Title: The organ grinder rules!
Product review: I bought this album for a musician friend of mine last Christmas after hearing a few excerpts in Barnes and Noble. The other day browsing in Tower, I saw it on sale and bought it for myself.My god, what an outing. I've always been a big fan of Smith's work, especially the albums with Wes Montgomery, but this is even more impressive. His playing is inspired, and the room he gives his fellow soloists is beyond generous. To me the real surprise is the impressive guitar work of Eddie McFadden. Considering this was 1958, Eddie's playing was far ahead of the time, especially his fleet fingered lines on "Groovin at Smalls", and Parker's "Cool Blues". Makes me wonder why he never got his just due from the jazz guitar establishment. The other player who really caught my attention was Tina Brooks. Beautiful tone and phrasing. Lou Donaldson also was in exceptionally fine form. And the drumming of both Blakey and Bailey is always on the money.
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