BLP 4011

Jimmy Smith - The Sermon

Released - November 1959

Recording and Session Information

Manhattan Towers, NYC, August 25, 1957
Lee Morgan, trumpet; George Coleman, alto sax; Jimmy Smith, organ; Eddie McFadden, guitar; Donald Bailey, drums.

tk.2 J.O.S.

Manhattan Towers, NYC, February 25, 1958
Lee Morgan, trumpet; Lou Donaldson, alto sax #2; Tina Brooks, tenor sax #2; Jimmy Smith, organ; Kenny Burrell, guitar; Art Blakey, drums.

tk.14 Flamingo
tk.15 The Sermon

Session Photos

Photos: Francis Wolff

Track Listing

Side One
Title	Author	Recording Date
The Sermon	Jimmy Smith	25/02/1958
Side Two
J.O.S.	Jimmy Smith	25/08/1957
Flamingo	Edmund Anderson, Ted Grouya	25/02/1958

Liner Notes

It wasn’t until 1956, when pianist Freddie Redd returned from a week in Philadelphia with a mouthful of “something elses” concerning an organist named Jimmy Smith, that my interest in the Hammond and jazz was aroused. Later that year, I had a chance to meet Jimmy and hear him via some home-recorded tapes he had made. Despite the poor quality of the recording, it was obvious to me that Freddie’s words of praise were well founded. Soon after, Alfred Lion heard Jimmy and translated his reaction swiftly into action. As many of you know, Jimmy become a prolific Blue Note recording artist and an acknowledged star.

Mr. Smith has been heard most often on Blue Note with his regular trio which consists of Thornel Schwartz or Eddie McFadden on guitar and Donald Bailey at the drums. He has also appeared on this label with guest stars like Lou Donaldson, Hank Mobley, Donald Byrd, Kenny Burrell and Art Blakey. So far, Blue Note has issued 14 LPs under the leadership of Jimmy Smith.

In "The Sermon" we are treated to performances by both the men in Jimmy’s group and some visiting luminaries. The title number is o tribute by Jimmy to another Blue Note recording leader whom Alfred Lion also saw fit to foster when he was an unknown — Horace Silver. First with his own trio, then with the Messengers of Art Blakey, and in the last two years through his own quintet, Horace has brought about an awareness of the basic, “down home” feeling to the modern jazzman. The word “funk” may have been overworked as a noun in jazz parlance, but Horace has used it as a jazz commodity in an ingratiating way.

Jimmy Smith, on the subject of “funk,” is an equally strong advocate. His admiration for the Silver service has inspired this dedication to Horace in the form of “The Sermon,” a 12-bar blues which gets into a good groove from the opening beat and stays there until its fade-out at the end of the entire side. No small reason for this is the solid foundation supplied by Art Blakey.

Smith not only carries the theme but furthers the mood setting by taking the first solo. By the time guitarist Kenny Burrell makes his entrance, things are rocking along nicely, thank you. After Kenny lines out o clear-voiced, singing offering, tenorman Tina Brooks steps upon the scene. Tina is the young wailer from the Bronx who made his recording debut on Kenny Burrell’s Blue Lights (BLP 1596/1597). Here he takes the longest time of any of the preachers in The Sermon with on effort that shows a wonderful and personal sense of time and several miles of soul. From an influence of the early fifties Sonny Rollins and Hank Mobley, who also was strongly shaped by the Rollins of that period, Tina has gone his own way. To do this within an already established framework, is, in some senses, as much of an accomplishment as forming a completely new style.

The last two speakers to occupy the pulpit are, like Blakey and Burrell, Blue Note leaders in their own right.

Lee Morgan, along with men like Donald Byrd and Louis Smith, is carrying on the rich trumpet tradition of Clifford Brown. After rising to prominence in the Dizzy Gillespie band, Lee joined Art Blakey’s Messengers in 1958.

Lou Donaldson’s career has been accurately chronicled on Blue Note; from his first recording up to and including his most recent, Lou has done his blowing under the Blue Note banner. Here, he offers an exciting solo which builds to a double-timed climax. Then the ensemble riffs a figure that is remembered from Miles Davis's arrangement of “Walkin” as Morgan punctuates with some well chosen high notes. The spotlight returns to Smith and Jimmy ushers the proceedings right down the aisle and into the street. This is one sermon that will never make any congregation fall asleep.

"J.O.S.", signifying James Oscar Smith, is a minor-key, rapid original by Jimmy which brings his regular group to the microphones. Guitarist Eddie McFadden and drummer Donald Bailey (not to be confused with Gerry Mulligan’s Dave Bailey) join with Jimmy to back guest soloists George Coleman and Lee Morgan. Coleman, a 23 year-old reedman out of Memphis and Chicago, has been heard, through 1958, with Max Roach's group on alto and tenor. This is not his first outing on Blue Note. (Hear Lee Morgan’s City Lights — BLP 1575.) His alto has the swift lead-off solo on "J.O.S". Jimmy employs the organ’s ability for varied sounds where as he signals the end of George’s stint by simulating a musical buzzer. He does the some in Morgan’s portion but Lee is cooking so hard, he runs through the insistent stoptone for another chorus. McFadden and Smith follow with extended solos that For all their flying still maintain a solid connection with the earth.

For the set closer, Burrell and Blakey return and Morgan remains as the only horn soloist. Lee is the main soloist too, as the tempo comes down for a rendition of the beautiful “Flamingo.” His gorgeous, open horn states the melody at the opening and close of the number, giving way twice to warm Burrell solos. While all of this is going on, Jimmy is laying down a deep-pile carpet to walk on, o perfectly heated pool to swim in, an adequately logged fireplace to lie in front of or what have you.

Whether he is playing his furiously swinging, single-line solos or backing the other soloists, Jimmy Smith is always contributing to the underlying spirit of the entire session. The Sermon is one you can listen to on a sabbath or any and all of the other six days.

— IRA GITLER

Cover Photo by FRANCIS WOLFF
Cover Design by REID MILES
Recording by RUDY VAN GELDER

1987 CD Reissue Liner Notes

Throughout his years with Blue Note, Jimmy Smith recorded with his working trio, with guest trios and quartets (usually with Lou Donaldson or Stanley Turrentine, Kenny Burrell and Art Blakey), live club dates often with guest hornmen and even two sessions with singers (for 45 single releases). There were also three very special dates that were marathon jam sessions in the studio built around all-star sextets.

The first of these took place on August 25, 1957 with Lee Morgan on trumpet, George Coleman on alto sax, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Eddie McFadden and Kenny Burrell alternating on guitar and Donald Bailey on drums. The second was on February 25, 1958 with Morgan, Lou Donaldson on alto, Tina Brooks on tenor, Burell and McFadden and alternating on drums Bailey and Art Blakey.

Tracks from these two sessions were intermingled to produce Smith's classic albums The Sermon and Houseparty. In 1979, another album of material came out as Confirmation. And two additional titles were included on a Japanese Blue Note album entitled Special Guests.

For compact disc, these sessions have been unravelled and put into their approximate recording order. Just for the record, the third Jimmy Smith jam session took place on March 22, 1960 with Blue Mitchell, Jackie McLean, Ike Quebec, Quentin Warren and Donald Bailey. The results were issued on Plain Talk and Open House several years after the recording date.

This compact disc completes the August 1957 session with two standards. "S'Wonderful" is a beautiful Lee Morgan feature with the support of Smith, McFadden and Bailey. "Blue Room" is Curtis Fuller's showcase with only Smith and Bailey behind him.

The February 25, 1958 session is here in its entirety. It kicks off with another feature, this one for Lou Donaldson with a gorgeous reading of "Lover Man" with Smith, McFadden and Bailey.

The remainder of this date finds Kenny Burrell on guitar and Art Blakey on drums. Lee Morgan returns on trumpet. And he remains on both of these sessions the most exquisite and inventive soloist throughout.

On alto is Donaldson, who first began recording for Blue Note as a leader in 1952 and who brought Horace Silver, Blue Mitchell and Grant Green among others to the label's attention. He was a frequent guest artist on Jimmy Smith dates during the organist's entire tenure with the label (1956 to 1963).

Tenor saxophonist Tina Brooks was one of the unsung geniuses of the horn. A brilliant soloist with a pure, smooth tone and a mind that created patterns of great intricacy, logic and beauty. Almost his entire output as a sidman and leader was for Blue Note. His obscurity was a tragedy for the music as well as for him.

The sextet jams start with two Charlie Parker classics "Confirmation" and "Au Privave." Each offer excellent examples of Tina Brooks' brilliance as well as strong solos from all concerned.

The saxophones lay out for a lovely Lee Morgan reading of "Flamingo" which is a tender spot for him and Burrell.

The session closes with the magic, rarified track that has become one of the most famous pieces of recorded jazz: "The Sermon," a relaxed twelve-bar blues line inspired by and dedicated to Horace Silver. Time is suspended as all three hornmen, Smith and Burrell weave magnificently soulful and intelligent solos that mesmerize the listener.

A classic and a fitting closer. What could one possibly follow it with?

--MICHAEL CUSCUNA, from the liner notes.

The Complete February 1957 Jimmy Smith Blue Note Sessions, Mosaic Records Liner Notes

Jimmy Smith was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania in 1925. Both of his parents were pianists, and his father became his primary teacher, although he admitted to Leonard Feather that Bud Powell in neighboring Willow Grove also had an impact.

A prodigy who won a Major Bowes contest in 1935, Smith quickly gained experience working throughout western Pennsylvania, performing on the radio in Philadelphia, and teaming with his dad for nightclub work. After serving with the Navy in the Pacific toward the end of World War II, he returned to Philadelphia and began formal musical training, studying harmony and theory at the Halsey Music School (Clifford Brown was a classmate), string bass at Hamilton School of Music, and piano at Ornstein through 1950.

It was while playing in the rhythm-and-blues combo of Don Gardner, who Smith joined in 1952, that he heard Wild Bill Davis and became interested in the organ.

This led Smith to intensive self-tutoring for three months in 1955, a process he described in detail to Feather: "When finally I got enough money for a down payment on my own organ I put it in a warehouse and I took a big sheet of paper and drew a floor plan of the pedals. Anytime I wanted to guage the spaces and where to drop my foot down on which pedal, I'd look at the chart."

"Sometimes I would stay there four hours, or maybe all day long if I'd luck up on something and get some new ideas, using different stops. I'd eat breakfast and then take my lunch to the warehouse with me and stay there until I was satisfied that I'd done what I needed to for that day."

In the summer of 1955, Smith was ready to show the world what he had learned, and opened as a single in an Atlantic City club. By September, Smith had his own trio, and Babs Gonzales had become his manager. Gonzales wasted no time in contacting Alfred Lion of Blue Note. Smith was making his first New York appearance, at Small's Paradise in Harlem, in January 1956, when Lion heard him and immediately signed him to a contract.

While a downtown gig at the Cafe Bohemia that followed hard on the heels of the Small's Paradise engagement was also important in Smith's breakthrough, what really turned him into an instant phenomenon were his Blue Note recordings.

There were albums by his regular trio, all star trios with Kenny Burrell, Grant Green, Art Blakey and Philly Joe Jones, quartet albums featuring Lou Donaldson, Percy France and Stanley Turrentine, and the great sextet jam sessions.

The date with Lee Morgan, George Coleman and Curtis Fuller and another with Morgan, Lou Donaldson and Tina Brooks produced his great House Party and The Sermon albums. Another with Ike Quebec, Jackie McLean and Blue Mitchell yielded Open House and Plain Talk.

After his move to Verve in 1962, he had even greater commercial triumphs with Oliver Nelson's arrangements and guitarist Wes Montgomery. His success opened the door for numerous organists.

In fact, Smith and his organ disciples created an entire sub-industry in the recording world and club circuit. And Larry Young, more than any other, would expand the language of the organ into modal and more experimental areas.

Even today, Jimmy Smith remains the boss.

--BOB BLUMENTHAL

RVG CD Reissue Liner Notes

A NEW LOOK AT THE SERMON

This album, to an even greater extent than its companion Houseparty (also reissued in the Rudy Van Gelder series), shows what magic can result when great musicians are brought together in a recording studio and allowed to play without undue concern for time constraints. Such "blowing sessions" were common in the early days of the 12-inch LP, and the frequently lackluster results turned the phrase into something of a pejorative. When the company and the circumstances were right, however, blowing sessions produced glorious music, and few blowing sessions produced anything as glorious as "The Sermon."

Jimmy Smith's simple blues line does not reveal the melodic or structural imagination of Horace Silver, to whom it pays tribute; but the groove and the level of improvisational inspiration is right on the money. It opens at a comfortable medium tempo, to which Art Blakey applies his famous shuffle beat. Smith and Kenny Burrell lock right in, creating a momentum that is hard to listen to without moving, and Smith builds a finely calibrated statement that wisely dispenses with a big climax in order to sustain a mood that the trio does not allow to flag over the 20 minutes of the performance. (A day later, Smith and Burrell teamed with another immortal jazz drummer, Philly Joe Jones, for tracks that appeared on the Smith album Softly As A Summer Breeze.)

Every solo that follows is a gem. Burrell features his rich sound and personal phrasing, which make his work easily distinguishable from that of Smith's regular guitarist Eddie McFadden. Tina Brooks follows and is a revelation, avoiding cliches as he displays his personal vernacular in long phrases filled with surprising turns. Lee Morgan, though not yet 20 at the time, blows the blues with the soul of a veteran, clearly on the road to the funky peak he would attain on Moanin' with the Jazz Messengers eight months later; and Lou Donaldson, who probably sounded funky the first time he picked up a horn, mixes wit and passion in a perfect concluding statement.

One interesting subplot is the various ways in which the soloists employ quotations. Smith serves up four bars of "Teach Me Tonight" unembellished, which sets up his soulful recasting of that melody in the next two bars. Donaldson is more literal when he introduces "The Continental" and "It Ain't Necessarily So," lest we miss the allusions. Brooks, in contrast, makes you think he is heading in a familiar direction, then pursues a melodic tangent when he cites "A Kiss To Build A Dream On," which is indicative of how he transforms familiar phrases throughout his solos here and on the Houseparty CD.

"J.O.S.," the best track of seven recorded at a session held the previous summer, is another testament to the blowing session ethos. The faster tempo is handled with similar assurance by Smith's working rhythm team of McFadden and Donald Bailey, two underrated players who gave the organist exactly what he needed. The 32-bar original also features Morgan as well as George Coleman on alto sax. (Curtis Fuller, who also participated in the August session, lays out.) Given its pace and minus one soloist, the performance is hardly as extended as "The Sermon," yet there is ample space for everyone to speak his piece, with Morgan feeling good enough to ignore Smith's sign-off signal. Original annotator Ira Gitler likens that cue to a buzzer, yet given the sound mass of the Hammond organ and the speed of this tempo it also raises images of a speeding truck applying its airbrakes.

Morgan and Burrell are more reflective soloists on "Flamingo," a ballad that might be considered a companion piece to the "Lover Man" feature for Donaldson that was recorded at the beginning of the February date and appears on Houseparty. Blowing sessions also provided musicians with time to stretch out on ballads, and the slower pace of this performance is an effective counterweight to the more spirited preceding music. One clarification and one correction of Gitler's notes are in order. The clarification involves Tina Brooks's "recording debut. " This was actually his first Blue Note session, and it was followed by his own Minor Move date and a Jimmy Smith location recording at Small's Paradise before the tenor saxophonist cut Blue Lights. The Burrell volumes were, however, the first of Brooks's Blue Note work to be released. The correction, of what was undoubtedly a typo, involves the date in Gitler's opening sentence. Since Jimmy Smith recorded his first Blue Note album in February 1956, Gitler must have gotten on the incredible one from Freddie Redd in 1955.

-Bob Blumenthal