They Called Him “Mr. T”

by | Nov 22, 2025 | Quartet/Quintet, Sextet

A legend of the tenor saxophone, Stanley Turrentine was renowned for his distinctively thick, rippling tone, and earthy grounding in the blues. In fact, his distinctively thick, warm, blues-drenched tone made him a defining voice in soul jazz and a perennially popular figure across several genres. Turrentine recorded in a wide variety of settings, but was best-known for his Blue Note soul-jazz jams of the ’60s. Although most commonly referred to as “Mr. T” he was also known as “The Sugar Man” in more intimate circles.

His frequent collaborations with organist Jimmy Smith resulted in a treasure trove of classic recordings … evidence their ever popular Midnight Special (above), recorded at the 1987 Mount Fuji Jazz Festival, with Kenny Burrrell on guitar and the fabulous Art Blakey on drums.

Another Smith collaboration, Scratch My Back (upper right) features the same group with Grady Tate on drums … recorded in 1985 at NYC’s Town Hall. On the (lower right) is Sugar with Mr. T, of course, on tenor, Jimmy Smith once more at the Hammond, Freddie Hubbard trumpet, Kenny Burrell guitar, Ron Carter bass, and Joe Chambers playing drums … from the 1987 Mount Fuji Jazz Festival.

The Incredible Jimmy Smith

by | Apr 1, 2023 | Big Band, Quartet/Quintet

Organ Grinder’s Swing (Top) was recorded at the Vienne Jazz Festival on July 7, 1993 in Vienne, France.  They rattled the cobblestones in the streets of that quaint old town with the likes of Jimmy on the Hammond, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Herman Riley playing tenor and Grady Tate at the drums.  Also in 1993, Smith performed Walk On The Wild Side with The Carnegie Hall Jazz Band In a special salute to the Jazz Masters.  We’re more used to hearing collaborations with Oliver Nelson on big band arrangements but the quartet merged equally well with the Carnegie group, as you can hear (Below, left).

While we don’t usually think of Elmer Bernstein when speaking of jazz, I’ve included the credits opening and original rendition of Walk On The Wild Side (Below, right) … because it may just be the greatest opening a motion picture ever had! Well-l-l-l, it certainly rates up there.

Jumpin’ Blues / Greensleeves – Kenny Burrell

by | Aug 7, 2020 | Big Band, Quartet/Quintet

Kenny Burrell and Jimmy Smith were a “dynamic duo” on many jazz recordings throughout the years, mostly albums headlined by Jimmy.  Jumpin’ Blues, recorded at NYC Town Hall in February of 1985, can be found on Smith’s blockbuster album Midnight Special.  It features Kenny Burrell on guitar, Jimmy Smith playing  the Hammond B-3, Grady Tate on drums and adds Stanley Turrentine on tenor sax to add yet another dimension to the already potent trio.

Greensleeves was recorded 20 years earlier in 1965 and netted Gil Evans a Grammy Award nomination in 1966 for Best Instrumental Arrangement.  The album itself was nominated for Best Instrumental Jazz Performance.  Burrell is on guitar, with Roger Kellaway on piano, Grady Tate at the drums, Willie Rodriguez on conga and Joe Benjamin playing double bass.  The tune starts out like a lamb, as you would expect, and morphs into a very swinging lion before all is said and done!

 

Greensleeves

by Kenny Burrell | Guitar Forms

Big Bands, Big Sound – Jimmy Smith

by | Aug 23, 2019 | Audio, Big Band

This 1994 version of Down By The Riverside features Jimmy Smith together with Kenny Burrell and the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band. It is a live performance of his 1966 rendition on the album “Dynamic Duo” with Wes Montgomery doing the guitar chores.

“Peter And The Wolf” has always been one of my favorite Jimmy Smith Albums … and the Finale – Parade and Peter Plays Some Blues, for me, captures the essence of the other 5 movements.  The album only recently made it to CD and download.  I tried for several years to, at least, obtain the vinyl and finally discovered a single used copy in a little record shop in Detroit for the unheard of price of $3.72!  I had even called Rudy Van Gelder at Van Gelder Studios in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey only to learn that the session tapes had been lost.  I’m glad they found them!

Down By The Riverside

by Jimmy Smith & Kenny Burrell | The Jazz Masters

Finale - Parade / Peter Plays Some Blues

by Jimmy Smith & Oliver Nelson | Peter And The Wolf