Jimmy Smith was one of the best damned Jazz organists to grace the face of the planet, and he is widely known as the "King" of that genre.
HOWEVER.... he was also known among all of his rivals, peers, fans and followers as having a - putting it mildly - 'slightly' abrasive personality. You ask, "Why did we put up with his irritability? "
The answer: "Quite frankly - for the music!"
The quality of the music was worth the quantity of crap that we had to wade through to get to it!
I knew him - and his antics - all too well. I saw him live at a local Jazz club / listening room, "Jazz At The Bistro". sadly, he is no longer 'live'.
During the intermission between sets, going back to my table from using the upstairs bathrooms, and I was going down the wide staircase while Mr. Smith was coming up the steps. I knew exactly what he was all about, and I knew how to 'get his goat'.
I gently nudged the old man with my elbow and said:
"Hey - I saw you playing in Chicago a few weeks ago!"
In the style which is so characteristic of Jimmy, he started to snap at me, and scolded, "Where the f*ck is Chicago?"
I looked him dead in the eye and cheerfully said, "Ya know what? I know of a little place down the street that sells the best fried clams!" He had a twinkle in his eye, threw back his head and gave a hearty laugh, and said, "Alright, lil biddy! Just what the hell do you know about it?" I broke the ice, and I was in his circle!
Here's the deal:
Jimmy wanted his fans to know more about him than the scraps that they could pick up off the ground as they were passing by. He wanted those fans to care enough to apply themselves, and to put forth a bit more energy than the average, generic person. He was well pleased with my antics!
Jimmy pulled the crap that he pulled partly because that was nothing more than "his style", he was old, bored - and cranky.
Once in a while, you have to reach through the thorns to pick a rose, but I would admonish all to make sure the rose is worth the trouble! :)
It was this same show that caused me to get a little Jazz religion - right then and there, in front of the master who was holding court (Jimmy Smith!), and all the folks enjoying their wine and fine food at this venue.
Two weeks before this show, I had my 14 upper teeth surgically removed, the bone trimmed from ear-to-ear, and had my stitches out just 5 days. I was politely trying to gum a $50 meal, which had already taken me an hour to eat half of the food on the plate. My mouth was swollen, and I was in some serious pain, but I wasn't about to let that food win! My main mission, however, was to enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: to see one of my 'Hammond organ Gods', Jimmy Smith play a great show.
It was this same show that caused me to get a little Jazz religion - right then and there, in front of the master who was holding court (Jimmy Smith!), and all the folks enjoying their wine and fine food at this venue.
Two weeks before this show, I had my 14 upper teeth surgically removed, the bone trimmed from ear-to-ear, and had my stitches out just 5 days. I was politely trying to gum a $50 meal, which had already taken me an hour to eat half of the food on the plate. My mouth was swollen, and I was in some serious pain, but I wasn't about to let that food win! My main mission, however, was to enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: to see one of my 'Hammond organ Gods', Jimmy Smith play a great show.
Jimmy was in the midde of "The Cat". An aural and visual aid:
It was this same show that caused me to get a little Jazz religion - right then and there, in front of the master who was holding court (Jimmy Smith!), and all the folks enjoying their wine and fine food at this venue.
Two weeks before this show, I had my 14 upper teeth surgically removed, the bone trimmed from ear-to-ear, and had my stitches out just 5 days. I was politely trying to gum a $50 meal, which had already taken me an hour to eat half of the food on the plate. My mouth was swollen, and I was in some serious pain, but I wasn't about to let that food win! My main mission, however, was to enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: to see one of my 'Hammond organ Gods', Jimmy Smith play a great show.
It was this same show that caused me to get a little Jazz religion - right then and there, in front of the master who was holding court (Jimmy Smith!), and all the folks enjoying their wine and fine food at this venue.
Two weeks before this show, I had my 14 upper teeth surgically removed, the bone trimmed from ear-to-ear, and had my stitches out just 5 days. I was politely trying to gum a $50 meal, which had already taken me an hour to eat half of the food on the plate. My mouth was swollen, and I was in some serious pain, but I wasn't about to let that food win! My main mission, however, was to enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: to see one of my 'Hammond organ Gods', Jimmy Smith play a great show.
Jimmy was in the midde of "The Cat". An aural and visual aid:
It was precisely at 1:18 in this video...
(You can find a lot more Jimmy Smith videos on YouTube. You might also want to look up Joey DeFrancesco and Tony Monaco, Jack McDuff....Jimmy McGriff....Shirley Scott... Rhoda Scott... Barbara Dennerlein, and many more)
I was dressed in a formal shirt and tie, and trying to behave myself as best as I could.
At precisely 1:18 in the above video, I had my fill. I couldn't take another second of it! Every nerve in my body was on fire.
My face had to have been 8 shades of red, and my eyes were probably bugging out. In good ex-church boy fashion, I jumped to my feet, "Hallelujah Style", and my chair went flying straight out the back. I was doing a good wide-open, Pentecostal-style slap / clap. Seconds before, my soul left the building, and I was "ALL ABOARD" the Jimmy train! I know my head was thrown back, my toothless mouth was wide open, and I was screaming like a banshee. Nobody else was on their feet. Nobody else felt the vibe. Those things couldn't be farther from the center of my conscious. I didn't care. I was taking Communion with Mr. Jimmy Smith, and nobody was going to come between me and my moment.
Somewhere in a lucid moment, I did notice that Jimmy threw his head back and laughed as he was playing. He put the gas pedal to the floor, and pushed the "Higher Octane" button!
Like the Wave, I could see the people in the front left-hand corner of this venue hit their feet. There was screaming, yelling, clapping, stomping going on throughout that building. Chairs and tables were moving. Before the song ended, the establishment was in a 'bit' of a disarray. I had tears running down my face, shirt sleeves were rolled up, and collar and tie were hanging loose.
Jimmy Smith, you old bastard! I know that even though you were absolute Hell-on-Wheels, you are in Music Heaven. When "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", fire flew from his bow. When you sit down on the bench of that Heavenly Hammond, the angels are going to be taken a bit back: The only time fire will be visible in Heaven is when you hit "4 up" on the perc rocker tabs, and do one of those famous runs down that keyboard! Play on, and GOD SPEED to you!
- Michael
WOW!
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