Search - Jimmy Smith :: Got My Mojo Workin / Hoochie Cooche Man

Oliver Nelson corny? No way!

Eric V. Jung | Bear Valley, CA United States | 11/09/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This album is from my favorite Jimmy Smith period, the collaboration with Oliver Nelson's big band. While some reviewers didn't like the band, I felt that putting Jimmy into this context was putting a firecracker in a velvet box. Oliver's arrangements are economical and punchy, and the band is tight, including many of the best horn players of the day. This album includes my favorite version of the oft-played "C-Jam Blues", with a call-response opening that does credit to Jimmy and the band, with Jimmy ripping off some Bach-like arpeggios at high speed. For those who don't care for the big band, and I see there are some, there are plenty of long stretches with just Jimmy and the trio. Grady Tate shows that he would have been the king of rock drummers if he had played only in that genre. And Kenny Burrell's spare guitar counterpoint to Jimmy is a little reminiscent of the mathematical Robbie Robertson. For those who don't care for big band anyway, I can understand not caring for this one. But I say Oliver Nelson was one of the best arrangers ever, and this was one of the tightest ensembles ever, entirely worthy of the best jazz organist ever. Now, if someone would only reissue "Monster"..."

How Do You Feel About Grunting?

M. Conklin | Illinois, USA | 08/19/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"one of smith's more musically varied recordings for verve in the mid-60s, got my mojo workin' has him in both a quartet and octet setting. with excellent support from kenny burrell on guitar, smith plays through a number of pop and jazz numbers, giving each a fairly southern blues sound. many of the tracks are quite funky, but some are straight-up jazz vamps and others like "1-2-3" are simple easy listening pop pieces. got my mojo workin' has smith gruntin' on nearly every track, so if you find that type of thing annoying, it would be best to stay away.



hoochie coochie man puts jimmy smith in the middle of a large big band - arranged and conducted by oliver nelson. like the similar release, got my mojo workin', smith gives the blues workover to a number of jazz pieces. unlike the aforementioned though, smith seems to focus a little less on the pop spectrum and centers more on popular blues pieces - most notably "i'm your hoochie coochie man", "ain't that just like a woman" and "boom boom". what really separates the releases though is smith's top notch playing on hoochie coochie man - he really gets down."

Jimmy Smith is "da man"!

Matthew W Shapiro | Franklin, MI USA | 05/16/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This was one reissue I was waiting for. As a college freshman in 1997 who was just discovering jazz and got hooked on the bold sound of Jimmy Smith's Hammond B-3 organ, I literally ran my butt off towards the CD store after classes to get my mitts on this one, then ran back to the dorm to play it...and I was not disappointed in the least. Two groovin' albums on one great CD! One good thing about it is that you can hear Jimmy himself getting into the music while he's playing, growling, grunting, and occasionally screaming "WHAT I SAY?!". This CD has just the right mix of everything...Jimmy in a big band and trio setting, and Jimmy's playing captures the essence of the soul-jazz which was big in the mid-1960's. He even turns songs as trivial as Len Barry's "One, Two, Three" into a funky swinger.Other noteworthy songs: the two title tracks (which feature Jimmy's singing as well as organ playing), "Hi-Heel Sneakers", the John Lee Hooker classic "Boom Boom", and "Mustard Greens", which was the opening music on Saturday Night Live's "The Ladies' Man" sketch.Go down in the basement, pop open a cold beverage, put this CD on, and enjoy! Listen now, thank me later..."