JIMMY SMITH — Root Down (review)

JIMMY SMITH — Root Down album cover Live album · 1972 · Soul Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
js
‘Root Down’ is not your typical Jimmy Smith album. Recorded in the early 70s when psychedelic jazz rock was peaking, Smith and his crew turn in a very high energy live set that occasionally borders on modern fusion rather than the laid back swing-blues that Jimmy is usually known for. A lot of credit for the more aggressive approach on here goes to the hyper rhythm section of Paul Humphrey on drums and Buck Clarke on percussion, both had been working with modern fusion artists at this time. Guitarist Arthur Adams also gives the band a little more wah-wah and distortion than you would hear on a classic Jimmy Smith Blue Note recording. Jimmy utilizes more modern chord progressions and structures on these tunes, his stacked suspended 4th chords moving in chromatic progressions at the turnarounds sound more like Larry Young or Keith Emerson than the guy who brought us 'Back at the Chicken Shack'.

Smith’s playing is on fire and his phrasing and rhythms are very tight as he takes us through three high-octane funk numbers, two soul hits and one classic Jimmy Smith slow down blues called ‘After Hours’. If you are a Jimmy Smith fan, you must check out this uncharacteristically modern and kinetic set of live tunes.

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

The Gabriel Latchin Trio : The Man I Love Post Bop
GABRIEL LATCHIN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Ted Rosenthal Trio : High Standards Hard Bop
TED ROSENTHAL
Buy this album from MMA partners
Last Night Of The World Pop/Art Song/Folk
FINI BEARMAN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Keepers of the Eastern Door Eclectic Fusion
CHRIS CHEEK
Buy this album from MMA partners
Impressionists Improvised Third Stream
CHRIS GALL
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

One
TED ROSENTHAL
js· -13 second ago
Summertime - Gabriel Latchin Trio
GABRIEL LATCHIN
snobb· 49 minutes ago
Chris Cheek - Keepers of the Eastern Door - Teaser (featuring Bill Frisell)
CHRIS CHEEK
js· 5 hours ago
Goods Brothers
EMMETT GOODS
js· 6 hours ago
Fini BEARMAN - PLZ CALL (official music video)
FINI BEARMAN
snobb· 15 hours ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed