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Born
John Robert Smith on December 16, 1933 (in Louisville, KY), formerly
known as Johnny Hammond Smith, and later as Johnnny Hammond, one of
the all-time best jazz organists passed away on June 4, 1997, in
Chicago, Illinois. For some of his early fans, some of the best albums
he recorded were done for Prestige in the Sixties. A younger
generation, who grew up listening to the hip-hop influenced jazz
sounds of the Nineties, prefers Johnny’s over-produced sessions for
Milestone in the mid-Seventies, like the now cult Gears album.
But,
most of his fans agree that Johnny Hammond’s best albums ever were
recorded in the early Seventies, under the aegis of Creed Taylor. Four
albums released on the Kudu label (Breakout, Wild Horses
Rock Steady, The Prophet, Higher Ground, all taped
at Van Gelder’s studio in New Jersey), and one more cut in
California and issued on another CTI subsidiary label, Salvation (Gambler’s
Life, on which Johnny played only the Fender Rhodes electric piano
and vintage synthesizers, under the guidance of funk producer Larry
Mizell).
Curiously,
during his CTI/Kudu years, Hammond has not recorded as a sideman on
albums led by other members of Creed Taylor’s supercast. But he
often performed, from 1971 to 74, in several CTI All Stars concerts
all over the world. Two of these gigs were fortunately documented on
records: California Concert (at the Hollywood Palladium in
1971) and CTI Summer Jazz at the Hollywood Bowl (in 1972).
Johnny
Hammond’s Breakout, a typical unpretentious soul-jazz session
recorded on June 1971, made history as the first album released by the
Kudu label, as well as the session which introduced Grover Washington,
Jr. to Creed Taylor. Four months later, on October 1971, Grover once
again was recruited as one of the main soloists for Hammond’s second
album for Kudu, Wild Horses Rock Steady, a more ambitious
project. Creed wanted it to be a crossover album, with strings and
horns sections, and full of jazz stars acting as sidemen.
Its
smart title (for sure chosen by Creed) mixes the names of two
important tracks, then pop hits. Wild Horses, a Mick Jagger/Keith
Richards tune, appeared on Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers,
released on April 71. Rock Steady, composed by Aretha Franklin, was on
her Young, Gifted & Black album, also from 71, on which
Eric Gale and Bernard Purdie, two of Hammond’s sidemen, also took
part.
The
opening tune, Rock Steady, feature solos by Hammond, Eric Gale (using
the wah-wah pedal) and Grover, with Ron Carter on electric bass and
Bernard Purdie doing those incredible funky drum breaks.
Actually,
the album repertoire is irreprehensible. Another highlight, Who is
Sylvia?, is a Galt MacDermot song for a stage play, The Two
Gentleman of Verona. Hammond plays the lyrical melody and the
first solo on the electric piano. During Grover’s burning tenor
solo, he quotes Eleanor Rigby near the end, and then Johnny starts an
explosive second solo, this time on the organ. Bob James supplies a
subtle string arrangement, with a very soft bossa beat provided by
Billy Cobham on drums and Ron Carter on acoustic bass. On both Rock
Steady and Who is Sylvia?, Airto uses a typical Brazilian instrument
called caxixi (there’s
also a reco-reco on Who is
Sylvia?) while Omar Clay plays tambourine.
George
Benson is the acid guitar soloist on a funky version of I Don’t Know
How To Love Him, one of the main themes written by Andrew Lloyd Weber
and Tim Rice for the rock opera, Jesus Christ Superstar. Both
Bob Mann and Melvin Sparks play the rhythm guitar parts. Bob James
adds strings (actually, only eight violins – no violas or cellos!)
and horns (with muted trumpets and trombones near the end of the
track) in a lush orchestration, with Airto playing congas and bells.
Cat
Stevens’ Peace Train (originally from Stevens’ album, Teaser
& The Firecat) gets a jazzy treatment, with Ron sublime in a
walking bass line. Bob once again uses the brass section, opening the
solo spot to the underrated late tenorist Harold Vick, recently
honored by Sonny Rollins in a tune (Did you see Harold Vick?) from his
latest album, This Is What I Do.
Probably
the most surprising song on the album, It’s Impossible was
originally written by Mexican composer Armando Manzanero as a romantic
bolero (another Manaznero bolero Esta Tarde Vi Llover, became a Bill
Evans ballad-favorite under the title Yesterday I Heard The Rain). It
is really almost impossible to believe how superbly Johnny Hammond
recreates this song, transforming it in a highly-energized jazz
vehicle played in a very fast tempo, including some of the best solos
ever recorded by both Hammond and Grover, stimulated by an
intoxicating beat that Cobham provides. Not even Bob James’ mellow
strings diminish the tremendous impact of such a fantastic
performance.
Billy
Cobham’s martial groove in the snare introduces Wild Horses, with
Ron Carter back on electric bass. Melvin Sparks uses a very distorted
guitar sound, while Bob Mann plays with a country-blues inflections.
Among
the four albums that Johnny Hammond recorded for Kudu, Wild Horses
Rock Steady, now for the first time reissued on CD, stands out as
a masterpiece.
Arnaldo
DeSouteiro
May 11, 2001
Mr.
DeSouteiro is Brazil’s top jazz producer and historian.
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