Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is a 1964 studio album, by organist Jimmy Smith, and released on the Verve label. Smith is accompanied by a big band, with arrangements by Oliver Nelson and Claus Ogerman.
Reception The album received 4½ "stars" from "DownBeat" magazine. Their review stated AllMusic reviewer Michael G. Nastos, only gave the album 2½ stars stating that:
The album was Smith's third highest-charting album, on which he spent 31 weeks; it charted as high as number 16, on the US Billboard 200 charts.
Track listing "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue" (Richard Rodgers) – 7:06 "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Pt. 1" (Don Kirkpatrick, Keith Knox) – 4:29 "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Pt. 2" (Kirkpatrick, Knox) – 5:00 "John Brown's Body" (Traditional) – 5:18 "Wives and Lovers" (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) – 3:17 "Women of the World" (Riziero Ortolani) – 5:47 "Bluesette" (Toots Thielemans) – 3:40
Recorded on January 20 (#1), 21 (#2–3) and January 27 (#4–7), 1964.
Personnel Musicians Jimmy Smith – organ Oliver Nelson – arranger (#1–3) Claus Ogerman – arranger, conductor
Technical Creed Taylor – producer Val Valentin – engineer Rudy Van Gelder – engineer Acy Lehman – design Roy De Carava – photography Daddio Daylie – liner notes
Chart performance Album Chart (1964)PeakpositionTotalweeksU.S. Billboard 2001631
Single YearSingleChartPosition1964"Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Pt. 1"Billboard Hot 10072
References