Reading the summary
of this particular album in which the virtues of the Hammond Organ are extolled
made me slightly queasy. I am not anti-organs per se, but I have a preference
for those found keeping us alive, rather than the droning sounds that gave prog
rock such a bad name. Given that this album was apparently so important in
ensuring the flourishing of this instrument, it would be easy to hold Jimmy
Smith accountable, yet I was willing to give it a fair listen.
At five tracks long,
one concern was a lack of variety within the album, but that certainly did not
play out. There is some real virtuoso playing from all band members, to the
extent that it seems like a showcase for their individual talents. The songs are
quite hard to tell apart, as they all contain similar elements, and I've always
struggled to remember the names of instrumentals, compounding the problem.
The style of music
is a fairly laid-back jazz, with lots of hi-hat and quite a slow tempo. The
saxophone sounds great, especially on When I Grow Too Old to Dream, where it
has a rich and punchy air to it. The organ itself seems much more background
than I'd anticipated, but that's no bad thing, as it is predictably annoying
when it does come through, with a broad, slightly ploddy sound. The only time
it seems to shine is on Messy Bessie, which has a nice, slightly more
interesting set of tempos and tones, although it is the sax that steals the
show here once again.
I can't imagine me
ever really listening to this album again, if I'm honest. It isn’t bad, it's
just ultimately massively background. Indeed, it could go on at a dinner party
if I was trying to seem intellectual, but then I'd probably forget what it was.
I just can't ever imagine ever really 'getting' this type of music, and this
album did little to make me want to.
Chloe's album
rating: 6
Chloe's favourite
track: 2. When I Grow Too Old to Dream
Olly's album rating:
5
Olly's favourite
track: 4. Messy Bessie
Next week is 329.
Born to be with You by Dion.
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