Reviews (page 12 of 13)
It was ok. I guess for people who like this type of music this album could be really good, but its not for me. Its good to explore other genres tho.
Back at the chicken shack is basically a movement rather than an album . The first song is pleasant enough but then its more of the same. It does not bear repeated listens to this jazz organ!?
jazz!
Interesting. I don’t think I would’ve found this on my own.
Restaurant music at macaroni grill
It’s ok, but not something I’d listen to for a second time. Some passable tracks, but only just.
Before I started to listen to 1001 albums, I would say I had a wide range of taste in music, but now I realise it's narrower than I thought. This album is not unpleasant, the musicians are skillful and the music does not offend. It's just not for me. I feel this is music Arnold Rimmer would enjoy.
Terrible jazz
Safe easy listening for background at party or get together. Good musicianship
(2/7) I felt like I called customer support and was placed on hold for 45 minutes
Album #66 Jimmy Smith: Back At The Chicken Shack Charles Mingus made me believe that he was a genius when I heard “The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady”, Jimmy Smith confirmed that Charles Mingus is a genius when I heard “Back at the Chicken Shack”. After hearing my first jazz album, the aforementioned Mingus record, I thought that I might actually grow to really enjoy the genre, but this album reinforced my previously held beliefs. There really isn’t anything wrong with it, but after the second track, I was completely bored; the main issue I have with jazz is when it establishes a sound and then gets comfortable. This album is perfectly fine in the background, but active listeners quickly become bored due to the lack of challenge. The best song on this album is the first, a rather enjoyable and groovy tune that makes you look forward to what else Mr. Smith has in store for us, but then you find out over the next 40 minutes that that was all he had in store for us; the rest of the album is just a noodling variation of the already established sound. The use of repetition can be done right, but it needs to be interspersed with new and exciting sounds. Mingus created chaos, but within that were refuges of familiar sounds; he used the repetition as a tool, not as a crutch. I know that it is unfair to compare everything under the jazz label with Mingus, but I’m starting to fear my enjoyment of jazz peaked with my first foray into it. The sad irony in my comparison between Jimmy Smith and Charles Mingus is that only one of them has bestowed upon themselves the moniker of ‘incredible’, and it isn’t the one who earned it. Best Songs: Back at the Chicken Shack, When I Grow Too Old to Dream, On The Sunny Side of the Street Worst Song: Messy Bessie Score out of 10: 4.5
O sleep
didn’t grab me or my attention. Cool jazz but wasn’t very interesting in my opinion.
not ever sat down and listened to a jazz album before. fine as background music but not something i would put on and vibe to. got a bit bored sorry jimmy.
Nice 60s Jazz
Something i'd have in the background to read.
музыка для лифта
Repetitive. Or I simply don't like jazz.
Another groovy jazz album. The rhythm section here was really prominent and I enjoyed it. I still prefer music with lyrics as I resonate the most with words in a song. Fun background music but I couldn’t differentiate jazz tracks from one another easily.
A ood classical jazz album. Good vibes in the back of a bar
Inoffensive background swing jazz. Nothing more to say...
Jazz man. Smooth. DNF. Not feeling jazz today
Best Track - "Back At The Chicken Shack"
so so. nothing stood out to me. standard
Blandly pleasant
Leider nichts für meinen Geschmack. Klassische Fahrstuhlmusik.
Decent
Interesting!! New to me!! Very soothing and enjoyable.
Sounds cool, I personally don’t like an album that’s just instrumentals
Not rlly my type but not bad
3/10 - Favorite song: Messie Bessie
bluesy groovy jazzy vibe. An album that you can get lost in while listening to. Each transition of song is a continuation of the previous one, making the album pass by without noticing each song as a unique work, but rather the album is the work as a whole. I do, however, love the feeling it creates of sitting on a porch step, smoking a cigarette, in the Louisiana summer heat. Bayou meets Bourbon Street. 2.6/5 stars
I'm just not a jazz boy
Liked it better than miles Davis but not my jam
Jazz music fit for a boomer clothing store fitting room
I really wish these musicians would commit to tuning up before recording an album rather than during it. Same for practicing their scales......
Not my kind of songs
2/5. Decent enough songs and decent enough playing. But very forgettable. I'm forgetting it as I type these words. The dog on the cover is more easy for me to recall than a single song. But not bad.
This album I had really high hopes for at first. What got my hopes so high was when I heard the opening track and I was totally won over. The problem is I didn’t care for any of the other songs. Genuinely the only song that I saved or remembered was the opening track but it was a great song. Just sorta not for me after that.
It was okay. The melodies sounded the same in almost every part of the songs. Wouldn’t voluntarily listen to them tho.
Very full of life. I prefer the songs with less organ i think. Fav song is ‘Back At The Chicken Shack’.
I read some reviews for this before I listened. I expected something good. What I got was an album too dull to echo through the empty aisles at the local Hobby Lobby. My chicken scratch is taking this one back to the drawing board.
I wasn't the biggest fan. It's solid, but just a bit boring.
it's whatever jazz maybe it was really good at the time but now it's whatever
Jazz does nothing for me. I like the album art though.
elevator music
Generic but listenable.
Shit in box shit in a boxooooxoxoxoxoxx
If you’re the named musician on a jazz album you should be the one throwing the main character energy. Based on my listen Jimmy Smith should be the boring saxophone and you’re telling me he’s the B3 organist showing how an electric piano can amplify jazz? GTFO
It’s kind of a cool sound but I only needed one song, not an album-full!
Jazz not really my cup of tea, but this works for me. Whole album of it is a bit of a slog, but it’s got a cool vibe. 2
For some, jazz is everything. For me, it’s background at best.
Jazz where a couple of songs have a hint of melodic value - Although the most notable example of this (Sunny Side of the Street) is a cover. Too classy to play at a chicken shack unless said shack is serving Chicken Cordon Bleu instead of Nuggets
- I’m just not into jazz because generally, it doesn’t move me, so I guess this album is pretty inoffensive as far as jazz goes. - The songs all start out okay, but then go on forever. - I think I liked the first song a lot more than the others - maybe because it had less sax and a more pronounced & memorable melody than the others. - The tone of the instruments feels muffled, which I don’t love, and I would have preferred a standard piano to the organ. - I’ll never choose to listen to this again.
I simply have no interest in this type of Jazz. 2 stars or D.
Doin jazzy
Dang. I thought this was gonna be some old school reggae based on the cover. Felt just like some thin keyboard jazz to me. Didn't do anything for me.
Sounded like good jazz to me. It's a 2 because it's the default ranking.
Dull meandering. Yet more jazz
Had this on in the background all day. Started to believe I’m in Sim City and none of this is real.
a bit too jazzy for mee
Yea the dude can play but not for me. Was fine working music because it faded so easily into the background. I do love the sound of these organs though. I'm feeling a 2/5
sounds like i'm stuck in a comically slow elevator
Soulful jazz elevated by Smith's organ playing. Without that organ it would be difficult to distinguish this from similar jazz, and while it's rarely all that impressive it at least gives the songs some nice swing. Still, the highlight of the first track is when the sax comes in and you think what had been a bit stagnant will become more dynamic. But things don't really change - it's the same song, but with a sax. The rest of the songs don't change that formula too much. While this is a pleasant listen it's not engaging, and hard to recommend to anyone who's not a big fan of jazz unless they're looking for an album to soundtrack a casual dinner party.
El jazz así en casa no me llena
Sounds like a loading screen on The Sims or something. That's pretty much all I can say about it. It exists.
Jazz
Entretenido para trabajar, pero no se si lo recuperaría para mi día a día.
Fairly boring jazz.
Hmm ja. Synes første var greeeeii. Resten var rot.
Good chill music. Long songs. Wouldn’t be something I actively seek out but fine to space out.
Decent vibe
(Genre = Jazz) 1. Back At The Chicken Shack - 5/10 2. When I Grow To Old To Dream - 5/10 3. Minor Chant - 3/10 4. Messy Bessie - 5/10 5. On The Sunny Side Of The Street - 4/10 (Album Rating = 4.4/10) - Album has no lyrics, just instrumentation, which is NOT my type of genre/music. Each song is about 10 minutes on average, which is too long for a song in my opinion. Good music, just not for me! Also, since I don't listen to jazz, it all sounds the same to me unfortunately.
Instrumental. The one organ track is great; the three sax tracks less so. It's cool that it's such a little album.
Dette blei litt for kjedelig for meg. Jeg hadde forventa noe rått orgelspill og fikk ikke det engang:(
Good jazz artist. Some iconic jazz pieces.
Background music. 2/5
Early 60's Jazz keyboards - another treat from the 1001 album challenge! Not my bag at all, but glad to have the opportunity to hear it
First track was a vibe, and then the rest of the album turned into elevator music.
Not good nor bad
Much like Markiplier, I was lost multiple times during this album. The songs would start, I would be sure I was listening to a different song, and then I would wonder if it was repeating. It quickly devolved in to jazz noise. I am sure there is something technically impressive about it, but I can’t detect it. The noise isn’t unpleasant, there just isn’t much going on. And the thing is, I can see the vision for the first song as it does sound like something that would play as friends talk at some food place, but then it all sounds super similar and I start getting sleepy. I believe this album might be best utilized as a lullaby.
Not really a fan of jazz.
I’ll keep it brief… It was fine Had a good time listening to it but pretty forgettable otherwise Favorites: None Honorable Mentions: None
orgeltje is ok, maar de sax steekt rap tegen... had beter verwacht op basis van eerste minuten
A non-vocal jazz album that I listened too whilst cutting the grass (as it was my main time of the day to listen to music). I imagined this is exactly what would be playing in a relaxed coffee shop in NYC in the 40s (that may be very incorrect). Nevertheless, I feel this would be suited for reading a book on sunday morning so I just wasnt interested in it at this time.
2- Stars (4/15)
If I owned this album, it would be lining the bottom of my chicken's shack.
Bit too jazzy for me.
A smooth, bluesy jazz album with a laid-back groove, ideal for background listening. The Hammond organ gives it a warm, mellow vibe, and the instrumental solos are tasteful without being distracting. Even if you're not into jazz, which I'm not, it's easy to enjoy passively.
It’s ok
Ok
Haven't heard of Jimmy Smith before. The first track was promising but the rest of the album was just some standard jazzy stuff 2/5
Background music with way to much saxophone
69/100 pretty fun but can drag on at times, third 69 in a row now lmaoo. some tracks did drag on and when i saw the tracklist of five songs i was a bit surprised
Interesting
It's like a better Green Onions
It was fine but I am not sure why it made the list. Nice background music that incorporated world music but not something I would be likely to listen to again.
Not for me
Some decent jazz
A fine jazz album. I’m sure it’s influential but I would not choose to listen to it again.
Not for me
Easy listening. Doesn't feel super special, just a nice solid jazz album. Cool drumming. 2.5/5
🐥
usually i like jazz but this did NOT hit. maybe it was the instrument choice? respectable but still a 2/5.
jojo so jazz gedadle holt wieder
Agh, must have listened to this in the wrong mindset. It was ok. Might have liked it under different circumstances but I didn’t hate it.
Nice bit of funky jazz, but I found myself zoning out for most of it, and I found the whole album sounded pretty much the same to me, like I was three songs into it before realizing the first song had ended a while before. Not bad, just not really my jam.
It was good while I was reading anf falling asleep.
Warm, rich jazz set apart by its use of an organ, "Back at the Chicken Shack" is a great listen. This album is influential in the evolution from jazz to soul music.
A classic in instrumental jazz, but unfortunately it's still instrumental jazz. Only so long I can listen to drums so the same thing over and over again before I give up. Not for me.
Prima jazzy achtergrond muziek, maar doet weinig met me.
Not a huge of that organ sound. Small doses it's alright, but annoying over a whole album. Didn't help I misread the artist as Jimmy Cliff so was expecting something much different
Never really grabbed me, similar pace. Saxophone seemed like the main instrument rather than the organ. Organ not as striking as, say, Billy Preston. Might be nice to have in the background
Nice background music. Really nothing more constructive I can give this. Just not my thing.
There is no doubt Jimmy’s organ has tremendous heft to its sound, but paired with lounge bar jazz it’s pretty limp. His organ and vibe is much perkier on the live album Root Down, like the Beastie Boys I would recommend having a go on that instead. Pathetic and pointless innuendo ends.
Just can’t do jazz
This ain't the shack This ain't where it's at
More Hammond than a Top Gear marathon! Upbeat jazz, bluesy and swinging but samey.
Did not love…
Me gusta el jazz, pero cada canción duraba más de 5 minutos y prácticamente seguía el mismo ritmo durante esos 5 minutos o más, lo cual no está mal, pero para eso puede durar 2-3 minutos cada canción y no 12.
hm
It always feels a bit embarrassing to out myself as a simpleton by saying jazz just isn't for me, but the more amazing jazz I listen to, the more I have to accept that that's just the way it is. This was a great album, but it's not something I would actively listen to. It definitely keep me grooving as background music while I worked, though!
I'm a little unimpressed by this album. I like jazz, I like the blues, I like blues-y jazz, but to me this one was a bit straightforward for me to really fall in love with. I felt myself tuning out while listening and having to reorient my focus towards spotify in order to get brought back in. This was a cool decade for jazz, I would have loved more going on. It's a 2.4/5 for me. Unfortunately it just missed on the points that make jazz great to me and resulted in a somewhat monotone walk through of common jazz chord progressions and structures without the daring efforts that make the genre fun.
Not a huge fan of the organ Instrumental album = repetitive, this one somehow especially so Unable to distinguish the tracks in my mind after one listen Good background music I don’t think I would revisit
Typische bluesy, organy, begin jaren 60 jazz. 'Green Onions' meets jazz, zeg maar. Het is zeker een vibe, en als ik hier was om een genre te beoordelen dan komt het zeker weg met een aardige voldoende. Maar we zijn hier ook zeker om een album én artiest te beoordelen, en ik heb geen flauw idee waar ik Jimmy Smith en zijn kippenhok aan moet gaan herinneren. Er zitten weinig verrassingen in de hoge hoed. Wat dat betreft dus een matige voldoende. 5,5/10
Prima lekker gepingel op zijn Hammond, maar veel verder dan dat komt Jimmy ook niet. En wat het kippenhok er mee te maken heeft is mij ook compleet onduidelijk. Jimmy mag nog even verder pingelen, ik weet genoeg. 5/10
Ok but it’s jazz
Ihan hyvä, mutta ei omaa makua.
I'm hardly a jazz afficionado, but it seems odd to have an organ as the feature instrument.
First album on the list in the books. Maybe one of these days I'll understand Jazz.
Len Houmous actually bought that famous red shirt off Jimmy. He said he was going to treasure it. He used it to polish his car! Those two never got on. Absolutely no idea why. Len never mentioned it. 1.6
mid jazz
Standard jazz indeed
Ratings: 5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background The music is solid enough, but it just doesn't excite me as much more than background music.
340/1001 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑
Not for me I think, can see the appeal but I was already waiting for it to be finished and it was still the first track. I don't know enough about jazz music to understand the nuance it was probally going for.
First time listening to a jazz album. It was enjoyable. A bit repetitive. Highlights: When I Grow Too Old to Dream Unlikely to return to this album.
I liked this album! But it definitely started to fade into the background after awhile. It’s not bad in any capacity, just all the songs are very similar so the album starts to blend into one long song.
DNF, not my taste
Good jazz album, instrumentals are great but I won’t re listen as an album to put on but I’d play it behind a cocktail party
Enjoyable listen but I do not get why this album is in this list ans what makes it stand out
Realistically I'm not going back to it, it was quite nice background noise while I'm working though
This was nice but not sure how much I’d return to it
Type of music you'd here in the background of a cartoon when there's no dialogue, and its going from scene to scene showing the passing of time of their day to day life, or maybe some silly antics with the main characters friends. Most songs sound the same since its the same instrumentation, in the end all songs ended up blending together.
1. Back At The Chicken Shack 2. Minor Chant 3. Messy Bessie 4. On The Sunny Side Of The Street 5. When I Grow Too Old To Dream
Really enjoyed this album for what it is. That being said, jazz isn't really my thing. I could tap my feet to this all night though.
my eyes honestly just glazed over for most of this.
Not only is Jimmy back at the chicken shack, he’s also incredible! Groovy, man! Nothing really objectionable here, but you have to like and appreciate instrumental jazz, which I do not. Most of these songs sounded very similar to me, and seemed to go on forever. At least the last track, Sunny Side of the Street, had a melody that I could hear and better yet, recognize. This just isn’t my thing…would be okay as background music, but that’s about it. 2 stars.
No conocía a este autor. Suena bien, pero no creo que sea algo imperdible aunque no deja de ser un disco agradable a la escucha.
Yeah honestly I don’t want to listen to this at all.
It's... listenable, I guess? This is the type of music you would hear playing from ceiling speakers at a restaurant or something. And how often do you pay attention to that? This is not really my thing. There are some moments here that I like (mostly the saxophone parts towards the end of tracks 1 and 3), but it's most pretty underwhelming. 5/10
Fine
Another jazz album. Great... The first track sounded like it took hints from Green Onions. But after that it went into jazz noodling and was all pretty bland. Good background music for a coffeehouse maybe. The bonus track was ok. Nothing really hooked me in. My Rating: 2/5
I liked a couple of these songs, but was not really into others for some reason.
A good reminder of why I don't like jazz. Music that can't get to the damn point.
Hitting me with Simon and Garfunkel and jazz on back-to-back days is lowdown and dirty. Cute album cover, though, and I didn't mind the organny bits. Then the saxophone kicked in.
OK seriously, enough with the jazz already... But I'll give it a 2 because the drummer's name is Donald Bailey.
Jazzy noodling that seemingly lasts forever while going nowhere.
Again decent but not my taste in Jazz - but decent playing and tunes
More Jazz, Niiiice
an entire album of jazz instrumentals. four songs clocking in at just over 37 minutes with the shortest one being around seven and a half minutes. twas not for me.
Jazz. Meh
Boring.
Organ and guitar are the two instruments in jazz that I just can't seem to get into for some reason.
i'm not kinda jazzy guy, so it's not for me
Difficult to rate this album as I have very limited knowledge and listening history of jazz music. Sounds a bit like background music or music to put on during dinner party.
I listened to the original release (four tracks), not the re-release. Jimmy was master of the Hammond organ and he influenced many later artists. The sax player is also very good here. Maybe I’ve heard too many jazz combos, as there was nothing memorable for me.
Pleasant sax jazz. Boring and irritating towards the end.
Background music
it was just background music for me sorry jimmy
3/10
1-2 mal hören reicht mir.
# 388 : ummm…. When your only claim to fame is that you are on this list…
Background jazz I guess 2/5
Not really a jazz fan, some albums in that genre on this list have been fairly enjoyable and started to convert me but this wasn't one of them. Was mostly bored
First off, the marketing on this record is really cool. Love the artist name, album name, and artwork. As for the music itself, its not really my kind of jazz. Decent, but kinda more fitting for background music at a restaurant, than active listening. Its ok.
I love organs in music. I love jazz. Not sure I love the two together. It feels like soundtrack music. It doesn't capture my interest the way a piano in its place would. This is kind of like Booker T. Too much of a good thing ruins it.
I can understand having this on in the background at a bar or cafe, but actively listening to it is just downright boring. Maybe I'm just not sophisticated enough for jazz.
i enjoy the vibes and would listen to it maybe while studying or as background music
So, Back At The Chicken Shack was an album that just exists. I have a lot of the same problems with this album as i do with an album like Sunday At The Village Vanguard by the Bill Evans Trio as in i think that this album, while not being as well recorded as the one i mentioned, generally sounded fine and didn't really have anything for me to really hate. However, that's all it had, it never deviated or tried anything new or interesting and just stuck to the same old formula it had from song one which even with this album's 37 minute runtime (43 if you are talking about the CD rerelease), it still got tiring. I can see that Jimmy Smith and all the other musicians here absolutely had talent but that talent couldn't really save this album from being anything above mediocre. Best Song: Back At The Chicken Shack Worst Song: When I Grow Too Old To Dream
I really do not like jazz. This is not really awful, but fuck my hat is it dull.
like i guess. good background noise
01) Back at the Chicken Shack - 8,0 02) When I Grow Too Old to Dream - 5,0 03) Minor Chant - 5,0 04) Messy Bessie - 5,0 TOTAL: 5,75 (58/100) Current ranking: 319/385
no my cup of tea but can see if was influential
A lot of jazz drumming.
nice soothing sound, not something id usually listen to
Jazz. Det bedste ved albumet et titlerne, og længden. Den får 2 fordi den kender sin besøgstid.
Not for me. There was no progression, just some recorded Jazz sessions, which were boring and too long.
Am I uncultured? I found this to be plain. old, boring, nice to listen to in the background jazz. I guess I’ll put this on when my aunts and uncles come over and we get wine drunk
Wow... 5 total songs? Pretty blues-y/jazzy.
Quit with the jazz. Enough!
Really odd deep cut to put on this list. It's cool, but probably not even worthy of 1001 blues/jazz albums to listen to...
The type of using you play around people who don't notice music. I was bored for most of this album. Sometimes I was angry because it reminded me of the Grateful Dead. I don't like to be reminded of them. His dog looks friendly, wonder what happened to the chickens?
I wish I liked jazz, but it’s just so repetitive and boring.
Chicken Shack vibes, but not terribly dynamic or interesting. 2 licked fingers out of 5.
🥱
Mostly boring 2.4
Does sound a bit like elevator music, but it’s nice elevator music
Well that was something.
something i would listen to while frantically completing an assessment due the next day. nothing special, but it's great for the above purpose. i can see it's appeal, but i feel i need vocals to really enjoy a piece of music, or otherwise a truly stand-out musical composition. this album is just mediocre for me, but i like it nonetheless. 5/10
Not bad but meanders the line into elevator music sometimes. Middle 2.
boring ass jazz with a single synth/organ doodling in the background. Not sure who would actually sit and listen to this...
A fine, grooving jazz lp that, if you're into 10 minute tracks, has to be quite an experience upon first listen. We liked it well enough but 3 or 4 minutes into each track found ourselves losing interest. 1 track (Chicken Shack) added to 1001 Experience Playlist
For me it´s only very good backgroundmusic in a bar.🤷♂️ 2,5
Never listened to a purely organ based album, but it wasnt that bad.
1. chicken - 1.5 2. dream - 1.5 3. minor - 1.5 4. bezzie - 1.5 5. zunny - 1
At first I thought that five songs was rather short for an album. But once I realised it was basically an instrumental Jazz album, I realised five songs was plenty! Haha! I liked this album. From my limited knowledge of Jazz, this felt like a really good Jazz album. I liked the vibes of the album, however I do believe Jazz is much more enjoyable when listened to live. The only time I can really see myself listening to this is when I need to focus or study (I need to remember this for when I start my masters in January). My main criticism was that all the songs sounded the same really! It was hard for me to distinguish between when one song ended, and the next one started. Also I feel like the album title and song names don’t fit the vibe of the actual songs… a bit pedantic but oh well!
Not really for me. But alright, I guess.
Great blues is phenomenal. Other blues is… meh
Decent, kind of boring honestly.
Pleasant background music
This is pretty good for jazz, but it’s jazz
Something as rare as a jazz album I didn’t hate. But neither did I like it. Not much going for it, some decent hammond organ playing and some part decent part annoying saxophone
Life’s too short for jazz.
Middle of the road jazz. Starts quite funky but becomes very samey after a while.
Toooo jazzy/bluesy/horny/long.
Lesson learned: If you're going to commit to a 4-song album where tracks range from 7 to 13 minutes, those songs better be some darn masterpieces. But thin-textured, somewhat monotonous 60s blues doesn't really get there for me. Sure, it's a pleasant listen, but nothing more. My favourite piece is the opener/title track, mostly because the music hasn't yet run itself dry. I see this album as a continuation of the trends set by Booker T. and the M.G.'s and other contemporaries. Light jazz, no lyrics – just a simple, lighthearted atmosphere. But honestly, unless you're in one of these bands, there just isn't much to keep your interest. All the tracks are identical texturally and in terms of overall mood. The long-form solos on sax and keyboard are solid, but without vocals or really anything to break them up from one another, they can come across as repetitive. 2/5 Key tracks: Back At The Chicken Shack
I’m just not super jazzy
The style of jazz is great, but this is background music or the music a late night band plays or part of the score to a Blues Brothers movie. I love organ jazz though, I wonder if Booker T. and the MGs have any albums on the list because this is very similar. This is good music to work to, very productive morning, but super nondescript, mind elsewhere music.
Meh album.
Easy listening jazz.. I am faling asleep
Jazz aint my thang. Kids enjoyed it tho.
Ok
This is somewhat boring and even with only five songs, it drags on a bit. That said, it's still one of the better jazz albums on the list. Based on the title, I wanted it to be a bit more funky. Turns out it's too "easy-listening" for me and the sax is the real star even though Jimmy plays the organ. I'll round up because they put a doggo on the cover but this is missable overall.
This is a 100% by-the-numbers blues instrumental CD. Think "Green Onions" but not as recognizable. Now 60 years later, it really just sounds like you've been put on an interminable hold by an associate at Comcast customer service. It's not actively bad, and if somebody made me list 1001 listenable CDs we might eventually get here.
✅ fine. Unlikely to revisit
Ok
Pretty chill jazz album. good for background
It was okay, jazzy but not really my type.
I'm still struggling with jazz
This organ led jazz didn't really click with me, the organ made it sound a bit lightweight and silly. I think the music was decent and the guy was clearly talented, and when the sax was used it came together pretty well. The last song was the best for this reason. If you like jazz organ I guess this guy is the goat, but I don't particularly.
I'm sure the chicken shack is great, but I found this a bit rote. Same progressions, predictable. I liked the organ.
Not my thing
Favourite song - When I grow too old to dream 2.5 stars
Lyricless 60s Jazz isn’t for me. Musically I thought it was pretty decent, I just felt like my home turned into a speak easy.
I don't like jazz. There, I said it. Every once in a while something jazzy catches my ear, but in the aggregate I don't like jazz. This isn't as annoying to listen to as some things on this list though.
Sounded too much like ballpark music.
Jazz so smooth you can call it flat....
My original review got overwritten with another random album. Rip. I’m looking at you Louis Prima.
It is a nice listen, I would have it on as background music, but I don't find this style of jazz to stand out or be particularly engaging
Not my cuppa
Is this the famed Jimmy and Chicken Shack from Jimmie's Chicken Shack? No?! Well, that was a waste of words. . . . The best jazz albums are the ones where you don't know who the star is because all of the players shine; sure, Jimmy Smith is cleaning up on the organ, but don't discount the saxophone and guitar playing. Not much to say about this; it's the jazz I like to put on in the background and go about my day, occasionally stopping to savor the tasty bits. It's good, but one of the 1001 best albums?? I don't see anything that is particularly innovative or sets it apart; perhaps it was unique to have jazz organ back then, but Herbie Hancock was the one to eventually elevate the niche. It's a 3, but dropped to a 2 for being on the list. Good, but not praise-worthy.
2,5
No thanks
unremarkable. there is value in how easy this is to listen to but it is utterly lacking in emotion. this wouldnt stand out in any restaurant or cafes music selection.
Sometimes, there’s nothing much to say about an album. It’s fine. It’s relaxing. It’s jazz. It’s solid. They’re all great players. The organ tone is cool. It’s not inventive, but it’s not offensive, but that’s also not much of a compliment. It’s fine. Cool, I guess? It’s not an album that stands out in your mind once it’s finished, and while it’s never bad, that fact alone brings it down a peg for me, because if I won’t remember it next week, it shouldn’t be in the book, especially a book that excluded so many jazz classics from this era.
Great sound but repetitive and at times boring
Probably because I’m ignorant in Jazz, but it felt like elevator music. It was pleasant to listen to, but I feel like someone could preform this whole album at a bar and I wouldn’t be super impressed.
Only got a third through it
Too long
Very chill
Favorite track: on the sunny side of the street
Slow/medium tempo jazz. I don’t really like jazz. This was a boring album for me based on style.
You need a high IQ to understand this music
I’m getting really tired of jazz
decent energy but jesus christ i need some rock
5/10
I'm guessing that was a ground breaking album for its time because otherwise it's just pretty boring jazz from the 60s that's randomly appeared on the list. 2.5*
Här var det jazz!
3/10. Jazz. Quality musician but repetitive
No es mi rollo
nur instrumental jazz. meh
Plain music
Yeah, it's good.... But it's kind of boring. Great musicianship. This type of music is great for background noise, as it just blends in with whatever task is at hand. Another case of 'would be better live.' This one didn't resonate as well as the Theolonious Monk record. One could argue that they're vastly different. As someone who doesn't listen to this type of music, it's very similar to me. All in all, I was a bit bored and waiting for the tracks to be over.
Lame jazz
4/10 I’m sure it is good, simply just not my thing I found it boring Bluesy saxophone jazz aint it for me
Probably would be cool to listen to if hanging out at a jazz bar.
Nothing inherently wrong with this vintage little record. Except that it's jazz so "laidback" that it's absolutely predictable, and that, as nicely musical as that organ and saxophone duet is, the whole thing still borders on "muzak" for modern ears like ours. In 1963, at the time this album was released, jazz was already going to much more complex AND promising places. Plus, and I'm going to repeat myself here, the fact that Dimery and co. selected this record and forgot *key* albums by Coltrane, Davis, Mingus and Coleman is, simply put, a little maddening. 2/5 for the purposes of this list of "essential records". Even if, "mock-objectively speaking", we're probably closer to a 7/10 grade here (5+2). Number of albums left to review: 254 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 326 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 186 Albums from the list I won't include in mine (many other records are more important to me): 239 (including this one)
The electric organ is terrible and I hate it with a passion. Everything else on the album I quite enjoyed, but the organ just cuts through and ruins it. The bonus track is a standard I love and I enjoyed that but I don’t know if I should count it?
A mellow groove but it doesn’t go anywhere
Its some jazz! No thoughts tho :{
Surprisingly inoffensive. I'd never choose it, but I wouldn't run screaming from the room if it happened to be playing.
All very samey, but enjoyable enough as Soul Jazz.... if only he hadn't incorporated that organ... it kinda came across too strong in the tracks.
This was okay. Really makes you listen for the individual instruments.
Elevator music: the album (pt 2)
I mean the music is decent but no lyrics make it quite boring to listen to. Not quite my style either. 2 stars.
I know it's iconic, but I prefer going in either direction for listening: roots blues or hard jazz. Good thing he was here, though!
It's Jazz. I wish I liked it but it really just bores me.
Ganz nett aber doch sehr im Bluesschema verhaftet. Habe mir daraufhin noch mal das Album von Cream "Disraeli Gears" z.T. angehört, weil mich genau das an dem gestört hat, und kann meine Wertung von nur 2 Punkten für Cream nicht mehr ganz nachvollziehen.
not really my thing.. musicianship is great. not that terrible. 2 1/2 stars
First listen Saved 1/5: Back At The Chicken Shack
Interesting I got this right after Zappa. Both mostly instrumental albums. The musicianship is great on both I wish this was more R&B than the easy, listening that it turns into for the second half of the album.
I was impressed with his style and playing. But it still is organ music and you can only listen to so much. I enjoyed all the songs that had other instruments playing along.
Siis ihan mukavaa, ei häiritse. Iloa on, taitoa myös. Mutta ei riitä! En edes huomannut, kun levy loppu.
60s jam band stuff
Not my usual type of music. Pleasant enough and wouldn’t object to this being on in the background of a bar for drinks.
Not the best of Smith's album. A bit too tame for me
Not for me
Not bad, but not my cup of tea.
Jazz. Gute Aufnahme, nicht mein Stil.
Jazz
Jazz ist für mich (meistens) Fahrstuhlmusik. Guter Hintergrund. Am besten gefiel mir "Back At The Chicken Shack" und das dazugehörige SongRadio.
Kind of boring improv jazz.
Meh... not a huge fan of this genre.
Jazz ist nicht meins
me and the boys at the chicken shack 💃🏻🪩🕺🏻🕺🏻🕺🏻🐔🐔🐔
It's alright. Some organ tones just sound a bit cheesy and goofy. It's not a bad listen but feels like Booker T. And the MGs doing jazz, which would be okay at best.
Never been a jazz fan before, but I liked the album. It's 5 songs and despite the fact that the whole album is 44 minutes, I didn't get tired of listening it. Would I listen to it again, tho, that's another question.
Not lyrics, only instrumentals, very jazzy, and relaxing
Jazzy instrumental with sax, maybe good background music sometimes?