Jimmy Smith on the Hammond organ

[Jim Alfredson]

Not sure if this has been printed here before, but I found this while perusing the web. Kind of funny!

Here is an article quoted from *Hammond Times* Volume 26 Number 2

(July-August 1964) Written by Jimmy Smith entitled "Incredible!"

My first Hammond Organ was bought ten years ago. I was playing piano in

small bands around Philadelphia and was so impressed with the incredible

number and variety of sounds you can get with the Hammond that I couldn't

rest until I had my own.

I never did take lessons, just taught myself. First, I learned about the

drawbars and what each one stood for. As time passed, I experimented trying

out all the different sounds. Next came the presets. I tried them out too

but I don't use them very much except when playing ballads or something

sweet and soft.

When it came to the  foot pedals, I made a chart of them and put it on the

wall in front of me wo I wouldn't have to look down. My  first method was

just using the toe. In the earlier days I was a tap dancer so the transition

to heel and toe playing was made without too much trouble. One thing I

learned was that you have to have a relaxed ankle. I would write out

different bass lines to try for different tempi in order to relax the ankle.

One useful learning technique was to put my favorite records on and then

play the bass line along with them to see if I could play the pedals without

looking down and only occasionally using my chart on the wall. This worked

out fine.

When you are properly co-ordinated, you get an even flow in the bass. Most

often, organists are uneven in their playing of the pedals, heavy here and

light there.

Soon I was putting hands and feet together and achieving co-ordination.

My first job with the organ was at a Philadelphia supper club, playing a duo

with drums. It was here I began further experimentation with different

drawbar settings and using different effects and dynamics. It was before

these audiences that the Jimmy Smith sound evolved.

People always ask me about this  sound. This probably is best explained in

my approach to the organ. While others think of the organ as a full

orchestra, I think of it as a horn. I've always been an admirer of Charlie

Parker. . .and I try to sound like him. I wanted that single-line sound like

a trumpet, a tenor or an alto saxophone.

Shortly afterward, I recorded for Blue Note and my records began to get

popular. After seven years with Blue Note (and twenty-one LP's later) I

moved to MGM records. My first big record for them was "Walk on the Wild

Side," from the movie of the same name. On this record I used a sole setting

of 88 8000 001 on the upper manual on B preset, vibrato off, and percussion

on.

After much harassment from fellow organists, fans, and musicians it is my

intention to publish an organ book. This book will show musically exactly

what I find very difficult to explain editorially.

Ever since I was a child, I wanted to play the better type of music, even

classics. I haven't done anything like that, but I'm going to. I'm going to

scare a lot of people with the incredible number of tones on the Hammond

Organ before I die.

Copyright 1964, Hammond Organ Company, Chicago, Illinois

[Jim Alfredson]

Here's another one I found from 2001 when Jimmy released Dot Com Blues. This one is even more funny! It's pretty obvious the interviewer is way out of his league.

Published: April 17, 2001 05:45 PM

Hailed by many as the King of the B3 organ, Jimmy Smith is back on the road supporting "Dot Com Blues," his first new album in five years. On the album, Smith trades licks with a core band that includes guitarist Russell Malone and drummer Harvey Mason, as well as guests like BB King, Dr. John, Taj Mahal, Keb' Mo'.

Recorded at Cello Studios in Los Angeles, "Dot Com Blues" (Blue Thumb/Verve) was produced by John Porter, whose recent credits include BB King's "Deuces Wild" and Taj Mahal's "Phantom Blues."

"When we speak about the Hammond B3, there's nobody better than Jimmy," Verve Music Group president Ron Goldstein said in a statement. "Though the organ faded into obscurity for a while, now it's on everybody's records. I thought, 'Why should the man who is the master remain in obscurity?' I figured the best way to swing the spotlight back around to Jimmy was to have him cut something outside of the jazz marketplace. Why not the blues?"

Smith spoke briefly with liveDaily correspondent Don Zulaica before heading back out for the second leg of the tour.

LiveDaily: You seem to be willing to delve into other pop forms much more than your average jazz guy [funk in the '70s, straight-on blues on the new album]. Why the genre-hopping?

Smith: I just wanted to try something different, that's all, you know.

And with the new album, you're going back to your roots?

And gonna make me some money, yeah!

Why the title "Dot Com Blues"? Did some bad computer experiences prompt this?

No, no, no. My son and I were in my music room, and I was asking him about a particular song, I said "Gimmie a title, gimmie name for the song." And he was working on my computer, and he said, "Dot com, dammit!" And that's how it came about.

How do you record and put these records together? Sounds very live--you're all in one room together, correct?

Uh huh. Everybody [and] all the speakers are miked. Dr. John was miked.

One of many notable guests--BB King, Etta James (bio | tickets | CD - DVD | rarities), Taj Mahal. How long have you known Dr. John?

Oh, about 30 years.

Sounds like it was quite a feat to get everybody on the album.

Etta James, she's not feeling too well, you know, but she got there. BB King, I thought he wasn't going to get on there, but he got on there.

What's it like, working with these musicians?

What's it like? Everybody we work with out here in the legend world--we like it. We get along. It's a pleasure to work with each other, you know. "What is it like?" There's no "what is it like." What is it like to make love...no. We just do it, man. Get in that studio and do it. We produce. Then after it's done, we have a few laughs and go on our way.

And you've got younger guys in there like Keb' Mo'--how long have you known him?

I just met him. He came to the recording and we did the song ["Overand Over"] right there, spontaneously.

How big is your touring band?

There's four of us--five, seven if we need it, you know.

Haha! Fuckin' brilliant!

[Joe G]

Why the title "Dot Com Blues"? Did some bad computer experiences prompt this?

No, no, no. My son and I were in my music room, and I was asking him about a particular song, I said "Gimmie a title, gimmie name for the song." And he was working on my computer, and he said, "Dot com, dammit!" And that's how it came about.

Like father like son.