Watermelon Man

Jimmy Smith

 

Germany, 2004

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Jimmy Smith hits the Herbie Hancock classic “Watermelon” man in this sizzling quartet setting. Mark Whitfield is on the guitar, but the other players are a mystery.

Born in the Philadelphia suburb of Norristown, PA, Smith was performing song-and-dance routines with his father. At nine, self-taught on the piano, he was winning radio talent contests.

After time in the Navy, he received conservatory training at The Royal Hamilton College of Music in Hamilton, Canada, and the Leo Ornstein School of Music in Philadelphia.

One night after hearing Wild Bill Davis, he switched to the organ and never looked back.
 

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