Jimmy Smith

The late Jimmy Smith, born in Norristown, Pennsylvania in 1925, was a gifted pianist when in 1952 he heard Wild Bill Davis and became interested in the organ. In 1955 Jimmy Smith locked himself away with a Hammond B3 organ in a warehouse and experimented with it for many months, and then made his first New York appearance at Small's Paradise in Harlem. But it was shortly after that when he gigged at the Cafe Bohemia that the world caught on to what he had made of the Hammond B3. Jimmy Smith had re-invented the sound of jazz organ and changed the way it would be played from then on. Smith's impact on jazz organ performance was similar to the impact Charlie Parker had on saxophone. No one who followed would be able to ignore the innovation and revelation. In the 1960's Dr. Lonnie Smith and Reuben Wilson were both early followers of Jimmy Smith, and built upon his boppish soul-jazz putting their own spin on the music from funky bogaloo to acid jazz. They will join forces to honor him on May 26th.

Dr. Lonnie Smith performs with passion and skill, and has been thrilling audiences since the 1960's. Smith's 1968 debut with Bluenote, Think is solid soulful jazz. His long association with Lou Donaldson resulted in some of the most iconic soul-jazz statements of the era (including Alligator Bogaloo). Dr. Lonnie Smith was born in Buffalo, N.Y. into a musical family. His family had a singing group and a radio show. Smith credits his mother as a major influence in his musical career, introducing him to gospel, classical and jazz music.

Dr Lonnie Smith, Photo by Andrea Canter

"I can take it anywhere it goes, right? I love to play inside, outside...but the organ swings best when it swings, doesn't it? That's what that organ is good for. You could try to play hip all you want, but when you swing that thing, there's no other feeling like it." - Doctor Lonnie Smith

Dr. Smith also has a Jack McDuff connection. He sat in with Jack's group in th early 60's and met George Benson, and shorty after that formed a successful group with Benson. After recording several albums with George Benson and Lou Donaldson, Lonnie became a solo recording artist and developed a career that has produced over 30 albums under his own name. Several legendary jazz artists have joined Dr. Lonnie Smith on his albums, including Lee Morgan, David "Fat Head" Newman, King Curtis, Blue Mitchell, and Joe Lavano among others. Like his the title of his latest CD, you can expect his performance to be Too Damn Hot.

Organist Reuben Wilson was born in Mounds, Oklahoma on April 9, 1935, but soon moved to Pasadena, California. Wilson, a former professional boxer who helped usher in the "Acid Jazz" era over 30 years ago, continues to have a profound influence on the modern music scene. "Today, I'm playing to the children of my original audience", Wilson noted. "I feel like l made a real contribution musically, and I feel very good about the fact that it's actually given me legend status in Europe." In 1997, Wilson received his first gold disc for his compositions on the US3 recording Hand On The Torch. That same year he collaborated with Dr. Lonnie Smith on the Hip Bop Organic Grooves II LP and Blue Note reissued two of his albums: Love Bug (1969), with trumpeter Lee Morgan, tenor saxophonist George Coleman, guitarist Grant Green and drummer ldris Muhammad (then known as Leo Morris); and Blue Mode (1969) with tenor saxophonist John Manning, guitarist Melvin Sparks and drummer Tommy Derrick. Born April 9, 1935 in Mounds, Oklahoma, at age five Wilson moved with his family to Pasadena, California, where his schoolmates included bassist Herb Lewis and vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson. He started playing professionally in Los Angeles, and in the mid 60s went to New York and worked with a range of artists from Sam Rivers to Grant Green, Roy Haynes to Willis "Gatortail" Jackson. Also after arriving in New York, Wilson formed a trio called the Wildare Express with Tommy Derrick, the drummer who would appear on the organist's Blue Note debut. Wilson still resides in New York, still actively tours, and sounds better than ever.