b. James Oscar Smith Jnr, 8th December 1925, Norristown, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
d. 8th February 2005, Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S.A.
Jimmy Smith was considered to be the genius of the Hammond B3 organ.
The Fusion artist Jimmy Ponder worked with Jimmy over the years.
He said that Jimmy Smith was way ahead of his time.
Jimmy (Smith) attended the Hamilton School of Music in 1948 and later Philadelphia’s Ornstein School of Music the following year.
In 1951, he switched to the Hammond B3 organ and made a name for himself in Philly as an outstanding live performer.
He eventually moved to New York City, where he debuted at the Café Bohemia.
At a Birdland date that he caught the attention of Alfred Lions and Francis Wolff, founders of Blue Note Records.
During his 10 year stay at Blue Note he released several albums including 'The Sermon' in 1958, 'Prayer Meetin’ in 1960, and 'Back at the Chicken Shack' the same year.
He then left Blue Note for the Verve imprint in 1963.
There he released several albums including 'Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf' in 1964, 'The Cat' in 1964, and 'Peter and the Wolf' in 1966.
Jimmy then relocated to various imprints including Decca, Milestone and Elektra throughout the late 1970's and ’80's.
sit on it!
His 1976 album 'Sit On It' contained a lovely version of Earth Wind and Fire's, 'Can't Hide Love'.
Over the years, Jimmy performed alongside Tina Brooks, Wes Montgomery, Kenny Burrell, the late Stanley Turrentine, Lee Morgan, Lou Donaldson, Ike Quebec and Jackie McClean.
In recent years, Jimmy performed at the London based Jazz Cafe on a regular basis.
Jimmy died on the 8th of February 2005 in Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S.A.
He passed away during an afternoon sleep.
The man is survived by two sisters, Janet Taylor and Anita Jones, and three children, Jia, Connie and Jimmy, Jr.
Do check out this excellent website: http://www.orinjj.force9.co.uk/JimmySmith/
Albums:
A New Sound, A New Star: Jimmy Smith at the... (Blue Note Records 1956)
The Champ (Blue Note Records 1956)
A New Sound, A New Star: Jimmy Smith at the... (Blue Note Records 1956)
The Incredible Jimmy Smith at the Organ,... (Blue Note Records 1956)
The Incredible Jimmy Smith at Club Baby... [live] (Blue Note Records 1956)
The Incredible Jimmy Smith at Club Baby... [live] (Blue Note Records 1956)
A Date with Jimmy Smith, Vol. 1 (Blue Note Records 1957)
The Sounds of Jimmy Smith (Blue Note Records 1957)
A Date with Jimmy Smith, Vol. 2 (Blue Note Records 1957)
Jimmy Smith at the Organ, Vol. 1 (Blue Note Records 1957)
Jimmy Smith at the Organ, Vol. 2 (Blue Note Records 1957)
Plays Pretty Just for You (Blue Note Records 1957)
The Incredible Jimmy Smith (Blue Note Records 1957)
Jimmy Smith Trio + LD (Blue Note Records 1957)
Confirmation (Blue Note Records 1957)
Special Guests (Blue Note Records 1957)
House Party (Blue Note Records 1957)
Groovin' at Small's Paradise, Vol. 1 (Blue Note Records 1957)
Groovin' at Small's Paradise, Vol. 2 (Blue Note Records 1957)
Groovin' at Small's Paradise, Vol. 1-2 [LP] (Blue Note Records 1957)
Groovin' at Small's Paradise [1999] [live] (Blue Note Records 1957)
Lonesome Road (Blue Note Records 1957)
The Sermon (Blue Note Records 1958)
Softly As a Summer Breeze (Blue Note Records 1958)
Cool Blues (Blue Note Records 1958)
On the Sunny Side (Blue Note Records 1958)
Home Cookin' (Blue Note Records 1958)
Six Views of the Blues (Blue Note Records 1958)
Crazy! Baby (Blue Note Records 1960)
Plain Talk (Blue Note Records 1960)
Open House (Blue Note Records 1960)
Open House/Plain Talk (Blue Note Records 1960)
Back at the Chicken Shack (Blue Note Records 1960)
Midnight Special (Blue Note Records 1960)
Prayer Meetin' (Blue Note Records 1960)
Jimmy Smith Plays Fats Waller (Blue Note Records 1962)
Bashin': The Unpredictable Jimmy Smith (Verve Records 1962)
Hootchie Coochie Man [Verve 1966] (Verve Records 1962)
I'm Movin' On (Blue Note Records 1963)
Bucket! (Blue Note Records 1963)
Rockin' the Boat (Blue Note Records 1963)
Hobo Flats (Verve Records 1963)
Live at the Village Gate (Metro Records 1963)
Any Number Can Win (Verve Records 1963)
Blue Bash (Verve Records 1963)
Jimmy Smith Plays the Blues (Verve Records 1963)
Jazz 'Round Midnight: Jimmy Smith (Verve Records 1963)
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Verve Records 1964)
The Cat (Verve Records 1964)
Christmas '64 (Verve Records 1964)
Christmas Cookin' (Verve Records 1964)
Monster (Verve Records 1965)
In Hamburg Live (Verve Records 1965)
Live in Concert / Paris (Metro Records 1965)
Jimmy Smith and His Trio (RTE Records 1965)
Organ Grinder Swing (Verve Records 1965)
Got My Mojo Workin' (Verve Records 1965)
I Got My Mojo Working (Verve Records 1965)
The Amazing Jimmy Smith Trio (Metro Records 1965)
Peter and the Wolf (Verve Records 1966)
The Dynamic Duo (Verve Records 1966)
The Further Adventures of Jimmy and Wes (Verve Records 1966)
Respect (Verve Records 1967)
Stay Loose (Verve Records 1968)
Livin' It Up (Verve Records 1968)
The Boss (Verve Records 1968)
The Best of Jimmy Smith [Verve 1968] (Verve Records 1968)
Groove Drops (Verve Records 1969)
Jimmy Smith in a Plain Brown Wrapper (Verve Records 1971)
Root Down [live] (Verve Records 1972)
Bluesmith (Verve Records 1972)
Portuguese Soul (Verve Records 1973)
Other Side of Jimmy Smith (MGM Records 1973)
At the Lowry Organ (Decca Records 1973)
I'm Gonna Git Myself Together (Verve Records 1973)
Blacksmith (Pride Records 1974)
Paid in Full (Mojo Records 1974)
Jimmy Smith (Blue Note Records 1975)
Sit On It! (Mercury Records 1976)
It's Necessary (Mercury Records 1977)
Tomorrow's Sounds Today (Grosvenor Records 1978)
The Cat Strikes Again (Inner City Records 1980)
Second Coming (Mojo Records 1980)
All the Way Live (Milestone Records 1981)
Off the Top (Elektra Records 1982)
Keep on Comin' (Elektra Records 1983)
Just for You (Sounds Records 1983)
Go for Whatcha' Know (Blue Note Records 1986)
Prime Time (Milestone Records 1989)
Fourmost (Milestone Records 1990)
The Master (Blue Note Records 1993)
Master 2 (Capitol Records 1993)
Sum Serious Blues (Milestone Records 1993)
Damn! (Verve Records 1995)
Angel Eyes: Ballads & Slow Jams (Verve Records 1995)
In Concert [live] (RTE Records 1996)
Platinum (Dove Records 1996)
Paris Jazz Concert 1965 [live] (Malaco Jazz Records 1999)
Immortal Concerts: Club Baby Grand,... [live] (Malaco Records 2000)
Jimmy Smith's Finest Hour (Polygram Records 2000)
Dot Com Blues (Blue Thumb Records 2001)
Fourmost Return (Milestone Records 2001)
