Name: Root Down [LP]
Brand: VINYL
SKU: 98684291
Price: 55.44 SGD
Availability: InStock

Performer Notes

Personnel: Jimmy Smith (organ); Steve Williams (harmonica); Arthur Adams (guitar); Wilton Felder (bass); Paul Humphrey (drums); Buck Clarke (congas, percussion).
Recorded at The Bombay Bicycle Club, Los Angeles, California on February 9, 1972.
All tracks have been digitally remastered.
This is part of Verve's By Request series.
Toward the end of his stint with Blue Note, Jimmy Smith's albums became predictable. Moving to Verve in the mid-'60s helped matters considerably, since he started playing with new musicians (most notably nice duets with Wes Montgomery) and new settings, but he never really got loose, as he did on select early Blue Note sessions. Part of the problem was that Smith's soul-jazz was organic and laid-back, relaxed and funky instead of down and dirty. For latter-day listeners, aware of his reputation as the godfather of modern soul-jazz organ (and certainly aware of the Beastie Boys' name drop), that may mean that Smith's actual albums all seem a bit tame and restrained, classy, not funky. That's true of the bulk of Smith's catalog, with the notable exception of Root Down. Not coincidentally, the title track is the song the Beasties sampled on their 1994 song of the same name, since this is one of the only sessions that Smith cut where his playing his raw, vital, and earthy. Recorded live in Los Angeles in February 1972, the album captures a performance Smith gave with a relatively young supporting band who were clearly influenced by modern funk and rock. They push Smith to playing low-down grooves that truly cook: "Sagg Shootin' His Arrow" and "Root Down (And Get It)" are among the hottest tracks he ever cut, especially in the restored full-length versions showcased on the 2000 Verve By Request reissue. There are times where the pace slows, but the tension never sags, and the result is one of the finest, most exciting records in Smith's catalog. If you think you know everything about Jimmy Smith, this is the album for you. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Professional Reviews

Q (11/00, p.133) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...This is the work of both a great band and a master musician at the height of his powers..."

Mojo (Publisher) (12/00, pp.126-7) - "...Smith playing at his rawest, gutsy, most frenetic best..."

Album: Root Down [LP]
#	Song Title		Time
1)	Sagg Shootin His Arrow	More Info...
2)	For Everyone Under The Sun	More Info...
3)	After Hours	More Info...
4)	Root Down (And Get It)	More Info...
5)	Let's Stay Together	More Info...
6)	Slow Down Sagg	More Info...

Album: Root Down [LP]
#	Song Title		Time
1)	Sagg Shootin His Arrow	More Info...
2)	For Everyone Under The Sun	More Info...
3)	After Hours	More Info...
4)	Root Down (And Get It)	More Info...
5)	Let's Stay Together	More Info...
6)	Slow Down Sagg	More Info...