Home Cookin' - Jimmy Smith (1LP Vinyl) [Classic Vinyl Series]

Home Cookin' by Jimmy Smith.

Few sounds in jazz are as instantly recognizable as the warm, greasy purr of a Hammond organ in the hands of Jimmy Smith, and "Home Cookin'" is a feast built entirely around that voice. This 2021 pressing brings the record back to the turntable for a new generation, made in the EU under UMG Recordings, with all the runout information etched by hand into the wax.

The album opens on the A-side with "See See Rider," a piece that carries the deep blues lineage that always ran through Smith's playing. From there the mood shifts into "Sugar Hill," followed by a reading of Ray Charles' "I Got A Woman," a natural fit for an organist so steeped in the gospel and soul currents feeding jazz at the time. The side closes with "Messin' Around," a title that promises exactly the kind of loose, after hours groove Smith made his signature.

Flip to the B-side and the record settles into a more intimate register with "Gracie," before picking up the tempo again on "Come On Baby." The set finishes with "Motorin' Along," a fitting close that suggests forward momentum and easy swing, the sound of a band cruising rather than straining.

What makes a Jimmy Smith record like this endure is the sheer physicality of the organ itself. The Hammond is an instrument of low end weight and singing high notes, capable of carrying bass, chords, and melody all at once, and Smith remains the definitive voice for translating the blues into that language. Across these seven tracks, the format keeps things tight, with each side offering a compact but complete statement.

This is music designed for the vinyl format, where the analog warmth of the organ and the swing of the rhythm can breathe across a well sequenced program. The blues numbers anchor the collection while the up tempo cuts give it lift, making it a record you can put on for a quiet evening or a livelier gathering with equal reward.

For collectors and newcomers alike, this EU pressing is an accessible way into one of the great organ trios in the jazz and blues canon. Slip it out of the sleeve, drop the needle on "See See Rider," and let the home cooking do the rest.

Pressing Details:
© 2021 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Made in the EU.

All information in the runouts was etched.

Track Listing:
A1. See See Rider
A2. Sugar Hill
A3. I Got A Woman
A4. Messin' Around
B1. Gracie
B2. Come On Baby
B3. Motorin' Along

Artist: Jimmy Smith

Format: 1LP

Genre: Jazz

Label: Blue Note

Catalog Number: 3829304

Series: Classic Vinyl Series

Release Year: 2021

Country: United States

Condition: Sealed (New)