Jimmy Smith Midnight Special

Midnight Special features the great Jimmy Smith backed by Stanley Turrentine on tenor sax, Kenny Burrell on guitar, and Donald Bailey on drums. The April 25, 1960 session that resulted in that album was a highly productive one, for in the course of the same day the group also recorded the LP Back at the Chicken Shack. Although he began as a pianist, the great Jimmy Smith (1925-2005) switched to organ after hearing Wild Bill Davis in 1953. Smith s unparalleled skills with the Hammond helped to popularize the electric organ as a jazz and blues instrument, and he recorded prolifically during his long career. Two outstanding 1957 duets showcasing Smith with another brilliant tenor saxophonist, Lou Donaldson, have been added here as a bonus.