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 1956)
The Champ (Blue Note 1956)
A New Sound, A New Star: Jimmy Smith at the... (Blue Note 1956)
The Incredible Jimmy Smith at the Organ,... (Blue Note 1956)
The Incredible Jimmy Smith at Club Baby... [live] (Blue Note 1956)
The Incredible Jimmy Smith at Club Baby... [live] (Blue Note 1956)
A Date with Jimmy Smith, Vol. 1 (Blue Note 1957)
The Sounds of Jimmy Smith (Blue Note 1957)
A Date with Jimmy Smith, Vol. 2 (Blue Note 1957)
Jimmy Smith at the Organ, Vol. 1 (Blue Note 1957)
Jimmy Smith at the Organ, Vol. 2 (Blue Note 1957)
Plays Pretty Just for You (Blue Note 1957)
The Incredible Jimmy Smith (Blue Note 1957)
Jimmy Smith Trio + LD (Blue Note 1957)
Confirmation (Blue Note 1957)
Special Guests (Blue Note 1957)
House Party (Blue Note 1957)
Groovin' at Small's Paradise, Vol. 1 (Blue Note 1957)
Groovin' at Small's Paradise, Vol. 2 (Blue Note 1957)
Groovin' at Small's Paradise, Vol. 1-2 [LP] (Blue Note 1957)
Groovin' at Small's Paradise [1999] [live] (Blue Note 1957)
Lonesome Road (Blue Note 1957)
The Sermon (Blue Note 1958)
Softly As a Summer Breeze (Blue Note 1958)
Cool Blues (Blue Note 1958)
On the Sunny Side (Blue Note 1958)
Home Cookin' (Blue Note 1958)
Six Views of the Blues (Blue Note 1958)
Crazy! Baby (Blue Note 1960)
Plain Talk (Blue Note 1960)
Open House (Blue Note 1960)
Open House/Plain Talk (Blue Note 1960)
Back at the Chicken Shack (Blue Note 1960)
Midnight Special (Blue Note 1960)
Prayer Meetin' (Blue Note 1960)
Jimmy Smith Plays Fats Waller (Blue Note 1962)
Bashin': The Unpredictable Jimmy Smith (Verve 1962)
Hootchie Coochie Man [Verve 1966] (Verve 1962)
I'm Movin' On (Blue Note 1963)
Bucket! (Blue Note 1963)
Rockin' the Boat (Blue Note 1963)
Hobo Flats (Verve 1963)
Live at the Village Gate (Metro 1963)
Any Number Can Win (Verve 1963)
Blue Bash (Verve 1963)
Jimmy Smith Plays the Blues (Verve 1963)
Jazz 'Round Midnight: Jimmy Smith (Verve 1963)
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Verve 1964)
The Cat (Verve 1964)
Christmas '64 (Verve 1964)
Christmas Cookin' (Verve 1964)
Monster (Verve 1965)
In Hamburg Live (Verve 1965)
Live in Concert / Paris (Metro 1965)
Jimmy Smith and His Trio (RTE 1965)
Organ Grinder Swing (Verve 1965)
Got My Mojo Workin' (Verve 1965)
I Got My Mojo Working (Verve 1965)
The Amazing Jimmy Smith Trio (Metro 1965)
Peter and the Wolf (Verve 1966)
The Dynamic Duo (Verve 1966)
The Further Adventures of Jimmy and Wes (Verve 1966)
Respect (Verve 1967)
Stay Loose (Verve 1968)
Livin' It Up (Verve 1968)
The Boss (Verve 1968)
The Best of Jimmy Smith [Verve 1968] (Verve 1968)
Groove Drops (Verve 1969)
Jimmy Smith in a Plain Brown Wrapper (Verve 1971)
Root Down [live] (Verve 1972)
Bluesmith (Verve 1972)
Portuguese Soul (Verve 1973)
Other Side of Jimmy Smith (MGM 1973)
At the Lowry Organ (Decca 1973)
I'm Gonna Git Myself Together (Verve 1973)
Blacksmith (Pride 1974)
Paid in Full (Mojo 1974)
Jimmy Smith (Blue Note 1975)
Sit on It! (Mercury 1976)
It's Necessary (Mercury 1977)
Tomorrow's Sounds Today (Grosvenor 1978)
The Cat Strikes Again (Inner City 1980)
Second Coming (Mojo 1980)
All the Way Live (Milestone 1981)
Off the Top (Elektra 1982)
Keep on Comin' (Elektra 1983)
Just for You (Sounds 1983)
Go for Whatcha' Know (Blue Note 1986)
Prime Time (Milestone 1989)
Fourmost (Milestone 1990)
The Master (Blue Note 1993)
Master 2 (Capitol 1993)
Sum Serious Blues (Milestone 1993)
Damn! (Verve 1995)
Angel Eyes: Ballads & Slow Jams (Verve 1995)
In Concert [live] (RTE 1996)
Platinum (Dove 1996)
Paris Jazz Concert 1965 [live] (Malaco Jazz 1999)
Immortal Concerts: Club Baby Grand,... [live] (2000)
Jimmy Smith's Finest Hour (Polygram 2000)
Dot Com Blues (Blue Thumb 2001)
Fourmost Return (Milestone 2001)
