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Jimmy Smith Has Passed


RonF

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Bye Jimmy. You created a style that's been imitated but never duplicated.

Kevin

Very sad news indeed! :( I have an original photograph of this Francis Wolff image and asked Jimmy to sign it a several years ago in St. Louis. He was grouchy on the band stand and equally as grouchy when I asked him to sign it but he barked "ok" and then signed it for me. I tried to strike up a short conversation with him but he was having none of that! I've seen him a handful of times in the past 7-8 years and he's never been what I would call overly friendly, but a master indeed!

RIP

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I remember his concert in Marseille on March 23, 1987. After the performance, we drank a glass together and he liked still to play, he asked me if there was a club where he can make it, but regrettably it was a monday and the only dignified club of this name was closed this day. A wonderful musician and a very great man!

Peace to his soul!

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I just heard a live phone conversation between a DJ on my local Toronto station Jazz.fm and Joey DeFrancesco. Joey is pretty shaken up, naturally, but spoke warmly of the new album they did called, fittingly, "Legacy". The station just got an advance copy today. Joey did say that the sessions were filmed with the intention of releasing it in that format as well.

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OK, so which is it!

1925 or 1928?

Rolling Stone is saying '25

(along with Ben Young on air)

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Now playing: WKCR - Columbia University

I've seen 1925 in a number of different places, none of which I would call definitive. Had a boring ass 3 1/2 hour meeting today. Did nothing but conjure up Jimmy records in my head for the entire meeting. He will be missed. :(

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NPR's All Things Considered are airing an obit in about minute or two...

They acted like the Legacy CD hadn't been recorded yet.

Is this true? "Was scheduled to record a new album later this month with Joey..."

or close wording...

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Now playing: WKCR - Columbia University

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Concord Records, Inc

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hammond B-3 Legend Jimmy Smith Passes

December 8, 1925 to February 8, 2005

Jimmy Smith, the Hammond B-3 icon who creatively revolutionized the instrument in Jazz, died of apparent natural causes on Tuesday, February 8, at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona. Funeral arrangements are pending.

"Jimmy was one of the greatest and most innovative musicians of our time. I love the man and I love the music. He was my idol, my mentor and my friend," fellow Hammond B-3 artist and friend, Joey Defrancesco said yesterday.

Born in Norristown, Pennsylvania on December 8, 1925, Jimmy Smith ruled the Hammond B-3 organ in the 1950s & 1960s. He turned the instrument into almost an ensemble itself, fusing R&B, blues, and gospel influences with bebop references into a jubilant, attractive sound that many others immediately absorbed before following in his footsteps. Smith initially learned piano both from his parents and on his own. After service in the Navy, in 1948 he studied bass at the Hamilton School of Music and piano at Ornstein¹s School of Music in Philadelphia. He began playing the Hammond organ in 1951, and soon earned a great reputation that followed him to New York, where he debuted at the Café Bohemia. A date at Birdland and then a 1957 Newport Jazz Festival appearance launched Smith¹s career. He toured extensively throughout the 1960s & '70s.

Smith's Blue Note sessions from 1956 to 1963 were extremely influential and are highly recommended. They included collaborations with Kenny Burrell, Lee Morgan, Lou Donaldson, Tina Brooks, Jackie McLean, Ike Quebec, and Stanley Turrentine, among others. Smith also recorded for Verve from 1963 to 1972, many of them featuring big bands and using fine arrangements from Oliver Nelson. These included the excellent Walk on the Wild Side.

Jimmy Smith persevered in times when the Hammond organ seemed like it was down and out, and reigned as the master of the craft. The authentic sound of the Hammond still lives on in his protégé and good buddy Joey DeFrancesco. The pair recently recorded a studio album together, Legacy, to be released on Concord Records February 15. A national tour was in place for the B-3 soul mates to commence at Yoshi's February 16-20, along with a special Iridium engagement in New York, March 23-27.

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Jimmy Smith, the Hammond B-3 icon who creatively revolutionized the instrument in Jazz, died of apparent natural causes on Tuesday, February 8, at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona. Funeral arrangements are pending.

Fuck!

I'm ashamed to say I never knew he was living in Phoenix.

Typical of the news originizations here not to make one fucking mention of it. <_<

If it was Glen Campbell or Alice Cooper there would be emergency news bulletins all day and all night. :rolleyes:

MSNBC

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Typical of the news originizations here not to make one fucking mention of it.  <_< 

This is from today's New York Times On The Web. No mention of Jimmy. Nothing.

MUSIC

Music Review | Leonidas Kavakos and Denes Varjon: Testing Violinist and Pianist With Enescu, Bartok and More

Steve Burgh, 54, Music Producer, Dies

Lazar Berman, Pianist Known for Powerful Style, Dies at 74

Sonny Day, Grand Ole Opry Accordionist, Dies at 80

San Francisco Opera Names a New Director

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Typical of the news originizations here not to make one fucking mention of it.  <_< 

This is from today's New York Times On The Web. No mention of Jimmy. Nothing.

MUSIC

Music Review | Leonidas Kavakos and Denes Varjon: Testing Violinist and Pianist With Enescu, Bartok and More

Steve Burgh, 54, Music Producer, Dies

Lazar Berman, Pianist Known for Powerful Style, Dies at 74

Sonny Day, Grand Ole Opry Accordionist, Dies at 80

San Francisco Opera Names a New Director

But Sarah Jessica Parker has a new smell, while Marcia Cross (from Desperate Housewives) is making it clear that while she's no desperate housewife, she's not gay.

These are the issues that grip the world today. :rfr

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