Which musicians can be said to have completely changed the way people imagined an instrument might be played? Certainly Charlie Parker and John Coltrane as saxophonists, Oscar Peterson as a pianist, John McLaughlin as a guitarist. But top of the list might be Jimmy Smith for taking the behemoth of the Hammond Organ and turning it into a valid bebop solo voice.
Despite spending much of his studio time in the 1960s making big band recordings, Smith was still playing live in a trio setting (no bass player needed…) largely ignoring the call of pop music and staying true to the sound that caused such a stir on his earliest Blue Note recordings. This 1969 concert in France is a great example of that.
