The Stinger (album)

The Stinger is an album by jazz organist Johnny "Hammond" Smith recorded for the Prestige label in 1965.

The Stinger
Studio album by Johnny "Hammond" Smith
Released	1965
Recorded	May 7, 1965
Studio	Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ
Genre	Jazz
Length	32:03
Label	Prestige PR 7408
Producer	Cal Lampley
Johnny "Hammond" Smith chronology
A Little Taste (1963) The Stinger (1965) The Stinger Meets the Golden Thrush (1966)

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic

The Allmusic site awarded the album 3 stars stating "The Stinger is worth picking up for its cover alone -- for reasons beyond comprehension, the pop-art sleeve sports a vintage drawing of the classic DC Comics hero Green Lantern, bizarrely re-colored to feature a red and yellow costume. A casual, after-hours insouciance permeates the grooves inside -- although the arrangements and mood fit squarely within the soul jazz tradition, the performances also bear a dusky allure rooted firmly in the blues".

Track listing

All compositions by Johnny "Hammond" Smith except where noted

1. "The Stinger" - 6:40
2. "There Is No Greater Love" (Isham Jones, Marty Symes) - 5:30
3. "Brother John" - 3:55
4. "Cleopatra and the African Knight" - 4:55
5. "You Don't Know What Love Is" (Gene de Paul, Don Raye) - 6:50
6. "Benny's Diggin'" - 4:15

Personnel

• Johnny "Hammond" Smith - organ
• Houston Person (tracks 1, 4 & 6) - tenor saxophone
• Earl Edwards (tracks 1, 2, 3 & 5) - tenor saxophone
• Floyd Smith - guitar
• John Harris - drums

Production

• Cal Lampley - producer
• Rudy Van Gelder - engineer