Reviews (page 7 of 13)
7/10. Good stuff, pleasant to listen to, and great for getting work done to
Not always hype, but they shredded for a bit. 8/10
Very solid, funky fun. Despite quite liking jazz, I'd never heard of Jimmy Smith prior to this, and that now seems like a shame. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it does what it does really well. Something to groove to at an intellectual dinner party, or a chilled study session. 28/10/22
There are few masters of an instrument. Jimmy Smith is one of them.
Love this. Soulful jazz with a focus on organ is something I didn't know I needed so much.
Jimmy must be raising some funky chickens in that shack!
I don’t have a whole lot to say here. It’s very competent jazz but it didn’t feel super distinctive (maybe it was at the time), but absent a more informed prior, it’s gotta be a 4
this was lovely, i listened at work and it just flowed really well.
This was a great listen. Very mellow and laid back but still interesting. I would listen to this with rapt attention and as background music. Works either way.
Great jazzy music. Easy listen
really great instrumental jazz, listened to in the bath and really heightened the experience. I don’t really see how anyone could not like this. 4.6 :D
jazzy i guesss
I was grooving to this entire album. Loved the organ. Very enjoyable listen.
Really enjoyed the organ backed jazz with amazing sax solos. Just stayed at the same level the whole time and didn't disappoint.
Nice jazzy blues-y album. Definitely not driving music in my humble opinion, I think I would have enjoyed it more if I was cooking, or chilling on the sofa with a nice glass of something strong. Will probably come back to it when I need a good lounge ambience.
Soul Jazz comfort food. I like the tracks with Kenny Burrell on guitar best, particularly "Messy Bessie."
Rating: 7/10
Fantastic jazz album filled with great solos.
Just a great listen. Great stuff with the sax and organ. Smooth and enjoyable.
60's jazz that did not loose anything over the years. Great organ and sax work.
Pretty good stuff, 4 stars for me.
4.5/10
This is my kinda jazz! It's funky, somewhat muted but still groovy. I felt so cool while listening to this, especially the title track. Where is this chicken shack? I would like to pay a visit.
Pretty fun i liked it a lot, very fun and jazzy
I love the jazz organ and this album really features it superbly. Really enjoyable music for the day!
Loved some of the riffs. Smooth and hypnotizing
This is good. Nothing amazing happening, just good music. When I saw it was on Blue Note I kind of knew it was going to be good.
Great jazzy background album for when you want to chill. The five songs are quite long, but with this kind of music this is totally fine.
Organ is rad
Pretty good. I like bebop and modal stuff much more than this type of soul jazz, but there were still lots of great moments in here. Loved the back and forth with the sax and Hammond organ, and overall just liked the very mellow vibe, even during some of the more complicated solos.
I love discovering new music, especially for genres I love like jazz. Incredible stuff here. B+
Nothing big to see here, just a big ol' happy funk jazz album. And in the really rainy day that was yesterday, when I listened to this album, that's all that I needed :)
Grooving to the sweet organ sounds. Somehow I missed out on the Jimmy Smith phenomenon. Will have to listen to some more of his MANY albums.
Love the cover art. I have a special place for the Hammond B3 Organ.
I almost always enjoy an organ trio or quartet, especially ones with a good guitarist in the mix. Big fan of Medesko Martin and Wood, to name one group clearly indebted the “The Incredible” Jimmy Smith. But I’d never gone looking into the history of where it all came from. I’d be curious to know why they picked this out of all his albums (about 100, I gather). I’d love to follow this up by listening to his collaboration with Wes Montgomery, for example. But this album was thoroughly enjoyable, without ever making me go “oh wow”. 4 stars.
I only own 2 Jimmy Smith albums & this is one of them. Recorded in 1960 for Blue Note, it really swings and is very much an ensemble album. The great guitarist Kenny Burrell features on half the 4 tracks. But I reckon it’s as much Stanley Turrentine’s album. His tenor playing embellishes the whole record. By contrast, the other album I have is a 1967 album he did for Verve, titled Respect, and the difference in Smith’s approach is marked. It’s very funky. Four of the five tracks are covers of soul/funk standards of the day, and it’s very much a Jimmy Smith album. And there are no horns. It’s all about the organ. This reflects the development of his taste through the 60’s. But it doesn’t detract from the greatness of Back At The Chicken Shack - a wonderful listen.
Hmmm... I think I might like jazz. This is beautiful background music that has a deep calming effect.
Not what I thought it would be but not bad
Really great stuff. What’s noticeable is how Smith so masterfully concedes the limelight to Burrell and especially Turrentine on so much of this album. There’s always something of a ceiling for jazz in my eyes, but there’s no denying this is a toe-rapper.
Master of the jazz organ bass pedals.
This shit goes man.
Enjoyed it more than I expected
Ya like jazz?
This is music that Gus Fring would listen to while cooking. Very jazzy and smooth, and definitely feels ahead of its time. Joe from Soul would have loved to play something like this in the NY Jazz Clubs. While I like the album, Minor Chant is the only song that really stands out to me. Best Songs: Minor Chant Worst Songs: NA
Fun way to groove right into a Friday morning. Some smokin' organ playing going on here which definitely kept me interested throughout.
3.75
Incredibly smooth, grooving music. Great listen!
Not bad, if a little repetitive. Enjoyable sound though
Soundillisesti tosi lähellä samana vuonna ilmestynyttä Booker T & the MG’sin Green Onionsia. Tää on mulle tuntematon herkku 4/5
What if we kissed at the chicken shack???? Prefs: Back at the Chicken Shack, When I Grow Too Old To Dream, Minor Chant Moins pref: Messy Bessie (still good)
Great sax
Pretty good Jazz
This was a fun album. It kept me interested and "boppin' along" the whole time - which is more than most studio jazz does for me.
Soul jazz, lækkert, helt glat, elguitar
good jazz, if a little basic
This is a cool jazz album that really hits the sweet spot between being good jazz and being easy to listen to and digest. I don't have much else to say about this one other than that it's great to listen to and I'm going to keep my eyes out for a vinyl copy of it to add to my collection 4/5
Top Notch Jazz right there.
Lovely, laid-back, funky soul jazz with an irresistible, cozy groove. Jimmy Smith and Donald Bailey lay down a strong foundation, upon which Stanley Turrentine is given room to excel, and Kenny Burrell plays a vital supporting role. Perfect for a rainy day, late night, small gathering, or long walk. Standout Tracks: Back at the Chicken Shack, Minor Chant
Very chill funk jazz with an early 70’s sound
This album is notable because it features the Hammond organ and creates a link between jazz and soul music that Jimmy Smith is known for. Other than that link, this album does not really push any boundaries. It's a solid jazz album, and features interesting organ and saxophone improvisations.
Very enjoyable jazz album. Laid back. By the numbers. Just how it should be.
Very nice chill jazz to study and relax to :)
Jimmy Smith is probably the most laid-back person on the planet. This sounds pretty good on a summer day, today. Not five because the Hammond all the way through is a little one-dimensional.
Really enjoyed this
This is my kind of jazz!! Yay! Super lovely to work to. It's really fun and interesting and puts me in a good mood without being chaotic or stressful and it's certainly not dull. When I Grow too old to Dream did something to me!! So relaxing.
Ooohhh, me gusta el jazz y este disco es preciso. 4 temas, pero nunca aburre.
Super goed hammond album, altijd voor in
I'm only attending parties that have this playing in the background from now on.
Groovy, chill vibe. Loved it. Fave Songs: Back at the Chicken Shack, When I Grow Too Old to Dream
Love the B3 and dig this record. Great for background tunes, or really paying attention in headphones.
Back At The Chicken Shack doesn't ever say anthing interesting as it remains locked to its 12 bars like a weight around its neck. When I Grow To Old To Dream is a good track. Minor Chant is also a good listen, though I am generally not a huge organ jazz kind of guy. Yea I enjoyed every track on this other then the title track. Does it go wild off kilter places? no. But this was absolutely pleasant.
-Very solid groovy instrumental. I like the keyboard and trumpet parts
Yes
Some pretty cool jazz. Good background music. I think I'll make more of an effort to listen to this type of stuff at work Nice.
decent, and musically all well put together, but can't really think of any circumstance where i'd play this whole thing
Very solid, very chill jazz record.
Love it!
Nice blues/jazz sound. Quite enjoyed. Great organ and sax. Solid B.
Really relaxing listen. Great to do some work to or just to listen and wind down. "Messy Bessie" my favourite song on the album.
I liked this more than I did birth of the cool
Excelente opção de clima com o instrumental envolvente.
Groovy, man.
some great Hammonding here, love the sound of the Hammond organ and this, with the sax is certainly a fine example of said art. The title track is a great example of walking blues but my favourite on this 4 Track Album has got to be "Messy Bessie". Love the Album and the Instrument. Rightfully on the list as Jimmy is such and influential Icon! Worth it just to hear Stanley Turrentines' Sax and Kenny Burrells Guitar alone.
Great jazz!
Very good
An enjoyable jazzy romp
Pretty solid effort from Jimmy Smith. Lots of tight grooves and a light atmosphere that makes it a fun listen to put on and relax
Thanks Jimmy. Good chicken
Great album
Really enjoyed the title track especially. Just a good, solid album. Love a little jazz.
A decent and enjoyable album, was great driving to and can definitely see it being played a lot in a chilled environment. I'm usually not a fan of the organ but was pleased with it here. Some good fills here and there too
Not a jazzer but liked how fresh it sounded given it’s almost 60 years old. They really knew how to record music back then!
This slaps.
That was very easy listening
This record is essential jazz listening and enjoyable at the very least for its name. Funky at both ends, a bit thinner in the middle, but that's hard bop for you. Hard to think of a better introduction to jazz combo featuring organ.
3.5
Fantastic Jazz album, wish it was longer but this felt very fresh compared to some of the other jazz albums. And this cover is great too. Amazing start to the week, I need more chicken!
Not sure what I expected, when I saw this was listed as jazz I was certainly intrigued. I love the extensive use of the organ--very underrated instrument, that Hammond B-3 always sounds amazing. Thanks to wikipedia, I'm now learning that Jimmy Smith is credited for popularizing the B-3. I feel like a winner for catching that before looking it up. This is a really cool album, it's jazz but it's grounded in more accessible, blues tones. I wouldn't mind more from Jimmy. Favorite tracks: I saved all five tracks, but Messy Bessie may have been the standout. Album art: Threw me off at first, especially seeing that it was listed as jazz. But after hearing the music, it makes perfect sense - this strikes me as jazz for the common man. Meaning aside, it's a great picture. Really dig this. 4.5/5
finger lickin' good
slinky grooves, great musicians, fabulous Hammond organ - what's not to love?
Great light jazz. Could have listened to twice if I had the time
some very enjoyable blues
Kinda exactly what I needed rn. I guess this guy basically pioneered the use of the organ in jazz, which is so so cool. Got lost in this in a really good way Saved: Back At The Chicken Shack
Un très bon album Jazz, je ne connaissais pas mais l'album a de l'entrain et c'est très agréable a écouter. Je recommende pour passer un bon moment avec un peu de Jazz. 4.50
Muy agradable, todo a gusto, estaba trabajando mientras escuchaba el álbum y excelente servicio. Cada vez lo asocio menos con música de restaurante, pero creo que en este se aprecia algo distinto, no sabría explicarlo. 8.5/10
Jazz instrumental. Muy bueno.
A deeply foundational sound I think. I feel like I've heard a thousand samples from this.
тупа чил
Judging by the album cover, I wasn’t expecting much at all. But this is some lovely chill jazz. Nice.
Smooth with a smokey, dimly lit bar feel. Refreshing blues and jazz tastes. Not something I would have previously enjoyed. Makes me want an oversized cadillac.
Nonstop Jazz, I like it!
decent
This is good thinking music. It’d be wise to put this on and do school work or something productive. Easy listening and enjoyable! My only thing is that jazz takes me a while to get into, and I listened to this album 2-3 times, and couldn’t really sing any of the melodies to you off the top of my head. Even after just listening. But that’s not the album’s fault, more me and my scatterbrain. I would definitely put this on at a dinner party or sumptin
overall thoughts: aight so imma just start off by giving this a 4/5. I'm not that into jazz, and while I probably won't come back to this album often, it's definitely not bad. This was great to listen to while studying or whatever, and what stood out to me most were the first track & minor chant. anyway yeah, it was sum good jazz.
Good easy jazz
listened to this album while studying, which was honestly kinda fitting. reminded me why i love jazz and why i regret not learning saxophone. overall nice chill album, but not something i would really listen to in my free time.
Great opening track, "When I Grow Too Old To Dream" had some killer keys. The album cover is awesome and certainly drew me in! Though, after listening to the music I felt a bit of a disconnect between the visual and audio. Certainly will be revisiting in the future.
Great listen, not a jazz person, but it sounded amazing
Ah, Jazz de Lousiana. Ese Hammon bendito.
A solid jazz album. It's low key and just gives the musicians room to solo. Something nice to throw on in the background and vibe to. Favorite song: On The Sunny Siclde Of The Street
Closer to 5 stars than 4. I am not much on pure instrumentals but this album flowed. It was the fastest 40ish minutes. It was explorative smooth jazz at its best!
Admittedly not the most engaging listen, but great soothing jazz for background noise from great players!
Good, calming and charming jazz. I will probably come back to it, when I will tired after long day.
Laid back, groovy, ticks a lot of boxes.
Sweet! Amazing organ. I often dislike sax tracks, but "When I Grow Too Old to Dream" is a beauty!
Very good sounding album, I only wish it were longer.
Low-key blues with a classy lounge aesthetic. Like eating soul food in an Eames chair.
Liked it! Jazz. Nice.
Not what I was expecting. Pretty cool, mellow tunes. This is what I would want on the rare occasion I’m looking for super chill music. Saxophone and quiet organs - I especially liked the title track. In the universe of music it’s a three, but it’s a 5 in its narrow lane - 4 Stars!
Really enjoyed this. Excellent to clean the bathroom to.
During lockdown 1- the underrated original. I watched a brilliant documentary about Miles Davis and the cool. Following that I listened to a lot of Jazz. Not this though. This must have been a huge step forward for Jazz. A more modern sound that takes from the innovators in the 40s and 50s and builds on them rather than imitates. Who knew organ led Jazz would work so well? Only Jimmy, his Dog and his Chicken. Extra point for that album cover. Plenty going on there. 4/5
very smooth background
7
Classic.
Enjoyed it. The tracks faded into each other but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Really chilled out ambient music.
Really solid jazz combo album. Not much more to say. Favorite Track(s): “When I Grow Too Old To Dream”
I had fun with this one
The taxi process to the runway at Charlotte Douglas was nearly as long as this album.
Can't wait to go back to the Chicken Shack. I liked this a lot. 4/5
Very nice album. The organ sound is great in the first song.
Hammond and sax jazz grooves
More great jazz
Great Blues/Jazz album
I had never heard this before but very much enjoyed it!
Not what I expected based on the cover, but surprisingly smooth jazzy sounds
Jazzy instrumentals, pretty groovy
Finally some jazz again! I'm clearly biased, if I had my way I'd probably rate every jazz album 5 stars. That said, I can still hear Lal's voice in my head telling me to keep it at 4. Love this picture of him on the cover with the dog. Stanley Turrentine is an OG
I’m pretty sure I’ve heard the title track before, but I can’t place where. This was an enjoyable listen and perfect for having to listen to while I work! I’ve never been huge into jazz but this was a fun listen. I’ll have to remember it when I need something without lyrics to listen to.
det här var ett gött hyffsat melodiskt jazz-album som var lagom långt. gillart.
Great and smooth background music
couple hundred albums in, jazz is finally starting to grow on me
Not a big Jazz fan, but that’s some decent background music
3.1/5 - Despite having played quite a bit of jazz in music groups in my life so far, I am not actually a jazz enjoyer in my own time, although I do appreciate the skill and artistry within the genre. From that perspective, I thought this was generally quite mediocre. Nothing special, quite possibly to the point of being dull, but at least not unpleasant to listen to.
It’s jazz.
Mr Misirlou
Number: 225 Familiarity: None (1) Rating: 3 Before: ======= No clue. Hm 1963, I'm expecting some kind of early 60s Rhythm & Blues. During: ======= OK, so not what I was expecting. This is the perfect music for the right set and setting. It's not really my thing but it still, it is quite enjoyable. At about 1/2 way, I'm thinking between 3 and 4. After : ======= It all sounds kind of the same to me. I think one album of this type is warranted on this list and this would be a fine example. I'm rating 3 as it's not something I would ever choose to listen to unless it's for some specific purpose other than enjoyment. Actually, I think whenever you get tired of listening to everything in your collection, this would be a good reset album. Yow know, something to pass the time with that is pleasant enough and does not elicit any strong feelings, one way or the other.
Um legítimo representante do Jazz dos anos 1960. Que não é o melhor Jazz.
I'm not the biggest fan of this style of jazz. Dig the organ sound though
Eh.. not sure what I was expecting? It was ok.
A decent enough jazz/soul album featuring a very prominent Hammond organ, quite reminiscent of Booker T. and the M.G.’s, only with much longer tracks. It was perfectly enjoyable, but not much more than decent background music, and I must admit that I found the organ to be incredibly cheesy/dated. The four tracks had decent grooves which allowed for Jimmy Smith and Stanley Turrentine to extensively solo on the tenor sax and organ respectively, which was fun but it certainly didn’t blow me away. Nothing to complain about, nothing to write home about, textbook low 3 stars.
I'm not sure what this is. It was fine, I guess.
I got to say I'm not big fan of jazz. This album sounds like background music. After listening the album, I got to say that I'm not really impressed, but this album helped understand jazz a bit more.
been wanting to get into jazz and this is pretty nice. very good for weekends with shitloads of homework :(
It's fine. Straight up jazz town
5.5/10Eh. Nothing really stuck out, but a fun chill listen. 5.3/10
Like! Chill! Cool!
Taka muzyka na tlo ale minor chant fajne
A very chilled jazz album that was pleasant to listen to. Dog on the album cover is always a plus.
6.5ish/10 = unexpectedly liked this quite a bit, nice background noice and one of the instruments i really liked when it came on but i can't remember what its called as im typing this sorry jimmy smith, do think all the sings blended together a bit toooo much though
Wtf déjà noté
Love the trio concept, the organs are nice, the music smooth
Forgot this was playing while I was playing it, such is the risk of such an easy going jazz album in the hands of a fucking idiot such as i
3.0
Classique
Chill
i was expecting some vocals
it's swell jazz but i feel bad for having no notable moments...
Oh yeah chicken shack baby
I'm not a big fan of the organ in a jazz piece. It often sounds way too silly.
Good 3. Slaps
Maybe at the time it was pushing boundaries or something but this was a very paint by numbers bluesy jazz record.
good background
Good album, cool sound. Found it got a bit repetetive and some of the songs were too long, but I did enjoy it. 7/10
It's jazz - solid background music.
Very chill.
I mighta liked this more if I were 100 years old 2.8/5
definitely not an album to listen to on your way to a flight at 19:51.
perfectly rousing instrumental album! Not super my thing but not horrible
It's pleasant, enjoyable and unremarkable.
Nice, smooth, focused and upbeat.
Un poco me aburrió porque el jazz no es mi género favorito.
Kera dobra naslovnica. Sicer pa absolutno nič nism familiar z izvajalcem. Chill, jazzy. "Minor Chant" mi je všeč. Ampak, ja, jazz is not for me, tole je zame bolj background muska.
3/5
Easy jazz, very appropriate while doing something different
It’s alright.
Wibbly jazz... not my thing
Like a lot of others I will add this to a playlist for my next dinner party. Bluesy, jazzy, laid back., but is it good ? Kind off. Its biggest strength (in being unobtrusive background music) is its biggest weakness.
Jazz fiilistelyä. Pitkiä kappaleita.
gorgéous
Nice and easy. Enjoyable sax and Hammond. Led us on to a Tom Waits track.
C’est joli et comme toujours dans le jazz j’aime bien la batterie subtile. Par contre c’est pas la musique qui m’amuse le plus When I grow too old : cool Minor chant est major chiant L’écoute a été généralement agréable 6/10
My first reaction to this is that the organ as a jazz instrument is a bit too cornball to work, if you'll pardon the term (I assume country vibes are what Smith was going for given the title). Unfortunately, that's also my second and third reaction. This is a lot better when Smith himself steps back and allows this to become the Stanley Turrentine show.
Classic Jazz
An enjoyable 40 minutes of smooth, soulful jazz. One which is very pleasing but not so pleasing that it fades into the background. I was surprised by how much I recognised from film and television. Jimmy is clearly one of those artists which is integrated and hidden within the culture.
giving this a 3 because even though i only really liked one song, cohesively while cooking dinner or at a dinner party this would be lovely
I think it's really cool that the book gave a shoutout to the guy who gave the Hammond B-3 organ massive exposure on this album. That changed everything - suddenly, it went from gospel to jazz to soul to funk and so much more. Can't imagine the 60s and 70s without this sound. The performers are great on the album, often sidestepping Smith (in the same way Booker T. was by the MG's). This helped me discover Stanley Turrentine, who showcases great sax lines throughout the album. It's a bit generic overall, however, should have maybe been a footnote instead of one of the main albums on the list.
nice 👍
album #85 love this kind of jazz! great fun, really gets under the skin in a good way. organs are just such a sick instrument. ꩜ favourite track(s): back to the chicken shack ꩜ least favourite track(s): when i grow too old to dream ꩜ album rating: ★★★⯪☆ ꩜ number of albums left to review: 1,004 ꩜ number of albums from the list that i agree with being on the list: 40 (+1 Back at the Chicken Shack) ꩜ albums from the list that I would consider on my list: 16 ꩜ albums from the list I won't include on my list: 69
Kind of the jazz version of Booker T and the MG's. Loved the title song but, to be honest, a lot of the rest was way too samey for me. That takes nothing away from Smith's organ playing and the great band assembled here. Great, chill vibes.
Goes down smooth and easy. Had heard the title track before, can't say where, but that organ feels super iconic. Enjoyable laid back listen
3.5 stars I enjoyed it. I like the use of organ over piano with jazz. Perhaps it evokes Booker T for me. Can’t say much more about it, perhaps will grow for me in the future.
Great jazz record. The sax is kinda SNL-ish at times, but I enjoyed it overall. 3.5/5.0
Perfectly listenable and pleasant jazz with a bit of a bluesy edge. If someone tells me this is great, I'll happily believe them. I just can't tell. The songs don't feel like they are as long as they are. Also, I don't think Jimmy makes the mistake of letting the rhythm section have long solos.
Back at the Chicken Shack Never did work out which one was Jimmy Smith. Sax or keys? Nice enough listen heading over the hills to the coast. Felt I should have cruising slow in a Lincoln Continental, or something like that, though. Don't ask me which track was which, cos I couldn't tell you. Huge bonus point for having, by far, the best album cover so far. 7/10
Es muy tranquilo, no llega a aburrir pero se llega a sentir como musica de fondo, son canciones largas y mantienen el sonido con el que inician
Solid jazz, will look for this one on vinyl.
Perfectly mid jazz album. Apart from the great solos doesn't do much 2.5/5
Good background music. Groovy.
Glad I heard this one, didn't know there would be an album from a jazz organist
A good instrumental album with the organ and the keyboards in the main focus. I love that like Jackie Mittoo stuff. Not as interesting I find though.
Blues, gospel, and jazz...mellower than I remember it. Mr. Smith is so smooth on the organ.
Review - from the title I and artist name I expected a country album, and so was pleasantly surprised to get some lovely bluesy jazz. A very good album to be honest. But I must say, if I was a Blue Note artist in the '60s seeing every other musicians LP cover, and then I got this basic photo I'd be ticked. Score - 7/10 Need to listen? YES
I'm not a big jazz lover. This was ok.
This is alright
This is some smooth, if not challenging, jazz. It's solid background music but nothing exceptional. Top track: "Back at the Chicken Shack"
released in 1963 hmm, that dog must be long dead
This is a very light 3. About the only thing I have in common with this album is we are literally at the chicken shack this week, taking care of our neighbors' chickens while they're out of town (we're getting 8 eggs a day!!) Other than that - decent background music to have on while I was reading a book I started this weekend but that was about it.
Not bad
Good.
I would have liked to have the organ more front-and-center throughout, but a very enjoyable listen regardless. 3/5.
Court et efficace
Jazz elevator music. Not bad, but also not remarkable.
You can't blame me for thinking that this was "Jimmy's Chicken Shack" which is an entirely different band and vibe. I was rightfully confused. Anyway, this is standard 60's Jazz, so nothing groundbreaking. And it isn't that spastic jazz that I absolutely despize so it gets a solid 3 from me.
Decent jazz record. Not annoying. Nice background music.
I'm not really a jazz cat, but I feel like this album is a good introduction to the genre and I can sure feel the groove starts to grow on me.
Listening session: june 8th, while reading Listened to before: no Thoughts: relaxing jazz album that I appreciated more after a second listen. I especially liked the organ and saxophone parts Favourite tracks: When I Grow Too Old To Dream & On The Sonny Side Of The Street
Back at the Chicken Shack by Jimmy Smith was my introduction to the Hammond organ, and what a fantastic sound it is. From the opening notes, the organ completely dominates the album and gives it a distinctive character that is both soulful and incredibly cool. The overall sound is relaxed, warm and effortlessly stylish. There’s a groove running through the entire record that makes it very easy to sink into, and at times I could hear elements that would later influence the sounds of Northern Soul and ska. Whether that's actually the case or not, there’s definitely something timeless about the feel of this album. What I enjoyed most was the atmosphere it creates. It’s the kind of record you can put on in the background and enjoy, but it also rewards closer listening thanks to the quality of the musicianship. The Hammond organ is the star of the show, but every player contributes to the album's laid-back charm. Favourite track: “Back at the Chicken Shack” Least favourite track: Every track is worth listening to, although the album can feel a little repetitive at times Album artwork: Lovely dog on the cover!
Nice but a bit samey for me
Still holding up even today . Easy Rock listening.
Perfectly fine jazzy funk blues. Nothing particularly standing out to me, but nothing to complain about. Onto the next album.
Not for me. But clearly a good album
Awesome instrumentals, this album would be perfect for studying
Good bit of jazz
I’m starting to enjoy jazz more and more through this generator, but I’m still not fully on board with it. It’s good, but not fully my taste
2/5
This albums fairly enjoyable but I just don’t think Jazz will ever be my favourite Genre.
Crazy für 1960!
Typisch iets voor een verkiezingsbijeenkomst van de VVD
I was awarded "Green Onions" a couple weeks before this album and I loved it. This album is the same, it's just a great chill 60s bluesy jazz album. I love the soft organ so much, it screams wood paneling, shag rug, and TV dinners. An extremely "of the time" jazz album. 7/10
Give me a very chill bar vibes, love the saxophone 🎷 parts
6/10
pretty nice
Nuanced and typical sax-heavy jazz. Felt like I was outside on the lawn of Golden Gate Park with a haze of weed smoke lingering above a crowd, or sat enjoying a jazz brunch at SF Jazz.
I was quite happy listening to this and could visualise smoke filled rooms with this music in the background. I don't know the history of this genre, but unfortunately it really did sound like the kind of background music you might come across for a film of this era. Quite evocative and really very pleasant but also pretty generic.
This was good, far beyond mediocre, which is why I feel slightly bad giving it only 3 stars. However, I couldn’t justify giving 4 stars to what, admittedly, is a solid jazz album, but one that didn’t feel particularly compelling or distinctive.
Smooooooth
A fun listen. I have read that Jimmy Smith is one of the innovators behind the use of the Hammond B-3 electric organ in jazz and you can hear why. On the other hand, if you have heard a bunch of jazz organ before, it won't sound different; it's just one of the earliest examples available. A good, fun listen but probably won't change how you think about jazz. 3/5
5 titres pour 43min ça fait peur au depart. Puis au final tu te retrouves à écouter une seule et même chanson. Alors c'est vraiment super, si j'ouvre un restaurant j'y penserai en musique de fond.
C'est cool je veux un appart plein de moquette et de meubles de designer pour pouvoir écouter ça l'hiver dans mon conversation pit. Playlist pick : Back at the Chicken Shack
ja best chille lift muziek
Easy listening.
sure
Vamos hoy con otro desconocido. Es un jazz muy chill, como para banda sonora de una película: imagino a la primera canción como musicalizando un diálogo en una mesa de capos de la mafia, o a dos tipos tramando un robo en un bar. Funciona bien como música de fondo. Para trabajar, por ejemplo. Gracias y hasta mañana
This album was an underground bar with sun shining through the basement windows. I enjoyed it, solid middle of the road jazz album. Would recommend for anyone interested in finding new jazz licks. Favorite track was Messy Bessy.
Nothing special, just background music
Some nice jazz for a quiet, chill evening. Jazz always takes me back to going to Barnes & Noble with my mom as a kid.
Very vibey, I had a very good time listening and it was good. I love the saxophone and the addition of the organ. Not something I hear often but it just gets me relaxed. 3.5
Groovy enough instrumental jazz. Fun listen. I like the dog on the cover.
Just some nice chill jazz, nothing I really want to listen to again but I have no complaints either.
There was too many similarities to green onions and I wasn’t feeling a lot of the noodling but was still pretty good
Not bad, but not terribly original or as "out there" as I would prefer. Great to have on at barbecue or game night to set the mood.
Clucking forgettable.
Three quarters of an hour of smooth jazz. A perfectly pleasant listen on the last afternoon of our holiday.
ORGAN
I’m sure this was pioneering but I just can’t abide this much organ.
Interesting. Closer to a 2 than a 4.
Very pleasant listening experience. Just a little too much organ for my taste and it doesn't really splash out anywhere. It stayed a little too much within the lines. 3/5
Very smooth and gentle. I would listen to again as cafe music or background music. Not mind blowing but exceedingly pleasant.
Another jazz album. At least this one has the jazz organ which sounds pretty cool, but still not really my type of music.
Smoooooooooooooooooth. I thought this was going to be Jimmie's Chicken Shack, but turned out to be something different. This is a very relaxing album. I enjoyed this as background music and the saxophone player is a beast. Did I mention this is smooth. Really enjoyed it. 7.5/10 Favorite song I dunno, the first one???
It's perfectly fine for background listening but it's not really interesting enough to be more than that
Definitely not what I expected from the cover
Nice music for relaxing to or just chilling out.
I feel like I’ve heard the name Jimmy Smith, but I know a Jim Smith in town, so I bet it’s not him. Turns out Jimmy Smith is a jazz legend who essentially introduced the Hammond B-3 organ to jazz. According to our good friends at Wikipedia, Smith, with the B3 Hammond, created a link between jazz and 1960s soul music. You can plainly hear that connection in Green Onions by Booker T and the MGs. If you like that sound, you’re going to love Jimmy Smith. Smith recorded Back at the Chicken Shack in 1960, and it was released in 1963, which seems weird, but what do I know about jazz records? That’s right, nothing. Which is why I find it kind of a struggle writing about a jazz record. Oh, Wiki told me Smith recorded two sessions in 1960, one was the Midnight Special album, released in 1960, and this album, released in 1963. The album starts out at track 1 with Back at the Chicken Shack and it’s just Jimmy on organ, Stanley Turrentine on sax, Kenny Burrell on guitar, and Donald Bailey on drums. If you’re asking where the bass is, Smith plays it with foot pedals on the organ. There are no vocals on any of the tracks, and each guy kind of gets his shot to shine in each song. It’s the kind of jazz I can mess with, so to speak. It’s not every instrument playing a different song or weird time signatures at the same time. It’s a straight-up midtempo, 4/4 composition. Simple, but easy to digest and appreciate. You can hear the musicians kind of yelp or scream when one has a good solo or note. This song gives you a good idea of what you’re getting on this album. Track 2 is When I Grow Too Old To Dream and it’s one of those recognizable jazz grooves. The drummer is just tap-tap-tapping the cymbals as the organ plays nice and low in the background while the sax takes the lead. I can see why people fall in love with jazz. It’s hard not to like it, at least when it’s as accessible as this is. You can just sit there and enjoy the groove or daydream or whatever you do when you get lost in a song. On the original release, there were just four songs and a run time of 37:50 minutes. They sure knew how to do it back then. As a young idiot, I used to think it was great to get a CD with over an hour of music on it. And it was great when all the songs were good. Once hour-long CDs became common, a lot of bands had to write filler tracks to make it seem like you were getting bang for your buck. It's like Norm MacDonald said about news. There really isn't enough news for half an hour, much less 24 hours. Which is kind of how we've ended up as we have, but I digress. In 1987, this album was reissued with a fifth song, On the Sunny Side of the Street, a cover song. Which reminds me, When I’m Too Old To Dream is also a cover song. Track 3 is Minor Chant, and it’s a bit more uptempo than the previous two songs. This song starts as the last did, with the sax in the lead. That makes sense as Turrentine wrote this song. He was nicknamed Mr. T. Smith’s organ is just woven into each song. You even forget it’s there sometimes because it’s always there. In this one, as Mr. T plays, it kind of bubbles in the background. Did I just hear Mr. T throw in a melody from the Undertaker’s theme? About halfway through the song, Smith begins bringing the organ to the front. These songs are great party songs, I bet. You just put them on in the background and mingle and eat finger foods. Of course, I’m thinking of a party thrown by writers on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in the 1960s. Track 4 is Messy Bessie, and again, Mr. T gets his shine in the beginning. I guess in jazz, though, everyone gets their chance to show off. I kind of feel like I’ve heard this song. The Hammond B-3 organ was used in jazz and blues before Smith, but it was Smith’s improvisation and mastery of the instrument that solidified it as more than just a background sound in jazz and the blues. And thank God. Can you imagine all those songs where the Hammond B-3 organ plays a major part or has an incredible solo? Maybe you can’t because you don’t know exactly what a Hammond B-3 sounds like, but if you did, you would….Or something like that. Oh yeah, Burrell is lighting that guitar on fire. I assume it’s a Gibson Les Paul, but I have no idea. That seems like a jazzy guitar. I’m having a good time, so I’ll also listen to track 5, On the Sunny Side of the Street. This is the 2007 remastered version. Again, starting with Mr. T. I swear I’ve heard this song before. I probably have, it’s been covered a ton of times, and it’s been on quite a few TV shows and movies. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not a jazz guy, and I don’t have a vocabulary to speak on it like I could Bullet Boys’ Smooth Up In You. However, I know what my ears like, and this was a great-sounding album. Is it a must-listen? If you’ve never really heard jazz or you want to hear what a Hammond B-3 organ sounds like, then yes, I think you should at least give it a try. I’m not sure it’s an all-time great, but it was definitely a nice, chill listen.
No es mal álbum, tiene buen ritmo, es musica para acompañar en una cena o reunión elegante, tranquila.
I dig it. Wish I was more of a jazz head because I feel like I’m missing something whenever I listen to it.
As jazz albums go, I didn't hate this. Felt like the Monsters Inc soundtrack at times
Liked this ine
Nice, chill, feel-good music. Didn't blow my mind or anything, similar to a thousand other records. But cool, nonetheless.
I'm not a jazz enthusiast but I dip in occasionally and this is a decent album.
YAYY
A refreshingly mellow accompaniment to my afternoon. It's a nice day, the sun is out, and it's not too cold or too hot. Sometimes this is just the kind of thing you need to hear when the time and the situation is right.
when the saxophone said brdrdrdrbrrrrdrdrdrbdrdrdndnuhnuh i felt that
Never heard of this artist or record. It was fun listen.
I loved the first song so much that it wasn't until the 3rd song that I realized I was being tricked into enjoying jazz. But this jazz doesn't suck, so, whatever.
a lovely soundtrack for my sunday
ya like jazz?
Great vibes, I need to develop my palate for jazz
Pretty good for a jazz album. 2.5 stars.
3.5 - good album