Back At The Chicken Shack – JIMMY SMITH****

Back At The Chicken Shack/When I Grow Too Old To Dream/Minor Chant/Messie Bessie/On The Sunny Side Of The Street

Renowned jazz electric organist Jimmy Smith hit the US album top twenty for the second time with the blues influenced set Back At The Chicken Shack. Recorded in 1960 but not released until 1963. (US:14)

“This is a decent jazz album using an unfamiliar jazz instrument, the Hammond organ. All the songs are good with excellent interplay between the tenor sax and organ. Nothing really stands out but that doesn't mean it doesn't sound good. Even the drums get a little workout on Minor Chant. All in all a decent album but it never steps into great, or even very good material.”

“Pretty impressive jazz funk, leaning more towards jazz when Smith's organ takes a back seat to Turrentine’s cool sax playing. Smith seems a very generous player. Technically excellent but willing to pare it back to let others keep the music flowing. This is one for the cocktail hour."

“One could argue that at this point, Smith had achieved most of what he could do at Blue Note and that his albums were already becoming formulaic. Back At The Chicken Shack is not quite up there with his late 1950s material, and Smith's penchant for sonic experimentation had given way to playing solid swinging bop albums now, but it's the last of a couple of great albums Smith made for the label and before he would reinvent himself and his sound at Verve.”

"Don't know which track is best because they're all stunning but to name a few, maybe Minor Chant stands out a little, but not by much though." "On this album, widely regarded as his strongest, Smith's playing is groovy and laid back, but not in a lazy way."

"Back At The Chicken Shack isn't the greasy, deep-fried jam session that its title and cover promise. The music here is simply too clean for that. Only by listening to Jimmy's chords, solos and great bass line can you appreciate such great talent."

“Smith's innovative concoction of soul, jazz and blues does not disappoint: from the down-home vibe of the title track, through to the infectious, loping Minor Chant.”