The Nineteenth Whole - Smilin' [1972]

Indianapolis soul-jazz trio Nineteenth Whole first played together as backup musicians for jazz guitar great Grant Green, forming their own group to record the 1972 Smilin' album on Eastbound Records. Vibist/singer Billy Wooten, organist/singer Emanuel Riggins, and drummer "Mad" Harold Cardwell were joined by a few sessionmen for the LP, including noted guitarist Cornell Dupree, who took all the guitar solos. 
The record was solid early-'70s soul-jazz in which the musicians sounded more comfortable with the soul idiom than many did on releases given a soul-jazz tag, offering five mostly instrumental, lengthy pieces with funky grooves and some sparkling organ-vibes-guitar interaction. The group also recorded a live album, featuring Wooten, under the name Wooden Glass.



                                                 

                                                                        Enjoy!