Liner Notes

Jimmy Smith revolutionized the use of the Hammond B-3 organ in jazz during the mid-1950s. Recorded in 1963, Prayer Meetin’ is brimming with the kind of late-night soulful blues grooves that made the Smith and Turrentine collaborations such classics. Highlights of the session include the incredible interplay between Smith, Turrentine, guitarist Quentin Warren , and drummer Donald Bailey on the title track and “Red Top,” while Turrentine delivers a ballad tour-de-force on “ I Almost Lost My Mind.” Blue Note Tone Poet Series The Blue Note Tone Poet Series was born out of Blue Note President Don Was’ admiration for the exceptional audiophile Blue Note LP reissues presented by Music Matters. Was brought Joe Harley (from Music Matters), a. k.

a. the “Tone Poet,” on board to curate and supervise a series of reissues from the Blue Note family of labels. Extreme attention to detail has been paid to getting these right in every conceivable way, from the jacket graphics and printing quality to superior LP mastering (direct from the master tapes) by Kevin Gray to superb 180 gm audiophile LP pressings by Record Technology Inc. Every aspect of these Blue Note/Tone Poet releases is done to the highest possible standard. Blue Note Records’ Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series is produced by Joe Harley and features all-analog, mastered-from-the-original-master-tape 180g audiophile vinyl reissues in deluxe gatefold packaging. Mastering is by Kevin Gray (Cohearent Audio) and vinyl is manufactured at Record Technology Incorporated (RTI).

Arguably his finest recorded moments came during the sessions he recorded with tenor saxophone giant Stanley Turrentine in the early 1960s which helped define soul jazz.