Jimmy Smith ”Any Number Can Win”

Jimmy Smith

”Any Number Can Win”
( LP Verve Records, 1963 )
Catalog # V/V6 8552

Personnel, Tracklisting & Notes:
Jimmy Maxwell, Joe Newman, Charlie Shavers (tp)
Jimmy Cleveland, Melba Liston, Kai Winding (tb)
Paul Faulise (btb)
Jerry Dodgion, Phil Woods (as)
Budd Johnson, Sheldon Powell (ts)
Marvin Halladay (bars) Jimmy Smith (org)
Kenny Burrell (g)
Art Davis (b)
Herbie Lovelle (d)
George Devens (per)
NYC, July 10, 1963
63VK495 G’won Train
63VK496 Tubs
63VK498 You Came A Long Way From St. Louis
Snooky Young (tp) Bob Bushnell (el-b) replaces Shavers
NYC, July 17, 1963
63VK502 Blues For C.A.
63VK503 The Ape Woman
Joe Newman, James Sedlar (tp)
Jerome Richardson (as, ts, bars)
Budd Johnson (ts) J
immy Smith (org)
Kenny Burrell, Vince Gambella, Billy Mure (g)
Milt Hinton (b)
Bob Bushnell (el-b)
Bobby Donaldson (d)
Doug Allen, Art Marotti (per)
Claus Ogerman (arr, dir)
NYC, July 25, 1963
63VK516 Theme From “Any Number Can Win”
63VK517 Ruby
63VK518 Georgia On My Mind
Jimmy Smith (org)
Kenny Burrell (g)
George Duvivier (b)
Mel Lewis (d)
NYC, July 26, 1963
63VK524 What’d I Say?
same personnel
NYC, July 29, 1963
63VK526 The Sermon

Review:
New arrangers are aboard for this set, and although there’s very little change in the bluesy big band sound set up by OIiver Nelson on Hobo Flats, there is a progression – it all seems to have become just a bit more polished. The tunes have a good spread, from some fine soul jazz, to blues and a ballad. Again the album opens on one of the strongest tunes, where Jimmy really wails and the big band provide some nice commentary. Best of this lovely bunch is Theme From “Any Number Can Win”, which is the most swingingest, groovy, made for a bachelor pad tune Jimmy ever recorded. The melody is set up by either a guitarist (there are three listed for this session) and Jimmy, or a couple of the guitarists together. The synchronicity, tightness of the playing and ringing sound make it hard to tell which instruments are playing. After that, Jimmy takes off for the heavens, in a short and tight solo that contains all his trademark sound condensed into a tight minute or so. Again the best tune is the title track. Something of a commonality on these Verve recordings.
From The Incredible Jimmy Smith

By Pier