Released in mid-1965, Jimmy Smith took a break from the typical big band sessions he’d been doing for Verve with this pared-down trio date, enlisting Kenny Burrell (guitar) and Grady Tate (drums) to take on a selection of blues and jazz standards. From the title track to his own “Blues For J”, Smith and this all-star group display complete mastery of, arguably, the most swinging of all jazz band configurations — the organ trio.
