Champ: Dedicated to Jimmy Smith
WhenJimmy Smitharrived on the jazz scene in the early 1950s, he played the Hammond B-3 organ in a revolutionary manner. Previously, in the hands of greats such asThomas "Fats" Wallerand "Wild" Bill Davis, the organ had functioned more as an orchestral instrument than a solo vehicle. That changed with Jimmy Smith. He had a riveting, single-note style and a knack for hard-swinging ideas, and he fleshed out his approach by delivering bass lines on foot pedals. He also played to an audience, getting listeners aroused with a bag of musical tricks. Smith has attracted numerous disciples, and there's none better than Joey DeFrancesco, a Philadelphian who emerged in the late 1980s, playing withMiles Davisand then making several noteworthy albums. A major contemporary organ voice, DeFrancesco is a fluid, impressive soloist who here teams with guitarist Randy Johnston and drummerBilly Hartin covering nine ace numbers of the Smith repertoire. "Mack the Knife" finds DeFrancesco playing with a thickly textured, "roller-rink" sound and digging into that trick bag, repeating a lick over and over. On "When Johnny Comes Marching Home," the leader employs a creamier sound and plays rapid, bluesy lines. "Organ Grinder's Swing" is indeed a cooker, while "The Road Song" flows, featuring a bubbling DeFrancesco effort and Johnston's appealingWes Montgomery-inspired guitar. The title track is jackrabbit fast, and fun. Master trapsman Hart pushes it all with élan.--Zan Stewart