Burnin' B-3 Tony Monaco Salutes Organ Legend Jimmy Smith

Master organist Tony Monaco, the Hammond B-3 Burner in Tribute to the Great Jimmy Smith.

Jimmy Smith ruled the Hammond organ in the '50s and '60s. He revolutionized the instrument, showing it could be creatively used in a jazz context and popularized in the process. His Blue Note sessions from 1956 to 1963 were extremely influential and many, like 1960's Back at the Chicken Shack and 1958 's The Sermon, are classics. Smith turned the organ into almost an ensemble itself. He played walking bass lines and chordal accompaniment with his left hand, while solos were played with his right hand. A booming, funky presence punctuated every song, particularly the up-tempo cuts. Smith turned the fusion of R&B, blues, and gospel influences with bebop references and devices 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. He attended the Hamilton School of Music in 1948, and Ornstein School of Music in 1949 and 1950 in Philadelphia. Smith began playing the Hammond in 1951, and soon earned a great reputation that followed him to New York, where he debuted at the Café Bohemia. A Birdland date and 1957 Newport Jazz Festival appearance launched Smith's career. His Blue Note recordings included both trio recordings and superb collaborations with Kenny Burrell, Lee Morgan, Lou Donaldson, Tina Brooks, Jackie McLean, Ike Quebec, and Stanley Turrentine, among others. Smith scored more hit albums on 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 and Jimmy & Wes: The Dynamic Duo, a collaboration with guitarist Wes Montgomery. His '70s output was quite spotty, though Smith didn't stop touring, visiting Israel and Europe in 1974 and 1975. He and his wife opened a club in Los Angeles in the mid-'70s. Smith resumed touring in the early '80s and continued wowing audiences around the world. He re-signed with Blue Note in 1985, and has done more representative dates for them and Milestone in the '90s. After a five-year layoff, Smith returned in early 2001 with the blues projects Fourmost Return and Dot Com Blues. He remained a fixture in both small jazz clubs and large festivals until his untimely passing in February of 2005.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Tony Monaco
• Jimmy Smith
• Jazz Organ
• Hammond Organ
• Blue Note
• Back at the Chicken Shack
• The Sermon
• R&B
• Birdland
• Lee Morgan
• Kenny
• Burrell
• Lou Donaldson
• Walk on the Wild Side
• Wes Montgomery

[KILLERB3JOE]

The address is killerb3.com or please become our friend on Facebook @killerb3movie

[JazzVideoGuy]

@KILLERB3JOE Tony Monaco Rules!

[megafunk88]

hey jazzviidguy-

is the opening shot a clip from that sonny rollins outdoor concert where he's wearing the red shirt and white pants and jumps off the high stage into the bushes during his solo? I've been looking for that....thnx

[JazzVideoGuy]

Yes, taken from the film, Saxophone Colossus.

[tomorronow]

hey jazzvideoguy, whats the name of the tune at the beginning??? is there a video/recording of it!?>?? thanks

[JazzVideoGuy]

@tomorronow It's an improvsation, not recorded, just what you see and hear, in this clip.

[RichZuHaus]

What is weak about that guitar solo? Because he's not playin' a million notes? He's got great feel brotha. That is where it's at.

He played some real tasty stuff. He swings behind the beat and is just relaxed and groovin'. If you ask me, a lot of guitar players woud do well to take note.

I'd rather hear a few well placed notes than a torrent of Bull sh!t any day.

[jeff2sabbag]

Tony & his Trio play The Blues like a giant building construction...they go to the last floor and come back with lot of emotion & blood... just incredible & amazing !!!

Sorry for my poor English .... but I love this guys !!

tks for post again Bret...

from Brazil

Jeff

[KILLERB3JOE]

Hi Brett, I hope you remember us... We are responsible for the video portion of Tony playing Midnight Special recorded live at the Park Street Tavern. We wanted to let you and your fans know that we are in completion of the documentary entitled KillerB3. Enjoy!

[TboneWertman]

that like at 9:17- 9:21 is nasty... besides everything else he's doing...

[SpyCreeper]

Better than any drugs you could find .........brillliant music !!

[lfmundy2002]

Great!!!!

[shawnr26]

@danslatente Just think of it this way...most musicians and even athletes that make faces are very good at what they do. The facial expressions is one of their signature marks ( think of Micheal Jordan especially when he goes for a slam dunk). Don't be embarrassed...it's all good!

[shawnr26]

@danslatente I know this reply is a bit late, but couldn't help but reply. Anytime a musician is making faces, he/she is  "in the zone" with the music they're playing and usually can't help it because they're really feelin what they are playing. I know how you feel because I got some of the same responses as you have and was at one embarrassed by it until I saw more and more musicians doing something similar.

[VimisiDigitalMedia]

Very awesome! and i do mean VERY! :)

[Pianodrum95]

GREAT FEELING!!! =))