Jimmy Smith - Home Cookin' 1959

The Hammond organ mastery of Jimmy Smith is arguably nowhere as profound as on 1959's Home Cookin'. Support is provided by the formidable trio of drummer Donald Bailey, guitarist Kenny Burrell, and tenor Percy France. Here they couple a few understated cool R&B classics with their own originals. The almost dirge-like cadence of "See See Rider" is given a bluesy and low-key workout, featuring tasty interaction between Smith and Burrell. The languid pace churns steadily as they trade off impressive solos with almost palpable empathy. Burrell's "Sugar Hill" swings with a refined post-bop attack. His call-and-response with Smith conjures the pair's trademark give and take, which is assuredly one of the reasons the two maintained a five-plus-decade association. Ray Charles' "I Got a Woman" is nothing short of definitive as the upbeat rhythm immediately propels Smith and Burrell into an otherwise unassuming and practically infectious bounce. Also duly noted is the sturdy backing of Bailey, whose discerning and compact snare is impeccably suited to the arrangement. (Sadly, the track fades just as the band begin to really get loose.) "Messin' Around" and "Gracie" bring France on board, adding a subtle reedy texture to Smith's intricate and advanced melodies. "Come on Baby" is another Burrell composition that slinks with a soulful mid-tempo groove, allowing for some inspired soloing. The title perfectly captures the travelogue nature, proving that getting there is indeed half the fun. Jimmy Smith's voluminous catalog is remarkably solid throughout and Home Cookin' is a recommended starting place for burgeoning enthusiasts as well as a substantial entry for the initiated. [Some reissues add five additional cuts, including an alternate take of "Motorin' Along," two readings of the pop standard "Since I Fell for You" and an impressive cover of Jack McDuff's "Groanin'."] AMG.

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Jimmy Smith - Stay Loose... Jimmy Smith Sings Again 1968

Jimmy Smith, of course, was known mostly for his Hammond B3 organ skills, where his fingers skittered over the keys with piano-like speed, and his bluesy, soulful approach to jazz, which bordered on light funk at times. There is plenty of all of that on Stay Loose...Jimmy Smith Sings Again, and yes, as advertised, he sings, which really wasn't all that unusual, just that he did it more here than he normally did. Smith had a wonderful voice, gruff and full of gravel, but also full of wry amusement and a whole lot of joy, and his vocal adaptation of "I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town" which kicks off this set (backed by a trumpet and trombone horn section) may well be the definitive version of this old blues standard. He comes close to repeating the trick on "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby," a pop hit from the 1940s. Elsewhere he mostly groans and hums in the background, which gives everything here a kind of gospel-blues feel. Other standout tracks include the title jam, "Stay Loose," which is wonderfully funky (a remix of "Stay Loose" by Lyrics Born, funked up even more, was the centerpiece for Verve Remixed 3), and a similarly loose and soulful take on Don Covay's "Chain of Fools," a hit in 1968 for Aretha Franklin. Grady Tate shines on drums throughout Stay Loose, and Stanley Turrentine's bluesy tenor sax gives two of the instrumentals, "One for Members" and "Grabbin' Hold" a nice lift. Stay Loose isn't a typical Jimmy Smith album, but it isn't radically different, either, and it belongs on a short list of the best he ever recorded. AMG.

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