 1966. After hearing about the passing of THE INCREDIBLE Jimmy Smith I had to jam and jam and jam some more.
Took a break, surfed the net; and, found the following paste:
Here is an article quoted from *Hammond Times* Volume 26 Number 2
(July-August 1964) Written by Jimmy Smith entitled "Incredible!"
My first Hammond Organ was bought ten years ago. I was playing piano in
small bands around Philadelphia and was so impressed with the incredible
number and variety of sounds you can get with the Hammond that I couldn't
rest until I had my own.
I never did take lessons, just taught myself. First, I learned about the
drawbars and what each one stood for. As time passed, I experimented trying
out all the different sounds. Next came the presets. I tried them out too
but I don't use them very much except when playing ballads or something
sweet and soft.
When it came to the foot pedals, I made a chart of them and put it on the
wall in front of me wo I wouldn't have to look down. My first method was
just using the toe. In the earlier days I was a tap dancer so the transition
to heel and toe playing was made without too much trouble. One thing I
learned was that you have to have a relaxed ankle. I would write out
different bass lines to try for different tempi in order to relax the ankle.
One useful learning technique was to put my favorite records on and then
play the bass line along with them to see if I could play the pedals without
looking down and only occasionally using my chart on the wall. This worked
out fine.
When you are properly co-ordinated, you get an even flow in the bass. Most
often, organists are uneven in their playing of the pedals, heavy here and
light there.
Soon I was putting hands and feet together and achieving co-ordination.
My first job with the organ was at a Philadelphia supper club, playing a duo
with drums. It was here I began further experimentation with different
drawbar settings and using different effects and dynamics. It was before
these audiences that the Jimmy Smith sound evolved.
People always ask me about this sound. This probably is best explained in
my approach to the organ. While others think of the organ as a full
orchestra, I think of it as a horn. I've always been an admirer of Charlie
Parker. . .and I try to sound like him. I wanted that single-line sound like
a trumpet, a tenor or an alto saxophone.
Shortly afterward, I recorded for Blue Note and my records began to get
popular. After seven years with Blue Note (and twenty-one LP's later) I
moved to MGM records. My first big record for them was "Walk on the Wild
Side," from the movie of the same name. On this record I used a sole setting
of 88 8000 001 on the upper manual on B preset, vibrato off, and percussion
on.
After much harassment from fellow organists, fans, and musicians it is my
intention to publish an organ book. This book will show musically exactly
what I find very difficult to explain editorially.
Ever since I was a child, I wanted to play the better type of music, even
classics. I haven't done anything like that, but I'm going to. I'm going to
scare a lot of people with the incredible number of tones on the Hammond
Organ before I die.
Copyright 1964, Hammond Organ Company, Chicago, Illinois
16 - godoggo
Ron Carter was one bassist whom Smith thought highly enough of to cover the his bottom (as it were?) for him on at least a few recordings. Were there any others? I only have 3 Smith records (which for me is actually a lot by any particular artist).
17 - HW Saxton
I've never heard Jimmy Smith with a bass
player. Always guitar & drums as rhythm.
And horns,namely Stanley Turrentine. He
covers so much ground w/ his foot pedals
that there is no need for one.
18 - JR
Sam Jones played bass on a couple tracks from a one-off 1960 session; these are on Prayer Meeting. And for Blue Bash, a couple of jam sessions with Kenny Burrell from 1963, Milt Hinton and George Duvivier traded off on bass.
Smith used bass players more on his later records. The stuff he recorded with large ensemble invariably included bass players; among them Duvivier, Hinton, Ron Carter (who hasn't he played with?) and Richard Davis. From the '70s, Wilton Felder played bass on Root Down. Ron Carter is featured on 1982's Off the Top, which also reunites Smith with George Benson, Stanley Turrentine and Grady Tate. For Smith's '90s albums, he seemed to record with a bassist more often than not; including Christian McBride, Andy Simpkins, Reggie McBride and Pino Palladino.
19 - Eric Olsen
super find Raymond, thanks, and tons of great info JR
20 - Roger Bibeau
I just wanted to post a personal note to Jimmy. It's incredibly heart warming to read such beautiful things being said about one of the not fully appreciated in his time, Giants of Jazz. I'm more hopeful than ever that Jimmy's legacy will be kept alive by his devoted listeners.
Hey Bud, I'll never forget the late night hangs, the great shows playing with Kenny, jamming with Mike and eatng Lola's incredible cooking at the house, meeting nothing but good friends. You always made me feel like family, even when meeting my family. I'll never forget yours and Lola's humanity, kindness, generosity, and hospitality.
For whatever reason, just within days of your passing, I was telling my Dad about the time I was sitting at your side, you at your organ in the studio. I was marveling at your playing and asked, "Jimmy, how the F@%& do you do that, that thing your doing on the keyboard?" Knowing I was a drummer, from a family of seven drummers, you turned and simply said to me, "I just do it!... Just 'see' yourself doing it!... I just see myself doing it."
I think I finally got it. I'll be looking for your continued guidance James Oscar "Velvet Gloves" Smith. You will be sorely missed.
Show the Angels how the organ is supposed to be played, Jimmy. But make sure the mike is off.
All My Love, Roger
21 - Angela Chen Shui
Thanks for this... great post and thread...
Sorry he missed Legacy's release in 3 day's time and his national tour...
Will buy from the above recommendations and learn more about him..
22 - Eric Olsen
very beautiful Roger, thanks so much, and appreciate the kind words Angela!
23 - Reid
I first heard JS about a month ago. YEOW! Can someone recommend 2 or 3 difinitive JS records covering swing & blues? A Google search had 75 entries(!), many duplicates & remastered works. The B-3 is devistaitng in the right hands. Also, if there is a difinitive Joey Defrancesco record, I'd like to check that out as well. Thanks to whoever in advance(!).
24 - Roger Bibeau
Hey Jimmy,
I wanted you to know that you are still missed and loved greatly. I'm a bit saddened to see that not more folks have come by to either say hello, or pay their respects. Though your place in music history may be secure, it's in my heart where I will most remember you, buddy. Thanks again for your hospitality, and so many terrific memories.
All my love, Always, Roger
25 - Phil
Just to say this was not widely broadcast which is why so little posts.
JImmy was amazing and I am about to buy an organ which has a jazz registration called, Jimmy Smith sound..that is a hell of a compliment so now to play some great music, hopefully half as good as Jimmy. RIP and thanks for so much inspiration, Mr Hammond