The Sermon!

This 1958 album is the template for organ jazz, and at its core is Smith—the instrument’s defining figure. The 20-minute title cut—Smith’s greatest song—boasts a deeply funky groove, rooted in blues and gospel, with plenty of space for solos by trumpeter Lee Morgan and saxophonists Lou Donaldson and Tina Brooks. In the back, guitarist Kenny Burrell and drummer Art Blakey keep the rhythm locked down. With Smith at the very top of his game, “J.O.S.” and the ballad “Flamingo” are also incredible tunes.

When Jimmy Smith exploded onto the jazz scene in 1956, he changed everything about the way the organ was used and perceived in jazz.