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Jimmy Smith Has Passed


RonF

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This is bringing back sad memories of when I first heard Elvin Jones died this Summer. I think the day after he died, it was up on drummerworld.com. I felt so sad. A drum teacher/friend said like two weeks before he was gonna take me to see him at The Blue Note, when I found out he died, I was heartbroken. This is the same deal.

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I would like to hear some stories, Chuck, if you could. I think we all knew it was coming, but I imagine its been hard to see what's next for a quite some time now. Jimmy Smith was the originator and there hasn't been a next since he arrived, from what I can hear.

I'm new to the sounds of the Hammond B-3, but I've been shocked in the best possible way by his music over the past few years.

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Well at least we got recordings of him to remember his greatness by. And those who were lucky enough to have seen him in his prime, that you have those memories to remember him by.

Seen him, but not in his prime. He was a bit rude to the crowd. Even wanted to kick my ass for smiling at him. I just think it was because he had to be out there this late in life to make money.

Edited by Hardbopjazz
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Last time I saw him, I had rented out my B3 to the club he was playing. After he got done playing, he looked at me like I was trash and told me to "get that mutha'fucka fixed!"

But I'd have probably said the same thing if I were him. Think about it, the instrument he played had stopped being manufactured in 1974. He was forced to play a lot of dogs and near dogs over the years (and yes, mine DID suck!, but it was still the best one you could rent in town).

A master like that should have had a beautiful instrument to play every night of his life. You think Sonny Rollins plays crappy saxophones! But, because of the demise of the B3, he was forced to play some horrible instruments. THAT would make anyone crabby.

Just to make this point....

Another time he came to town and a friend of mine had just bought a near mint condition B3 and 122. He wanted to have Jimmy play it, so we rented it to the club for the gig. Jimmy came out and LOVED that organ. Played the best I'd ever seen him. After the club had cleared out after the show, he came out, grabbed me (I had the pleasure of opening for him that night) and sat me down at the bench next to him....and began to play the most amazing stuff for about 20 minutes. Just out of joy for being able to play that beautiful instrument. Then he turned to me and said "it's just the blues." THAT was beautiful. I'll never forget it.

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. After the club had cleared out after the show, he came out, grabbed me (I had the pleasure of opening for him that night) and sat me down at the bench next to him....and began to play the most amazing stuff for about 20 minutes. Just out of joy for being able to play that beautiful instrument. Then he turned to me and said "it's just the blues." THAT was beautiful. I'll never forget it.

Amen.

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