Some books give Smith’s birthdate as Dec. 8, 1925, however newer sources cite 1928 as his start 12 months. Regardless, the late musician at all times delivered the products, even because the beats behind him modified.
DAVID BIANCULLI, HOST:
That is FRESH AIR. I am TV critic David Bianculli. Reference books give the start date of the good jazz organist Jimmy Smith as December 8, 1925, 100 years in the past. Newer sources cite 1928 as Smith’s start 12 months. Our jazz historian, Kevin Whitehead, says at this level, the latter date seems to be extra believable. That’d make Monday Jimmy Smith’s 97th birthday, not his a hundredth. However simply to be on the protected facet, Kevin Whitehead affords this tribute.
(SOUNDBITE OF JIMMY SMITH’S “THE CAT”)
KEVIN WHITEHEAD, BYLINE: Organist Jimmy Smith in crisp, bluesy cooking default mode on 1964’s “The Cat.” Within the ’60s, Smith and large bands usually squared off as evenly matched sparring companions. Within the Nineteen Fifties, Smith had reinvented jazz organ, changing into essentially the most imitated organist since Bach. An early inspiration was Wild Invoice Davis, who performed a blurrier model of the large band fashion shout choruses Smith would later tighten up. Here is Wild Invoice in 1950.
(SOUNDBITE OF LOUIS JORDAN SONG, “TAMBURITZA BOOGIE”)
WHITEHEAD: Wild Invoice Davis. Jimmy Smith may sound very like that early on when he first converted to organ from piano. However from his first periods as chief in 1956, his mature idea was there, the three-piece band with guitar, the deep bluesiness and swing really feel, the earthy licks and heavy problems, and the clear and soiled colours he’d draw from the Hammond B-3 organ’s tone controls. And whereas his palms stored busy with all that, his left foot tapped out bass strains on a pedal board as his proper foot managed the amount.
(SOUNDBITE OF JIMMY SMITH’S “YOU GET ‘CHA”)
WHITEHEAD: Jimmy Smith on “You Get ‘Cha.” His 1956 Blue Notes sides had been an on the spot sensation. Very quickly, his base camp Philadelphia was rife with new-style organ gamers like Shirley Scott, Charles Earland, Groove Holmes and Jimmy McGriff. Smith taught a couple of of them, together with Joey DeFrancesco later. Quickly, there have been organ rooms in every single place. Setting the fashion yet another approach, Jimmy Smith manipulated the foot pedals and tone controls to present every observe a percussive assault, in impact making organ a percussion instrument. He’d drum on a single key or two to make the purpose.
(SOUNDBITE OF JIMMY SMITH’S “WALK ON THE WILD SIDE”)
WHITEHEAD: An electrical organ keyboard has simpler motion than piano, so Smith may actually get round. However that percussive assault made hitting the keys sound like work, making his quickest taking part in appear much more superhuman. Jimmy Smith’s insane 1957 variations on “Physique And Soul” look forward a decade to Solar Ra’s interstellar organ solos.
(SOUNDBITE OF JIMMY SMITH’S “BODY AND SOUL”)
WHITEHEAD: Jimmy Smith would possibly pepper his LPs with bewhiskered oldies like “Sure Sir, That is My Child” and “Swanee.” However within the Nineteen Sixties, like different jazz stars, he hoped to attach with youthful rock record-buyers. Smith was higher positioned to cross over than most, with electrical guitar and drums for a band and loads of boogieing momentum on his personal electrical axe. And you’ll wager rock organists checked him out.
(SOUNDBITE OF JIMMY SMITH’S “DUCK THEME/JIMMY AND THE DUCK/PETER’S THEME/MEAL TIME”)
WHITEHEAD: Jimmy Smith on Oliver Nelson’s 1966 model of “Peter & The Wolf,” one of some good albums the arranger and organist made collectively, one with Wes Montgomery on guitar. In the hunt for radio gold, Jimmy Smith stepped out as a singer on a 1968 session. Jazzers aiming for youth {dollars} did not at all times hit the mark, however his taking part in was nonetheless on the cash.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “STAY LOOSE”)
JIMMY SMITH: (Singing) Yeah, preserve in step, and preserve your eyes on me. Now shuffle your ft and preserve your physique free. Here is a freedom dance for every body. Here is a freedom dance whether or not you are brief or tall. It is a freedom dance. Let’s have a ball, a freedom freak-out and free-for-all.
WHITEHEAD: Then transportable keyboard synthesizers got here alongside, and groovy Hammond B-3 organ immediately sounded outdated hat. From the Nineteen Seventies on, jazz organ teams would exit of and are available again into style. And Jimmy Smith’s profession had its corresponding downs and ups. He’d spawn so many admirers, it may very well be laborious to listen to him with contemporary ears. However Jimmy Smith at all times delivered the products, even because the beats behind him modified. And he at all times displayed what I consider as outlandish good style. The historical past of his instrument is neatly break up. There’s jazz organ earlier than Jimmy Smith arrived and jazz organ after. Easy as that.
(SOUNDBITE OF JIMMY SMITH “FUNGII MAMA”)
BIANCULLI: Kevin Whitehead is the creator of “New Dutch Swing,” “Why Jazz? ” and “Play The Means You Really feel.” Arising, we keep in mind the celebrated playwright Tom Stoppard. That is FRESH AIR.
Copyright © 2025 NPR. All rights reserved. Go to our web site phrases of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for additional info.
Accuracy and availability of NPR transcripts could fluctuate. Transcript textual content could also be revised to appropriate errors or match updates to audio. Audio on npr.org could also be edited after its authentic broadcast or publication. The authoritative document of NPR’s programming is the audio document.
