JIMMY SMITH — Back at the Chicken Shack (review)

JIMMY SMITH — Back at the Chicken Shack album cover Album · 1963 · Blues Buy this album from MMA partners
4.5/5 ·
Matt
From the same session as the album Midnight Special and what we have here is one little Hammond groover from Jimmy Smith. Jimmy would be the most famous of them all and he sold many a record for Blue Note as he was one of their most popular artists.With this one we have Stanley Turrentine providing his gruff awesome blues tone on tenor, Kenny Burrell doing guitar( Kenny Burrell did you say?) and Donald Bailey on drums. If I counted right this is the 25th release on Blue Note by Jimmy, produced by Alfred Lion and I hope you have the 'Grits and Gravy" ready because you will need them with this one because that is precisely the feel of this album.

'Back at the Chicken Shack" commences the album with Jimmys Hammond. Donald Bailey on drums is keeping time throughout,Jimmy keeps that blues groove going but first up the intro. Jimmy and Stanley open things and before you know it Jimmy is there putting his solo down,then Kenny and Stanley with that gruff tone. One groove is maintained throughout and a delight it is.'When I Grow to Old to Dream" is next along and Stanley leads proceedings and a very nice solo steadily increasing as he plays which would comprise just over half the track leaving Jimmy to lay his down with only half the time and Stanley finishes up proceeding before back to the tune. Track 3 "MinorChant". Stanley comes in putting a groove down on that Tenor and yes he is soloing again but does it matter if he is hogging when he is playing with the class he had.Jimmys turn is next and hammond groove is precisely the way to describe things within his solo and finally Donald Bailey the drummer has a shot with Stanley providing some colour. "Messy Bessy" is actually the album finisher and 12 and half minutes of slow groove which sticks and once again Stanley is first with another exhibition of great blues jazz playing ,Kenny finally found somewhere to fit in here and of course it is good, Jimmy finishes things off with his turn and Stanley's back as well. There is a bonus on the Cd which is "Sunny Side of The Street" and is just as enjoyable as the whole album and of course Stanley provides a great solo.

Of all the albums that Jimmy Smith did with Blue Note this was the one on their top 25 Blue Note poster and whether or not you feel it is justified this is still one very nice album from his period at Blue Note. Once again Francis Wolff took the cover photo.
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