Best Organ Jazz
The Hammond B3 is an electromechanical tonewheel organ introduced in 1954 by the Hammond Organ Company. It generates sound by rotating metal tonewheels near electromagnetic pickups and is designed to be paired with a Leslie speaker for its characteristic tremolo effect. The instrument has been widel...
Jimmy Smith's “Back at the Chicken Shack” (1962) is a significant jazz album centered around his masterful Hammond B3 organ playing. The recording features collaborations with Gene Harris, Eddie Stern, and Tommy Tate, presenting a classic example of blues-infused organ jazz. It’s particularly notabl...
Jimmy Smith's “The Sermon,” released in 1959, is a cornerstone of Blue Note jazz. This album highlights Smith’s exceptional skill as an organist and bandleader. It features complex arrangements and extended solos demonstrating his improvisational prowess. "The Sermon" remains notable for its influen...
Jimmy Smith's *Midnight Special* (1965) is a seminal jazz album celebrated for its pioneering use of the Hammond B3 organ. Smith’s dynamic playing blends gospel, blues and soul with a powerful rhythm section and horn arrangements. This record remains significant within organ-jazz and is appreciated...
Jimmy Smith's *Home Cookin’* (1959) is a seminal jazz album showcasing the organist’s distinctive sound. It blends blues and gospel traditions through expansive improvisation with a quartet including Illinois JacMoe and Harold Land. The recording remains notable for its influential approach to organ...
