And Get It: Jimmy Smith’s Root Down
By Joey (MVP) on April 19, 2010 in mp3blog
Jimmy Smith first caught my eye in a very personal way, but his gritty power keeps me coming back.
Most of my Jazz rampages end up with me acquiring a lot of music in a short period of time that largely goes unlistened and unappreciated. The song that distinguished Jimmy from the masses, and forced me to give him a listen, was “After Hours.” After Hours was the first song where I really learned to play the Chicago blues, learning through imitation and improvisation. This piece was called the Black National Anthem in the far south side of Chicago, and Jimmy’s take blows me away. He’s not one of those slick cats playing fast for the sake of playing fast, but instead knows how to both take his sweet time and play fast with feeling in every note.
The rest of the album follows suit, with title track Root Down (And Get It) standing out with the sheer funk of the tune. If someone tells me, “put on something funky!” chances are high that I will spin root down. Beastie Boys are in accordance: for their tune “Root Down” they sample Jimmy in full as well as lyrically giving homage.
I strongly suggest you check out this man’s sound.
And as the Beastie Boys say,
“Jimmy Smith Is My Man, I Want To Give Him A Pound”
Root Down (And Get It)
After Hours
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Fuck yeah Jimmy Smith.