Groovin' At Smalls' Paradise (Volume 1) - Jimmy Smith (1LP Vinyl)

Groovin' At Smalls' Paradise (Volume 1) by Jimmy Smith.

On the night of November 15, 1957, the tape machines were rolling inside Smalls' Paradise in New York City, and Jimmy Smith brought his Hammond organ into one of Harlem's most storied rooms. "Groovin' At Smalls' Paradise (Volume 1)" captures that evening with the immediacy of a live date, the kind of recording where you can feel the pulse of the room and the give and take of musicians playing for a crowd rather than a control booth.

The program opens with "After Hours," a title that tells you everything about the mood, all late-night patience and slow-building heat, the organ stretching out and settling into a deep, unhurried groove. It flows into "My Funny Valentine," a standard that has tested countless players; here it becomes a vehicle for Smith's singular touch, tender in places and searching in others, the Hammond breathing through the melody with a vocal quality all its own.

Side B turns loose and inventive. "Slightly Monkish" wears its influence in the title, a nod to the angular, off-center spirit of Thelonious that gives the players room to lean into unexpected corners and playful dissonance. "Laura" closes the set on a gentler, more reflective note, another beloved standard reimagined through the warm, enveloping sound of Smith's organ, sending the evening out on a note of quiet elegance.

This is the Blue Note 80 Vinyl Edition, and it has been treated with the care such a session deserves. The audio is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray directly from the original master tapes, so the dynamics and atmosphere of that Harlem night come through with genuine depth and presence. Pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal, it offers the quiet surfaces and solid, substantial feel that serious listeners look for in a modern reissue.

Collectors will find the identifying details right where they should be. The labels carry the catalog number BLP 1585, with 1585 appearing on the front sleeve, the top right of the back sleeve, and the spine. The code 0822929 sits at the mid-bottom of the back sleeve after the Label Code and again on the spine, marking this out clearly as the 80 Vinyl Edition pressing.

For anyone drawn to the early Jimmy Smith years, this is an essential document; four tracks that balance smoky standards with organ-trio adventure, delivered in a faithful all-analog reissue that honors the original session. Whether you are building a Blue Note shelf or simply chasing the sound of the Hammond in full flight, "Groovin' At Smalls' Paradise (Volume 1)" belongs in the stack.

Pressing Details:
Recorded at "Smalls' Paradise", NYC, on November 15, 1957.

This Blue Note 80 Vinyl Edition is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal

0822929 on back sleeve mid-bottom after Label Code and on spine.
BLP 1585 on labels.
1585 on front sleeve, on back sleeve top right and on spine.

Track Listing:
A1. After Hours
A2. My Funny Valentine
B1. Slightly Monkish
B2. Laura

Artist: Jimmy Smith

Format: 1LP

Genre: Jazz

Label: Blue Note

Catalog Number: 0822929

Release Year: 2019

Country: United States

Condition: Sealed (New)