JOS & TRANE

[Sundog]

I've been rereading Miles (Miles with Quincy Troupe) and I noticed a reference on page 195 to Trane playing with JOS in 1955 (prior to "late" September to be a little more precise). I'm wondering if any recorded material exists? I realize this has probably been discussed before, however my searches of the site have turned up nothing. Additionally, I didn't see anything listed at jazzdisco.org. Thanks in advance for any information on this matter.

[DukeCity]

JOS?

[Sundog]

James Oscar Smith

[DukeCity]

I dig. I don't have any info for you. But I dig, none-the-less...

[Chuck Nessa]

There is so much wrong information in the Miles "bio" I would have doubts if he said "sun in the morning and the moon at night".

[Sundog]

...and Miles taught Ahmad Jamal everything he knows. So no truth regarding JOS and Trane?

[Guy Berger]

My hunch is that the answer is "yes, they did play together; no, they did not record." After Trane joined Miles's quintet, he was replaced in Jimmy's group by Odean Pope. Anybody have Porter on hand to verify?

Even if they did record, I think the recordings would be primarily of historical interest.

Guy

Edited September 29, 2005 by Guy

[Soul Stream]

Coltrane was in Jimmy Smith's group in Philly for a while. Trane even talked about it, saying Jimmy's playing of the organ "kept him up at night, all them notes screaming" or something to that effect. Can't remember the direct quote.

[Sundog]

all them notes screaming

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That's fairly ironic in retrospect.

[Soul Stream]

all them notes screaming

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That's fairly ironic in retrospect.

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I've mentioned this before, but I think Jimmy Smith might have had more of an impact on Coltrane than most would care to imagine. In this sense, listen to Groovin At Small's Paradise by Smith and tell me who else had that concept on ANY instrument at the time. Coltrane came closest later, and Jimmy eventually honed his style down quite a bit. But in the mid-50's, Trane and Jimmy played together and, to my ears, Jimmy was playing "sheets of sound" before Trane was....

[JSngry]

I'll not at all disagree with that, Mike. Not at all.

[CJ Shearn]

I also agree on Jimmy playing sheets of sound before Trane.

[Jim Alfredson]

Didn't someone post a link to an interview with Trane, done by some dude who invited him over for dinner at his house after a gig, where Trane talked about Jimmy? I swear, that's on here somewhere. I used to have the audio on my computer, but I don't think I do any more (had a harddrive failure).

Yes, Trane was part of Jimmy's group before Jimmy hit it big. Trane acknowledged the influence many times in interviews. But I don't think they were ever recorded together.

For further proof of Jimmy being ahead of his time, check out the Mosaic set. There is some spectacularily wild organ playing on there.

[Michael Fitzgerald]

The interview could be the August Blume one from Jazz Review. Done in 1958. Trane talks about a lot of people he worked with - I don't recall Jimmy Smith, but it wouldn't surprise me.

Mike

[CJ Shearn]

yes Jim there is quite wild playing on the Mosaic box for sure I haven't listened to the first disc in ages.

[Sundog]

I'll have to pull out Groovin At Small's Paradise and give it a spin. Thanks for the tip.