Jimmy Smith
Jimmy Smith was a pioneering jazz organist renowned for elevating the Hammond B-3 organ to a central instrument in jazz. Born James Oscar Smith on December 8, 1925 (or 1928 per some sources), in Norristown, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia, he grew up in a musical family with his mother playing church organ and his father as a tap dancer and musician.
Smith started on piano young, performing with his father's act by age 14 and later serving in the Navy's segregated band on piano and bass. Post-service, he worked construction and the railroad in Philadelphia while playing R&B piano with Don Gardner's Sonotones in 1951. Inspired by Wild Bill Davis in 1954, he bought a Hammond B-3, practiced intensely for months in a warehouse, and developed a horn-like style drawing from saxophonists like Coleman Hawkins.
Smith debuted professionally on organ in Atlantic City in 1955, formed a trio, and played Harlem's Small's Paradise in 1956, catching Blue Note Records' attention for an immediate signing. His debut album A New Sound, A New Star (1956) and follow-ups like The Champ and The Sermon! (1958) made him a star, blending hard bop, blues, gospel, and bebop. He performed at the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival, solidifying his prominence.
Frequent partners included guitarist Kenny Burrell, saxophonists Stanley Turrentine and Lou Donaldson, trumpeter Lee Morgan, and others like Wes Montgomery and Jackie McLean on over 30 Blue Note albums through 1963. Switching to Verve in 1962, he scored hits like Bashin' while innovating soul-jazz with nimble single-note lines over gospel harmonies.
In the 1970s, Smith ran a Los Angeles nightclub with his wife Lola, maintaining a 40-year career influencing organists. He earned NEA Jazz Master status in 2005 and died February 8, 2005, in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Sit On It!
Alto Saxophone – Fred Jackson
Arranged By [Horns] – Jerry Peters
Solo Vocal – Vennette Gloud
Tenor Saxophone – Ernie Watts
Trombone – George Bohanon
Trumpet – Nolan Smith 8:17
A2 Can't Hide Love
Solo Vocal – Afreeka Trees 5:07
A3 Cherrystones
Alto Saxophone – Kim Hutchcroft
Arranged By [Horns] – Alan Silvestri
Trumpet – Jerry Hey
Trumpet [First] – Chuck Findley 6:12
B1 My Place In Space 7:34
B2 Born To Groove/From You To Me To You
Solo Vocal – Afreeka Trees 6:45
B3 Slippery Hips 4:49
Arranged By – Alan Silvestri, Eugene McDaniels
Arranged By [Backround Vocals] – Carmen Twillie
Art Direction – Mike Doud
Backing Vocals – William Champlin, Carmen Twillie, Vennette Gloud
Bass – Abraham Laboriel
Drums – Lenny White
Engineer – Doug Rider
Engineer [Assistant] – Mike Beiriger, Robert Davenport, Steve Smith
Guitar – Alan Silvestri
Harmonica – Stanley Behrens
Organ, Synthesizer – Jimmy Smith
Percussion – Steve Forman
Photography By – Antonin Kratochvil
Piano – Herbie Hancock
Producer – Eugene McDaniels
Label: Mercury – SRM-1-1127
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1977
Genre: Jazz, Funk, Soul
Style: Jazz-Funk
Jimmy Smith's Sit On It! is a funky, Jazz-Funk Fusion album, showcasing his signature organ grooves alongside stellar session players like Herbie Hancock, Lenny White, and Abraham Laboriel, delivering danceable grooves like a sped-up "Can't Hide Love" and deep funk on tracks like "Slippery Hips," marking a more modern, fusion-oriented side compared to his earlier jazz, appealing to funk fans and jazz enthusiasts seeking '70s grooves.
A mix of organ-driven funk, soulful grooves, and fusion elements, often compared to Herbie Hancock's work of the era, and featuring Herbie Hancock (piano), Lenny White (drums), and Abraham Laboriel (bass).
It was Smith's third album for Mercury and showcased a different, funkier musical personality than his more traditional jazz works like Unfinished Business.
Fans and critics appreciate its funky energy and high-quality musicianship. It's seen as a solid entry in the jazz-funk genre, offering danceable tracks and classic Smith organ work.
Often bundled with Unfinished Business for reissues, allowing listeners to experience two distinct sides of his music.