Jimmy Smith

Jimmy Smith ruled the Hammond organ in the '50s and '60s. He revolutionized the instrument, showing it could be creatively used in a jazz context and popularized in the process. His Blue Note sessions from 1956 to 1963 were extremely influential and many, like 1960's Back at the Chicken Shack and 1958 's The Sermon, are classics. Smith turned the organ into almost an ensemble itself. He played walking bass lines and chordal accompaniment with his left hand, while solos were played with his right hand. A booming, funky presence punctuated every song, particularly the up-tempo cuts. Smith turned the fusion of R&B, blues, and gospel influences with bebop references and devices into a jubilant, attractive sound that many others immediately absorbed before following in his footsteps. Smith initially learned piano both from his parents and on his own. He attended the Hamilton School of Music in 1948, and Ornstein School of Music in 1949 and 1950 in Philadelphia. Smith began playing the Hammond in 1951, and soon earned a great reputation that followed him to New York, where he debuted at the Café Bohemia. A Birdland date and 1957 Newport Jazz Festival appearance launched Smith's career. His Blue Note recordings included both trio recordings and superb collaborations with Kenny Burrell, Lee Morgan, Lou Donaldson, Tina Brooks, Jackie McLean, Ike Quebec, and Stanley Turrentine, among others. Smith scored more hit albums on Verve from 1963 to 1972, many of them featuring big bands and using fine arrangements from Oliver Nelson. These included the excellent Walk on the Wild Side and Jimmy & Wes: The Dynamic Duo, a collaboration with guitarist Wes Montgomery. His '70s output was quite spotty, though Smith didn't stop touring, visiting Israel and Europe in 1974 and 1975. He and his wife opened a club in Los Angeles in the mid-'70s. Smith resumed touring in the early '80s and continued wowing audiences around the world. He re-signed with Blue Note in 1985, and has done more representative dates for them and Milestone in the '90s. After a five-year layoff, Smith returned in early 2001 with the blues projects Fourmost Return and Dot Com Blues. He remained a fixture in both small jazz clubs and large festivals until his untimely passing in February of 2005.

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Jimmy Smith may refer to:

Jimmy Smith (running back) (born 1960), American football playerJimmy Smith (wide receiver) (born 1969), former NFL player with the Jacksonville JaguarsJimmy Smith (cornerback) (born 1988), American football player for the Baltimore RavensJimmy Smith (American football coach), American college football coachJimmy Smith (Australian footballer) (born 1877), Australian rules footballer and coach of St KildaJimmy Smith (baseball) (1895–1974), Major League Baseball infielder who played from 1914 until 1922Jimmy Smith (English footballer) (born 1987), English footballer who plays for Leyton Orient F.C.Jimmy Smith (fighter) (born 1977), host of Discovery Channel's Fight QuestJimmy Smith (footballer born 1889) (1889–1918), English centre forward who played for Brighton & Hove Albion and Bradford (Park Avenue)Jimmy Smith (footballer born 1901) (1901–1964), Scottish goalkeeperJimmy Smith (footballer born 1902) (1902–1975), Scottish footballer who played for numerous clubsJimmy Smith (footballer born 1911) (1911–2003), Scottish footballer who played for Rangers F.C.Jimmy Smith (footballer born 1947), Scottish footballer who played for Newcastle United F.C.Jimmy Smith (musician) (1928–2005), American jazz organistJimmy Smith (advertising), American advertising creative and authorJimmy Neil Smith, founder and president of the International Storytelling CenterJimmy Lee Smith, retired heavyweight professional boxer from Minneapolis, MinnesotaJimmie Smith (born 1938), American jazz drummerJimmy Smith, guitarist for English indie band Foals