Customer Reviews

Six Views Of The Blues

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I can't believe it took 40+ years to release this album. Mike Cuscuna does point out in the liner notes that it was Smith's 19th recording session in 29 months, so maybe it just got lost in the shuffle. It's a damn good album though. Lots of blues lots of soul. I can't listen to the first two tracks, St. Louis Blues and The Swingin' Shepherd Blues enough. Both are great. It is fantastic too, to hear Cecil Payne on bari. This is my first time hearin' this guy play and he is good.

The reviewer below me got it right too... Blues No.4 really cooks. It'll knock you right down. the other songs (all Smith originals except St. Louis Blues and The Swingin' Shepherd Blues) are pleanty good as well.

Jimmy Smith's playing is down and bluesy on the whole album, and really complements Payne's hard bari-sound. Burrell is great, though sometimes you really have to listen for him because Smith and Payne are really where it's at on this deal. Blakey's a great presence as usual (on half the tracks) as is Donald Baily. Both drummers are pretty subdued (especially Blakey! ) but the playing is there.

Anyways, get the album. It's yet another Bluenote Gem. Get it and then get Larry Young's Unity and really get down and listen to both these great organ players.

Fans of Jimmy's uptempo, soulful, blues numbers will find a lot to like on this release. Blues No. 4 in particular really smokes. Cecil Payne is a nice contrast on bari sax.

I am a huge Jimmy Smith (organ) fan, and I own almost all of his blue note recordings. I have most of them on cd and some on LP that are not on CD yet, and I have to tell ya folks this is a must buy for any music fan. It doesn't matter if you like rock, R&B, blues, or jazz. This album will take you where ever it is you wish to go that day. If you're up it will keep you up, if you're down it will ease your pain, if you're mellow it will keep you groovin all day long! It's that perfect. Blues No. 4 features Jimmy Smith's best solo of all time, at least on blue note. In general Jimmy Smith is terrific on every track. Smith and Kenny Burrell (guitar) have excellent communication throughout the session. Kenny Burrell is smooth coast to coast like butter on toast on every track, especially on Blues No. 3. Art Blakey and Donald Baley share the work on drums and they provide a great rytham background. And finally the work of Cecil Payne. Oh my lord does he have a whailin' blues background. When he blows that baritone sax you will feel vibration through your soul. He is simply on fire on this album. He has a good solo on every track, especially on track 2. He enters at 1 minute and 11 seconds and takes off. Buy this album and you will listen to it for the rest of your life. I've had it for 5 years and I still listen to it every week! Make sure you play it loud!!!

Jazz Fans will know most anything engineered by Van Gelder at Hackensack NJ location will sound great, but what about the music? Albums such as "The Cat" which pair Smith up with large horn sections just don't seem to work. Smith always seems to sound better in a smaller trio setting like this album.

1.) St. Louis Blues: Not just a tired repeat of an old standard. Nice lead in by Smith with Burrell playing a few bars of familiar melody. Then it's time to improv where Payne & Burrell do great job of keeping it fresh. Blakey on drums discreet but there.

2.) Swinging Shepherd Blues: reissue but nice transition to Blues #1

3.) Blues No. 1: Nice riffs by Smith & Burrell but not frenetic. Both keep it soul & not post-bop. Blakey does some rims before keeping rhythm on hats.

4.) Blues No. 3: Burrell on guitar a standout along with Payne. Smith offers some pyrotechnics showcasing what he can do on the B3, but returns to nice laid-back soul sound. Bailey on drums keeps pace without being intrusive.

5. Blues No. 4: A more up-tempo piece-- Burrell & Payne play off each other well. When it's Smith's turn to solo, the sparks fly as he really opens it up before mellowing back down for the ending.

6. Blues No. 2: Return to a more laid-back pace, and a great way to end this terrific album. Solo time for Smith yet more proof why he is considered to be the best of Hammond B3 artists & `Philadelphia Sound'-- soul jazz coming from that part of the country at the time.

...and there's nobody better to play them than the undisputed master of this great instrument, "The Incredible" Jimmy Smith.

Amen to what a lot of others have said here. This is a great addition for jazz and/or blues fans. Both camps will dig this album. Wonderful work by the sidemen, too.

This CD is good to play at any time of day, but I prefer "'round midnight." I don't know why, but this music seems to be at its best at that hour.

There are two musicians I think understood the jazz side of blues better than any other: Ray Charles and Jimmy Smith. If you get a chance to check out the few instrumental blues albums of Ray Charles (including his collaboration with Milt Jackson on "Soul Brothers" and "Soul Meeting") do it! Jimmy Smith, though, is right there to and this album, "Six Views of the Blues" more than proves it.

Six tracks with organ, guitar, drums and....baritone sax that is all blues and nothing but the blues. Most of the tracks are mid tempo 12 bar blues, with a moderately fast "Blues no. 4" and a nice, slow burning "Blues no. 3". All the musicians play well together, particularly Kenny Burrell (g) and Smith, who are both great soloists but also know how to accompany the other. As another reviewer said, the baritone sax is suprisingly nimble and fluid - also a good soloist. Art Blakey provides a nice driving support, which (that's just Blakey!) can occasionally gets a bit intrusive.

While none of the compositions are real standouts and they are all very similar in style, this is a very solid CD with tight musicianship, smooth, in the pocket, groove, and some really bluesy blues.

Leading a quartet with baritone saxophonist Cecil Payne, guitarist Kenny Burrell and either Art Blakey or Donald Bailey on drums, is one rare occation for Jimmy Smith during the Blue Note years. I have looked all over my vast JOS collection of small combo session if he ever again recorded with baritone sax, but it seems that this is the only evidence of recorded organ/baritone session from him. Nevertheless, this is great music, mainly JOS blues where he again proves his mastery of slow drenched down-to-earth organ blues with good solos both from Payne and Burrell. Even with some sonic flaws, makes this a welcome limited edition release from the Blue Note vaults....but why wait 40 years to release this recording? Mr. Cuscuna, please dig more in the vaults...

before six views, the sermon was the tuffest jimmy joint out there, but six views blows the sermon away. like the other reviewers, i think blues #4 is amazing, and a jimmy classic like the sermon, the champ, & virginia wolf.