1001 Albums Summary

I know nothing about Jimmy Smith, but dude is dressed very sharp for a chicken shack. This sartorial excellence, the cool dog and the fact it's on Blue Note didn't quite give away how it would sound, but it made sense when I started playing the album. Smoother than I thought it might be. Initially I assumed Jimmy was the keyboard player as that's the hero of the opening title track, but there's some nice guitar in there too. 'When I grow Too Old to Dream' is a bit too the wrong kind of smooth jazz by numbers.

My first listen to this album (I'm more familiar with the later initial run of post-Asylum albums). I did not care for the opening 3 tracks, nor the strings that feel bolted on to some of the songs, nor 'Jersey Girl' (which sounds so much like a Springsteen song that the latter ended up covering it live). But at its best - 'Downtown', ''Til the Money Runs Out' - it transcends the bar room blues and hooker references. Worth noting that I would have hated this when it came out in 1980 (if I'd heard it).

Earns its reputation as one of his best and most eclectic.