AMG Review of Walk on the Wild Side: The Best of the Verve Years

Richie Unterberger
All Music Guide

Smith recorded most of his most popular sides for Verve, and this double CD contains 25 tracks taken from his recordings for the label between 1962 and 1973, in both small-combo and big-band settings. There are a few Jimmy Smith compilations out there, and this isn't necessarily the best; anthologies that focus on his early and mid-'60s prime might be better values overall. It does have his most famous performances -- "Walk on the Wild Side," "Got My Mojo Working," and a couple of his great duets with guitarist Wes Montgomery. It's a decent enough pickup if you just want one or two Smith albums for your library, though not so definitive that it's worth getting if you already have some Smith compilations that cover the Verve era.