Talking about hurdles to jump over, Hammond player Jimmie Smith has to overcome the iconic namesake that essentially invented the jazz B3, and then at this gig in Music City, he andhis band do the Jimmy Smith Songbook to boot! WHEW!
And he makes it work. He’s teamed with Paul Brown/key-p, Marcus Finnie/dr, Hamilton Hardin/b, James DaSilva/g and a STAXY horn section of Chris West/ts, Jon-Paul Frappier/tp and Chris Dunn/tb.
The team boogaloos on a hip “The Cat” with DaSilva riding the tide like a longboarderand finnie digs deep on “Get Yourself a Collage Girl” while Smith hums like a Hoover vacuum.
Smith’s voice is an earthy joy as he howls on “I’ve Got My Mojo Workin” and blueses it with grease as the team double times on the gospel hummer “I Really Love My Hammond.” The horns sway and pump on the funky “Root Down” and everybody gets a chance to stretch out after Finnie snaps everyone to attention on a wild “Funky Broadway Jam.” Smith’s heart and soul are delivered on a collection plate as he is homey and lyrical on the church classic “Oh Happy Day” and he preaches with earnestness on the Sunday Feeling “Only God Can.” If you’re a B3 fan, you’ll like this Smith as much as the first.