Search - Jimmy Smith :: Any Number Can Win

Smith had only recently left the Blue Note label for Verve when he recorded these 1963 sessions, and the change brought a significant shift in direction for the great organist. He was applying his virtuoso keyboard skills and distinctive, blues-drenched approach to more commercial material--current pop tunes and movie themes--and often recording with big-band backing rather than the small combos he had always worked with. It was a natural evolution for Smith, as his powerful Hammond B3 had always invoked a big band's drive and energy, and he clearly enjoyed matching his chordal power with full horn sections. The material here (including a number of tunes associated with Ray Charles--"What'd I Say," "Ruby," and "Georgia on My Mind") suits him, too. Smith touches on funk, blues, and gospel, and his expansive performances are matched with potent session bands that include Kenny Burrell, Phil Woods, and Jimmy Cleveland. --Stuart Broomer