Jimmy Smith – Softly As A Summer Breeze - Brand New - Vinyl LP Record (Quick Ship)

“Softly As A Summer Breeze” captures Jimmy Smith at a moment when he was reshaping what the Hammond organ could mean in jazz. Recorded in the late 1950s, these sessions show him easing away from pure fireworks and leaning into something more nocturnal and unhurried. You still get his trademark left‑hand bass lines and quicksilver runs, but here they’re wrapped in a softer light, with ballads and medium‑tempo tunes that feel like they were meant for small rooms and good speakers.

Part of the pleasure is hearing how much space Smith leaves in the music. The band swings, but never crowds; the organ tone blooms and then recedes, giving every phrase a sense of breath. Standards turn into little conversations, with Smith answering his own lines as if he’s talking quietly across the room.

For a vinyl collector, this album is a window into the moment when soul jazz was crystallizing: church‑inflected harmony, blues phrasing, and modern jazz language folded into one unmistakable sound. If you want a Jimmy Smith record that balances groove with understatement—and rewards late‑night, start‑to‑finish listening—this is one that deserves a permanent place on your shelf.