Johnny "Hammond" Smith - For Lovers (1959-69) [vinyl]

A marvellous compilation of great soul jazz standards played by the talented organist Johnny “Hammond” Smith taken from some of his classic New Jazz and Prestige sides spanning 1959 through to 1969. He is joined by an amazing and diverse cast of players: Thornel Schwartz, Freddie McCoy, Houston Person, Eddie McFadden, Rusty Bryant, Wally Richardson, Earl Edwards, Ray Barretto, George Tucker, Leo Stevens, Wendell Marshall, to name a few, Enjoy!

Prestige Records, PRST 7777, 1970

Tracklisting:

A1. Bye Bye Blackbird {Mort Dixon, Ray Henderson} (4:30)

Johnny "Hammond" Smith - Organ

Thornel Schwartz - Guitar

George Tucker - Bass

Leo Stevens - Drums

Recorded 4^th November, 1959 At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Johnny "Hammond" Smith - That Good Feelin'

New Jazz [NJLP 8229]

A2. Because You Left Me {Johnny "Hammond" Smith} (5:27)

Johnny "Hammond" Smith - Organ

Freddie McCoy - Vibraphone

Eddie McFadden - Guitar

Wendell Marshall - Bass

Leo Stevens - Drums

Recorded 12^th May, 1961 At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Johnny "Hammond" Smith - Stimulation

Prestige Records [PRLP 7203]

A3. On A Clear Day {Alan Jay Lerner, Burton Lane} (4:20)

Johnny "Hammond" Smith - Organ

Otis Sutton - Alto Saxophone

Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone

Eddie McFadden - Guitar

Leo Stevens - Drums

Recorded 4^th January, 1966 At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Johnny "Hammond" Smith, Byrdie Green - Stringer Meets The Golden Thrush

Prestige Records [PR 7464]

A4. A Portrait Of Jenny {Russell Robinson, Gordon Burdge} (2:21)

Johnny "Hammond" Smith - Organ

George Tucker - Bass

Art Taylor - Drums

Ray Barretto - Congas

Recorded 22^nd April, 1960 At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Johnny "Hammond" Smith - Talk That Talk

New Jazz [NJLP 8241]

B1. Sad Eyes {Johnny "Hammond" Smith} (4:50)

Johnny "Hammond" Smith - Organ

Freddie McCoy - Vibraphone

Eddie McFadden - Guitar

Wendell Marshall - Bass

Leo Stevens - Drums

Recorded 12^th May, 1961 At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Johnny "Hammond" Smith - Opus De Funk

Prestige Records [PR 7420]

B2. All Soul {Curtis Lewis} (4:17)

Johnny "Hammond" Smith - Organ

Rusty Bryant - Tenor, Alto Saxophone, Varitone

Wally Richardson - Guitar

Bob Bushnell - Electric Bass

Bernard Purdie - Drums

Recorded 19^th May, 1969 At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Johnny "Hammond" Smith - Soul Talk

Prestige Records [PR 7681]

B3. There Is No Greater Love {Isham Jones, Marty Symes} (5:30)

Johnny "Hammond" Smith - Organ

Earl Edwards - Tenor Saxophone

Floyd Smith - Guitar

John Harris - Drums

Recorded 7^th May, 1965 At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Johnny "Hammond" Smith - The Stinger

Prestige Records [PR 7408]

B4. An Affair To Remember {Harry Warren, Leo McCarey, Harold Adamson} (2:33)

Johnny "Hammond" Smith - Organ

George Tucker - Bass

Art Taylor - Drums

Ray Barretto - Congas

Recorded 22^nd April, 1960 At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Johnny "Hammond" Smith - Talk That Talk

New Jazz [NJLP 8241]

Johnny "Hammond" Smith - Gettin' Up (1967) [re-rip]

Smith came right out and declared it in the liner notes: "I'm thinking more commercially and I don't care what the critics say." That meant covering soul hits like "Knock on Wood," "Stand By Me," and "The 'In' Crowd," presumably, in addition to throwing in standards like the title cut and "Summertime," as well as three Smith originals. So what does this critic say? Good job, Johnny! This is superior organ-soul-jazz with a feistier edge than much of the genre, evident right from the opening "The Sin-In," which has riffs worthy of a TV detective show and some fine stuttering keys from the leader. The feistiness in this combo is in large part down to drummer John Harris, who really bashes it out; on "Knock on Wood," for instance, he sounds rather more like a rock drummer than a jazz one. Prestige stalwart Houston Person is on hand with tenor sax, while Virgil Jones' trumpet lends the arrangements some good complementary color. In some respects this is more of the same as far as mid- to late-'60s soul-jazz goes, particularly in repertoire ("Summertime" certainly isn't the most imaginative cover choice), but there's a brash energy that makes it a cut or two above the norm for the genre.  ~ by Richie Unterberger, AMG.

Prestige Records, PRST 7494, 1967

Recorded 3^rd March, 1967 at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Johnny "Hammond" Smith - Organ

Virgil Jones - Trumpet

Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone

Thornel Schwartz - Guitar

Jimmy Lewis - Electric Bass [Fender]

John Harris - Drums

Track Listing:

A1. The Sin-In {Johnny "Hammond" Smith} (4:22)

A2. Stand By Me {Ben E. King, Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller} (2:44)

A3. Knock On Wood {Eddie Floyd, Steve Cropper} (2:43)

A4. The Soulful Blues {Johnny "Hammond" Smith} (7:30)

B1. Ebb Tide {Robert Maxwell, Carl Sigman} (2:44)

B2. Summertime {George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, DuBose Heyward} (3:33)

B3. Gettin' Up {Johnny "Hammond" Smith} (6:15)

B4. The ‘In’ Crowd {Billy Page} (3:16)

Credits:

Producer - Cal Lampley

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder - RIP

Liner Notes - Chris Albertson

A sweetly funky set from Johnny “Hammond” Smith - a date done right at the start of the jazz funk era on Prestige - and one that marks a nicely heavy Soul Jazz groove.