Customer Reviews

Softly As a Summer Breeze

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

No-one listening to this album could possible guess, without prior knowledge, that on the day previous to the recording of tracks 1-6, Smith had recorded two albums, "Houseparty" and "The Sermon", because the undiminished energy of the group is astounding.Tracks 1 to 4 feature Kenny Burrell but the exchanges between him and Smith could equally have had them billed as Burrell tracks.If I had to choose only one of the four tracks to illustrate the quality of the proceedings it would have to the version of Thelonius Monk's "Hackensack", but they're all object lessons in building slow tracks.The four tracks are also the only recordings that Smith made with Philly Joe Jones. Tracks 5 & 6 have Eddie McFadden taking the guitar role, and Donald Bailey on drums. The version of Horace Silver's "Home Cookin'" is excellent. Blue Note didn't release any of these tracks for 6 years, possibly because they thought the results too mellow. Tracks 7 to 10 have four tracks recorded later in the same year,(October 1958) and feature vocals by Bill Henderson.They're an unusual example of Smith being an accompanyist and the tracks, both issued as Bluenote 45's, are pleasant without being exceptional. However, laying aside any talk that the re-release shortchanges customers, it's worth pointing out that all 6 small group tracks are exceptional and deserve repeated listening, and that the quality of the remastering is excellent. Go buy!

I agree with the other reviewers that this CD deserves 5 Stars--for tracks 1-6, anyway. Tracks 7-10 (not on the original Lp), featuring vocals by Bill Henderson, are another matter. There's some distortion in the recording of Smith's organ, and while Henderson has a fine voice, he has an annoying habit of stretching out a note with vibrato. These tracks don't ruin the CD, but the vocals are dated. You can always hit "Stop" before Track 7 begins.

I have the LP and will have to get the CD as well since there are 4 more songs on it. Don't shy away from these ballad albums, they are great and really show alot of depth and incredible mastery of the B3. I still have a ways to go to complement my 40 or so Jimmy LP's with the convenience of CD's.