When the Organ Met the Big Band
Smith and Schifrin make the Hammond B-3 sound like it was born for a brass section.
By 1964, Jimmy Smith had already established the Hammond B-3 organ as a legitimate jazz instrument, pulling it out of the church and the cocktail lounge and planting it firmly on the bandstand. The Cat (1964) takes a different approach from his earlier, grittier small-group recordings — this is Smith with a full big band, arranged by composer Lalo Schifrin, and the result is something genuinely fun and surprisingly cohesive. It is not a deep-dive jazz record. It is a swinging, soulful, commercially minded album that does exactly what it sets out to do and does it well.
Schifrin's arrangements are the key ingredient here. He writes for the brass and reeds in a way that complements rather than overwhelms the organ, giving Smith plenty of room to roam while keeping the overall sound big and punchy. The title track is the obvious centerpiece — a slow-burning, cat-and-mouse groove that makes total sense as a singles chart entry, and its run on the Billboard Hot 100 in the fall of 1964 reflected genuine popular appeal. The album reached number 12 on the Billboard 200, which tells you this was not a niche release; people were buying it and playing it at home.
If you come to this expecting the raw, bluesy organ trio sound of Smith's earlier Verve and Blue Note work, you may need to adjust your expectations. This is a produced, polished record with a specific commercial vision. That is not a criticism — it means the album holds up well as a piece of entertainment, accessible to listeners who might find straight-ahead jazz intimidating. For fans of soul-jazz and the organ-plus-big-band format, this is one of the better examples of that combination, and Smith's playing throughout reminds you why he was the undisputed master of his instrument.
Who's playing
George Duvivierbass
Tony Studdbass trombone
Kenny Burrellguitar
Phil Woodsalto saxophone
Bernie Glowtrumpet
Thad Jonestrumpet
Marky Markowitztrumpet
Jimmy Maxwelltrumpet
Ernie Royaltrumpet
Snooky Youngtrumpet
Billy Byerstrombone
Jimmy Clevelandtrombone
Urbie Greentrombone
Jimmy Smithorgan
Grady Tatedrums
Phil Krauspercussion
Ray AlongeFrench horn
Jim BuffingtonFrench horn
Don Butterfieldtuba
Earl ChapinFrench horn
Bill CoreaFrench horn
Bill CorreaFrench horn
Where next?
More by Jimmy Smith
All 13 albums →
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
