Back at the Chicken Shack

Jimmy Smith - Back at the Chicken Shack cover — Cover of the album Back at the Chicken Shack

Album 28 on this list takes us on a journey to discover sounds rarely heard in the 21st century: the organ.

Jimmy Smith is a famous American jazz organist born in 1928 in Norristown, Pennsylvania and died in 2005 in Scottsdale, Arizona. He is known for his Hammond B-3 organ style, and is considered one of the greatest jazz organists of all time.

Smith began his musical career in the 1950s, and quickly gained attention with his virtuosic playing of the Hammond organ. He recorded numerous albums, including such classics as “The Sermon,” “Midnight Special” and “Back at the Chicken Shack. His recordings have influenced many jazz musicians, and he has been recognized for his contributions to jazz history.

In addition to his musical career, Smith was also known for his flamboyant personality and passion for music. He played with many jazz greats, including Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Getz, and continued to play and record until his death in 2005.

The album

The album includes jazz standards such as “When I Grow Too Old to Dream” and “Misty”, as well as original compositions by Jimmy Smith. His Hammond B-3 organ style is in full swing on this album, and it is considered one of the first albums to feature the organ in a modern jazz context.

The musicians who accompany Jimmy Smith on this album are also top-notch, including Stanley Turrentine on trumpet, Kenny Burrell on guitar and Art Blakey on drums. Their interpretation of standard jazz tunes and original Jimmy Smith compositions creates an exciting and rhythmic atmosphere that will appeal to any jazz fan.

The piece is built on a simple but catchy blues riff that is played over and over throughout the song. The song is also known for its driving groove, with guitar, Hammond B3 organ and tenor sax solos intertwining throughout the track.

“Back at the Chicken Shack” is often considered one of the most representative songs of Jimmy Smith's approach to jazz and blues. It is also considered one of the most iconic songs on the Hammond B3 organ.