Vinyl Vault — “Root Down” Jimmy Smith Live!

The Vinyl Vault gets down to the roots of Soul Jazz with a 1972 album on Verve Records from master organist Jimmy Smith entitled “Root Down, Jimmy Smith Live!” The album was recorded in concert in Los Angeles on February 8, 1972, and featured a West Coast backing band.

Vinyl Vault is sponsored by Vinyl Me, Please

By the time this album was recorded, Smith had firmly established himself as king of the jazz Hammond B-3 organ. The backing musicians on this album pushed Smith into a funkier direction and firmly into the Soul Jazz realm. Wilton Felder, a founding member of the Crusaders, played bass, forsaking his saxophone which was his main instrument with that band. Another occasional member of the Crusaders, Arthur Adams joined the band on guitar. Paul Humphrey played drums, Buck Clarke added congas and percussion and Steve Williams played harmonica on some tracks.

The album is an energetic jam session based in jazz, drenched in the blues and seasoned with a large helping of soul. The title track was infamously sampled by the Beastie Boys in 1994.

Join Geoff Anderson for some soulful Jimmy Smith on the next Vinyl Vault, Tuesday, August 23 at 8:30 pm on KUVO JAZZ.

Stay connected to KUVO’s programs and our community’s activities, Sign up for the station’s Oasis Online E-newsletter today!