Down and funky
Recorded in 1972 this is a different Jimmy Smith album where he's not playing pure Jazz. The backing from Wilton Felder (The Crusaders) on Bass and Paul Humphrey Drums is much more funky then anything Smith did on Blue Note.

It must have been some gig to have been at as some of the numbers are quite long. The opening "Sagg Shootin' His Arrow" is just under 12 minutes and it justifies its length with some inventive organ playing from Smith and nice guitar from Arthur Adams backed by extra percussion from Buck Clarke. On the other hand the first version of the title track, which runs to 12 and half minutes starts well but doesn't maintain its momentum and rather fizzles out at the end (hence only 4 stars). To compensate for this there is a splendid reading of "Lets Stay Together" where Smith shows how great an instrument the Hammond Organ can be even when initially hes just playing the tune.

So if you are a purist Jimmy Smith Jazz fan you might be dissappointed by this. Somehow I doubt it though, as Jimmy Smith is on fire at times even if he is being backed by a more funk based band.

Beastie Boys fans need to check out the Original, the Incredible... Jimmy Smith!
I am a big fan of jazz organ and vibes. Milt Jackson is the Wizard of the Vibes but the Incredible Jimmy Smith is the Master of the Organ. He is unbelievable. I own about 18 of his albums so far and they are all awesome but I gotta tell man, this is one of the best.

I love the Beastie Boys album, "The In Sound From Way Out!" and that is why I bought "Root Down". I know, that is backwards, but whatever, I now own the album and will cherish it forever.

All you jazz only fans need to buy that Beasties Boys album, you will not be sorry you did!

Good for its Genre
Jimmy Smith, who was a pioneer in the soul jazz genre, here graduates into jazz-funk. Though I love the Hammond B-3 organ he used throughout his career, he never was quite as much an originator as Grant Green or Stanley Turrentine. Still, his earlier soul jazz outings, especially his collaborations with Wes Montgomery have something to be said for them. Root Down is certainly an enjoyable listen, it does owe its debt to the funk music outside of the jazz world that was now making an impact on it. Though it is less predictable and more catchier than previous recordings, it never breaks the mold of jazz funk. Play it back to back with Miles Davis' "On the Corner" and see which comes out a winner.

Funkus extremus
This is some good stuff right here. No foolin'.

I have had this album for awhile and was saddened to hear that Mr. Smith died in Feb 2005. RIP. The soul has left the earthly container, but I suspect this music will stand the test of time. Thirty four years later, it sounds incredibly fresh.

It is one of those albums that you can have for 10 years, not listen to it for 3 months, put it in and be like "nice." Though I don't think I have gone more than a month.

Highly recommended.

The art of acid funk organ
First - "Root Down" is the hottest and rawest down-to-earth funkadelic live album recorded by Jimmy Smith and with his most unusual live group in the '70's. Secondly - he never did a follow up album with the concept. Too bad! Recorded live in Los Angeles in February 1972, the group of young musicians rooted in modern progressive rock/jazzrock and funk seems to have no respect for the organ master is and pushes him beyond normal limits. With Wilton Felder (yes, the man from Crusaders) plays his funky elbass, some guitar distortion/wah-wah from Artur Adams and funky drumming from Paul Humphrey, the band sounds astonishing modern in the acid jazz vein, even for today's standards. Smith kicks off laying down blues drenched organ grooves that truly cook on his originals like "Sagg Shootin' His Arrow", "Root Down" and Slow Down Sagg". The too often played "After Hours" sounds fresh and new adding Steve Williams on harmonica. The reissue is even greater than the original album since Verve have restored original tracks to their full and unedited length...great work from Verve!