Stay Loose...Jimmy Smith Sings Again

[Cliff Englewood]

AMG gives it 4 and a half, which I find a bit mad considering Smith is singing on it, has anybody got an opinion on this one.

AMG Review:AMG Review

[DMP]

It's lousy. But you'll buy it anyway. (There are a couple of okay instrumentals in there, but come on.) I see "Respect" is available in Japan - that puts most of the Smith "Verve" stuff to shame.

[Jim Alfredson]

It's pretty bad. As much as I love Jimmy Smith, he was no vocalist.

[Peter Johnson]

Well, YMMV--I really enjoy this side. No, JOS ain't the best singer, but when he sticks to the organ it's good and the arrangements aren't bad either. Is it essential? No, and it's probably a bit of a "product of it's time" (i.e. pop through the eyes of jazz in the late 60's), but I really like it. I got mine new for twelve bucks, a good deal to me. I say go for it.

[Man with the Golden Arm]

Would have been great to have been a fly on the wall at that photo session though!

... anyone venture to guess what Jimmy said to that photographer.

[Soul Stream]

Grabbin' Hold and One For Members is enough reason to pick this Verve offering up. Sure, the singing features aren't much, but they ain't bad either. I also dig the SOUND of Jimmy's organ on this one. He uses the chorale effect throughout (leslie on slow speed) which he didn't do a whole lot back then. Might have been the first LP he did this on. (Of course he always used it later from the 70's on). Anyway....I dig it and always like these "fun" records of his. This and "Got My Mojo Working" aren't heavy albums, but they're some good examples of Jimmy just ripping up the blues like no one else!

[CJ Shearn]

cool, I'd just wanna get this one for the fun factor too. I would like to d/l "Respect" from Verve's OOP site, but my uncle told me unless you burn tunes onto Apple hardware, they aren't compatible with other stuff, even burning onto CDR

[Cliff Englewood]

I was scarred for life after hearing JOS sing "Ain't She Sweet" on "Fourmost Return", so how many are instrumentals and how many vocals? The Jury seems to be split on this one.

[Soul Stream]

I was scarred for life after hearing JOS sing "Ain't She Sweet" on "Fourmost Return", so how many are instrumentals and how many vocals? The Jury seems to be split on this one.

←

Make no mistake, all but 2 are vocals. Some better than others. "Outskirts of Town" is a slow blues and the playing is superb, vocals don't really affect it that much. Others that require more of a real "singer" suffer more.

Like I said, it ain't on top of the JOS pile, quite near the bottom....but it is very "listenable" and enjoyable to my ears.

[Soulstation1]

i've kept an on this cd....

i'm working on completing my JOS bn stuff first

ss1

[RDK]

I'd buy it just for the cover! Love that kitshy shit. But, yeah, it otherwise sounds way down the list for me.

[connoisseur series500]

Well, YMMV--I really enjoy this side.  No, JOS ain't the best singer, but when he sticks to the organ it's good and the arrangements aren't bad either.  Is it essential?  No, and it's probably a bit of a "product of it's time" (i.e. pop through the eyes of jazz in the late 60's), but I really like it.  I got mine new for twelve bucks, a good deal to me.  I say go for it.

←

I pretty much agree here.

My first impulse was to sell the thing back to a used cd store, but after giving it a few more listenings, I realized that there's enough good stuff here to make it a keeper.

Not essential, but if you're a big Jimmy Smith fan...

[Alec]

cool, I'd just wanna get this one for the fun factor too.  I would like to d/l  "Respect" from Verve's OOP site, but my uncle told me unless you burn tunes onto Apple hardware, they aren't compatible with other stuff, even burning onto CDR

←

I have a Dell with itunes and have downloaded and burned the Verve OOPs with no problems, so I have to disagree with your uncle.

[connoisseur series500]

cool, I'd just wanna get this one for the fun factor too.  I would like to d/l  "Respect" from Verve's OOP site, but my uncle told me unless you burn tunes onto Apple hardware, they aren't compatible with other stuff, even burning onto CDR

←

I have a Dell with itunes and have downloaded and burned the Verve OOPs with no problems, so I have to disagree with your uncle.

←

How's the music?

[CJ Shearn]

cool, thanks for the tip Alec.

[Cliff Englewood]

I think I'll have to pass on this one, the combination of the Cover and the Singing is just too much for me. I don't want my opinion/image of JOS sullied.

This is how I like to remember him,

[Soul Stream]

I think I'll have to pass on this one, the combination of the Cover and the Singing is just too much for me. I don't want my opinion/image of JOS sullied.

This is how I like to remember him,

←

Then you better stick with "The Sermon"....

[Cliff Englewood]

Well if you could only have one, "The Sermon" wouldn't be a bad one to be stuck with.

My previous comment probably sounded a bit more morose then I intended, I added the picture as it shows Jimmy in front of a Hammond with his mouth open, but clearly, not a vocal mike in sight, more than likely laying down some amazing sounds, while Kenny B. looks around to someone else on the session, with a Cheshire Cat grin on his face, to check and make sure he's not the only one hearing this.

Thank God, or whatever other Deities there are out there, that James Oscar Smith was a frustrated, maybe even shit, Piano player.

Smith on Blue Note is the best, end of story.

Edited August 22, 2005 by Cliff Englewood

[Soulstation1]

what's the deal with those verve cds available from itunes?

can they be d/l and burned?

i'd like to get those JOS and shirley scott cds, if i could burn them

ss1