(Hard Bop, Soul-Jazz) [LP] [24/192] Jimmy Smith - Root Down: Jimmy Smith Live! - 1972/2016, FLAC (tracks)

Lineage:
Rega P10 Turntable with Rega P10 PSU > Virgin Vinyl > Rega Apheta 3 Cartridge > PS Audio NuWave Phono Converter ADC > AudioQuest Carbon USB Cable > USB-IN > Audition CC 2019 @ 24bit float, 192kHz capture.
Processing:
24bit wav > Run through Click Repair 3.9.9 at 10/0 on DeClick > Volume Boost +3.45/3.75 DB > Remove DC Bias > Saved as 24bit,192kHz WAV > FLAC > Tagged with Discogs tagger through Foobar.
Scans:
Epson Expression 11000XL -> 16bit 600 DPI with Unsharp Mask -> Color Correction in Photoshop CC 2019 x64 -> 8bit 600DPI PNG.

foobar2000 1.6.9 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1
log date: 2022-01-21 18:32:01
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Analyzed: Jimmy Smith / Root Down
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DR Peak RMS Duration Track
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DR13 -2.93 dB -18.59 dB 7:09 01-Sagg Shootin' His Arrow
DR14 -0.65 dB -17.45 dB 5:57 02-For Everyone Under the Sun
DR12 -2.09 dB -16.53 dB 7:43 03-After Hours
DR12 -1.94 dB -17.60 dB 7:44 04-Root Down (And Get It)
DR13 -2.56 dB -17.74 dB 6:31 05-Let's Stay Together
DR12 -2.52 dB -17.19 dB 6:43 06-Slow Down Sagg
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Number of tracks: 6
Official DR value: DR13
Samplerate: 192000 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 24
Bitrate: 4855 kbps
Codec: FLAC
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Toward the end of his stint with Blue Note, Jimmy Smith's albums became predictable. Moving to Verve in the mid-'60s helped matters considerably, since he started playing with new musicians (most notably nice duets with Wes Montgomery) and new settings, but he never really got loose, as he did on select early Blue Note sessions. Part of the problem was that Smith's soul-jazz was organic and laid-back, relaxed and funky instead of down and dirty. For latter-day listeners, aware of his reputation as the godfather of modern soul-jazz organ (and certainly aware of the Beastie Boys' name drop), that may mean that Smith's actual albums all seem a bit tame and restrained, classy, not funky. That's true of the bulk of Smith's catalog, with the notable exception of Root Down. Not coincidentally, the title track is the song the Beasties sampled on their 1994 song of the same name, since this is one of the only sessions that Smith cut where his playing his raw, vital, and earthy. Recorded live in Los Angeles in February 1972, the album captures a performance Smith gave with a relatively young supporting band who were clearly influenced by modern funk and rock. They push Smith to playing low-down grooves that truly cook: "Sagg Shootin' His Arrow" and "Root Down (And Get It)" are among the hottest tracks he ever cut, especially in the restored full-length versions showcased on the 2000 Verve By Request reissue. There are times where the pace slows, but the tension never sags, and the result is one of the finest, most exciting records in Smith's catalog. If you think you know everything about Jimmy Smith, this is the album for you.

Jimmy Smith - Hammond B3 organ
Paul Humphrey - drums
Wilton Felder - bass guitar
Buck Clarke - congas, percussion
Arthur Adams - guitar
Steve Williams - harmonica
Recorded live at the Bombay Bicycle Club, Los Angeles, CA on February 8, 1972.