MUSIC OR DIE #28–Jimmy Smith, "Back at the Chicken Shack" (1961)

This is a perfect album cover and I won't be taking any questions at this time, thank you

Part 28 of my 1000+ part series.
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I return to my old frenemy...jazz. 

TL;DR

As ever, I dread running out of these images

More after The Cut >>>



In an age-old tradition (read: I've done this in one other post so far), I'm going to supplement my lacking commentary with images found by Googling the song title. Savvy? Excellent. 

1.) Back at the Chicken Shack - Seems like a strong thesis statement for the album! Organ front and center and ready to hang with some hawt chicks, because chickens.

Google Images: The modern Wild West

2.) When I Grow Too Old to Dream - Ok, ok, NOW we are getting some #sexysax. Very saxual indeed.

And I never will...well, not seriously anyway

This was originally a Hammerstein number (yes, as in the Rodgers & Hammerstein-Hammerstein). The Everly Brothers (previously covered on this blog ahem) did their own cover of the song:

Schmaltzy, yes. But hey, this was written in the freaking GREAT DEPRESSION, so let them have it.

As for Smith's version...there's a lot of sax! And dat organ.

This...is a thing that exists

-THUS PASSES SIDE ONE-

3.) Minor Chant - It is indeed in a minor key and has semi-repetitive chant-like parts (I guess if you squint real hard), I suppose, hence the title?

The drum breakdowns starting around 6:15 are rad!

 

Perhaps a more straightforward minor chant for my ignorant brain to grasp

4.) Messy Bessie - Talk about judgy - what did Bessie do to you?!

Anyway, it's a solid closer, very much in keeping with the overall vibe. 

I'd like to imagine this is the secret backstory behind this track

FINAL THOUGHTS:

So apparently the title of this album is a reference to a 1948 song by Amos Milburn titled "Chicken Shack Boogie":

...which is now a song I love, thank you again to this blog for continuing to be the gift that keeps on giving.

ANYWAY, I suppose I can hear the ways in which this album is the spiritual successor to this song - something in the attitude, though whereas the Milburn song is very sexy-sax-centric (which you, dear reader, must know I love), Smith was showcasing his beloved Hammond B3 organ, with a few notable exceptions of sweet sweet sax peppered throughout.

As ever, I feel like uncultured trash when I listen to these sorts of albums and don't get a ton out of them. I enjoyed the music and am glad to have heard it, but it's not the sort of thing I personally would be chomping at the bit to listen to again.

Personal standout tracks:

TBH none really, but if I had to pick one, maybe "When I Grow Too Old to Dream"?