Lonnie Liston Smith

 Lonnie Liston Smith is only a very recent discovery of mine. I think that my brain had always confused Ramsey Lewis with Lonnie Liston Smith. I had purchased a Ramsey Lewis album (1978's Legacy) back in college totally based on wanting to hear more from the composer of the wonderful song, "Sun Goddess" covered by Earth, Wind & Fire for their Gratitude album, but Ramsey's music just wasn't what I needed to hear at that time. For some reason "Lonnie Liston Smith" always registered as "Ramsey Lewis" in my diminutive brain. Thus, until a couple of months ago (maybe two) I had never, ever heard the wonderful music of Lonnie Liston Smith. This upsets me to no end because Lonnie's music is exactly the kind of music that I would have loved and fed off of during my entry into the world of the metaphysical and occult in the early 1980s. I now know, own, and have reviewed five of 

The Richmond (VA)-born keyboard player got his start in the rich music scene of Baltimore in the early  1960s while earning a degree in music education from Morgan State University. In 1963 he then moved to New York City where he played with Betty Carter's band, with Roland Kirk before joining Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers where he worked alongside keyboard players Mike Nock and Keith Jarrett. Then he went back to Roland Kirk before spending a year with Max Roach. The final stage of his tutelage was in an apprenticeship with Pharoah Sanders from 1968 to 1971 with brief stints with Miles Davis and Gato Barbieri along the way. He was a full-fledged member of Sanders' band for the albums Karma, Jewels of Thought, Thembi and Izipho Zam (which was not released until 1973 despite have been totally recorded in 1969). It was during the recording of Thembi that Lonnie first touched the instrument that would change his life--the instrument that dominated his sound for the rest of his life: the Fender Rhodes electric piano.

The Cosmic Echoes era (1972-1976) is all about trying to make music that might help humanity "expand consciousness" in order to have a chance to achieve more spiritually advanced civility and self-realization. The Columbia years (1976-1980) are all about trying new things: trying to reach people through the more popular musical forms like funk, Disco, R&B, and political activism. It was also about raising up and mentor-developing a new crop of young musicians (in the spirit of one of Lonnie's own mentors and inspirateurs, Miles Davis). This included bassists Marcus Miller, Al Anderson, and Pee Wee Ford, drummer Lino Reyes, guitarist Abdul Wali, guitarist and future producer Ronald D. Miller, and vocalist James Robinson. The 1983 reunion with legendary producer Bob Thiele--who had championed Pharoah Sanders band member Lonnie's solo venture as his own bandleader--and even produced many of the Cosmic Echoes albums on his own Flying Dutchman label--ushered in a new period of creative inspiration and high quality musical production. I love all of Lonnie's periods of development and evolution. I can't wait to continue my explorations of his music with more of the releases from the Doctor Jazz era as well as his venture into Acid Jazz that I've heard so much about. To be continued!

LONNIE LISTON SMITH & The Cosmic Echoes Astral Traveling (Jan. 1, 1973)

Fresh out of his rotating apprenticeships with Pharoah Sanders, Gato Barbieri, and Stanley Turrentine (after cutting his milk teeth with Betty Carter, Roland Kirk, and Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers), on this January 1, 1973 release the keyboard master Lonnie Liston Smith nominates himself as one of the all-time kings of serious jazz-musicians who turned almost exclusively toward the creation of absolutely beautiful, positive, stress-reducing mood music.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Lonnie Liston Smith / piano, electric piano [Fender Rhodes]

- Cecil McBee / bass

- James Mtume / congas, percussion 

- Sonny Morgan / congas, percussion

- David Lee, Jr. / drums

- Joe Beck / guitar

- George Barron / saxophones [soprano & tenor]

- Badal Roy / tabla

- Geeta Vashi / tambura

A1. "Astral Traveling" (5:30) an awesomely soothing bass and percussion groove (using several classical Indian instruments) over which Lonnie plays an incredibly spacious echoing Fender Rhodes. The interplay of tabla, tambura, two congas, and drums is sublime! George Barron is invited in to introduce an absolutely to-the-core soothing melody on his soprano saxophone--and then he provides the finishing recapitulation in the final minute. But the most amazing sorcerer in this magical song is bass player Cecil McBee. What an amazing song! What vision! Sheer perfection or beyond! (11/10)

  
A2. "Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord" (6:30) a veritable shower of exotic percussion and electric piano within which George Barron soothes and woos us with his sublime saxophone play. (9.25/10)  

A3. "Rejuvenation" (5:50) with piano and a more-traditional jazz combo core, this song sounds a lot like a joyful, whimsical Latinized take on some Vince Guaraldi Peanuts music. So eminently enjoyable and good-feeling! This is the kind of music you want playing in your kids environment: skating on the outdoor rink, playing nighttime basketball on the driveway beneath the floodlights, receiving them when they return from school each day. There's also quite a little borrowed in Lonnie's piano chord play from McCoy Tyner's piano play on John Coltrane's version of "My Favorite Things." How do you go better than that? (9.5/10)

B1. "I Mani (Faith)" (6:10) with its long, lingering opening intro, this one sounds very much like something from the John Coltrane/Pharoah Sanders/Alice Coltrane school of improvisational jazz. George really gets to stretch out on this one--entering some kind of free-jazz transcendental "zone" in the third minute--which he sustains over the next two minutes as the wind-on-the-lake cacophony of the introductory barrage continues. In the fifth minute, then, the surface of the lake begins to smooth and George follows suit, drifting inexorably back down to Earth like an autumn leaf. (9/10)

B2. "In Search Of Truth" (7:04) another soothing groove that conjures up cosmic connections even more than anything I've ever heard from Germany's Kosmische Musik musicians and songs. Once again the employment of Indian instruments (the droning tambura and tabla mixed in with the congas) secures the hypnotic portal required for pure transcendence. (15/15) 

B3. "Aspirations" (4:20) an exploration of beauty through the pulsations of Lonnie's chorused electric piano, tout seul. Perhaps this was music that inspired VANGELIS for some of his beautiful soundtrack music for Blade Runner et al. Perhaps it even inspired Fred Rogers (or, more accurately, Fred's virtuoso pianist music director, Johnny Costa) to bring a Fender Rhodes (or Fender Rhodes-like sound) into his studio for his episodes of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. Lonnie's song here definitely conveys the life-affirming that seems to have become his adoptive message and raison d'être. (9/10) 

Total time: 35:24

96.54 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; an absolute masterpiece of genre-expanding Jazz-Rock Fusion--one that proclaimed the fact that there is plenty of room in the Jazz and Jazz-Rock Fusion worlds for music that strives to effectively raise spiritual consciousness not just express the player(s)' cosmic ecstasy. Highly recommended to all music lovers--and especially to those who like to use music to reach higher states of spiritual receptivity.

LONNIE LISTON SMITH & The Cosmic Echoes Cosmic Funk (Released on Aug. 2, 1974.)

Recorded by Bob Thiele for his Flying Dutchman Records and release on August 2, 1974.

Line-up / Musicians:

 - Lonnie Liston Smith / piano [acoustic], electric piano, percussion

- Lawrence Killian / congas, percussion
- Art Gore / drums
- Al Anderson / electric bass
- Andrew Cyrille / percussion

- Doug Hammond / percussion

- Ron Bridgewater / percussion
- George Barron / soprano saxophone, flute, percussion
- Donald Smith / vocals, piano, flute

A1. "Cosmic Funk" (5:35) combine SLY AND THE FAMILY STONES' "Thank You (Falettinme be Mice Elf)" with RARE EARTH's "I Just Want to Celebrate" and this is what you might get. Cool, funky, and expressive (especially through Donald Smith's impassioned vocals) but a little repetitive and drawn out. (8.75/10)

A2. "Footprints" (6:08) a cover of a Wayne Shorter song, what starts out fairly mellow, turns into something more in tune with the old jazz sounds and stylings from which Lonnie emerged in the 1960s. Not really J-R Fusion or Cosmic Bliss, the song is dominated by George Barron's traditional sounding jazz saxophone expressions as well as Lonnie's piano. (8.5/10)

A3. "Beautiful Woman" (6:57) sounds like a piano version of Marvin Gaye's spiritually-uplifting What's Going On-era music over which Donald Smith gives a very nice, smooth LEON THOMAS-like performance. As usual, we get great percussion and accompaniment from the rhythm section as well as some gentle support from George Barron's winds. (13.75/15) 

B1. "Sais (Egypt)" (8:15) with this song that is credited to percussionist MTUME, now we're moving back toward the hypnotic kosmische musik of Lonnie's niche-defining debut solo album, Astral Traveling. Bassist Al Anderson and the percussion team of Andrew Cyrille, Doug Hammond, Ron Bridgewater, Lawrence Killian, and drummer Art Gore establish a TRAFFIC "Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys"  motif for George Barron to solo over with his reverbed soprano sax while Lonnie employs a heavily-echoed Fender Rhodes while his left-handed piano chords add a steady fullness to the rhythm track. When Lonnie takes the lead somewhere in the fourth minute the percussionists use the spacey foundation to go on a tear of show-off playing, but then George returns in the sixth minute to settle them down a bit. The music thins in the seventh minute leaving Lonnie and Al Anderson's bass more exposed--which they kind of take advantage of (but not really). (13.5/15)

B2. "Peaceful Ones" (5:03) Another beautiful and mesmerizing sonic field (with a repeating killer key change every 30-seconds or so!) supports Donald Smith's beautiful message of hope and love, sung in a gorgeous upper register voice. Metal percussion tinkles away with the congas, drums and others but far more gently than an the previous songs. The melodies, chords, and key changes feel as if they were stolen by Bruce Cockburn for his 1991 hit "The Charity of Night." Cosmically beautiful! (14.75/15)

B3. "Naima" (4:02) a cover of a famous John Coltrane song receives the Goddess worship treatment from vocal/lyricist Donald Smith. A beautiful rendition. (9.25/10)

Total time: 35:00

With this album we can see how Jazz-Rock Fusion's growing infatuation with Funk has taken bliss-master Lonnie Liston Smith and his Cosmic Echoes on a detour. Also, I have the feeling that Lonnie and or/this album in particular was one of the inspirations for Freddie Hubbard and Al Jarreau's collaboration on their 1979 song,"Little Sunflower."

91.333 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of Jazz-Rock Fusion. Highly recommended to all who love to move with a little funk before wallow in the beauty of bliss.

LONNIE LISTON SMITH & The Cosmic Echoes Expansions (1975)

Recorded in New York City on November 25 & 26 of 1974 by Bob Thiele for Flying Dutchman Records, Lonnie & The Echoes' third album together, Expansions, was released early in 1975. 

Line-up / Musicians:

- Lonnie Liston Smith / piano, electric piano, keyboards [electronic keyboard textures] 

- Cecil McBee / bass
- Leopoldo / bongos, percussion
- Michael Carvin / clavinet
- Lawrence Killian / congas, percussion
- Art Gore / drums
- Michael Carvin / percussion

- Donald Smith / flute, vocals, vocal textures 

- Dave Hubbard / saxophones [tenor, soprano], flute [alto]

A1. "Expansions" (6:04) an awesome funk-cruisin' groove over which Lonnie's wah-wah-ed Fender Rhodes bounces and Donald Smith's smooth voice and expressive flute slashes and thrashes. It feels right that the Cosmic Echoes now have a full-time clavinet player on board (Michal Carvin). Cecil Bee is his usual awesome self while J-R-F's best percussion team hold it close and a little unusually tight. (9.125/10) 

A2. "Desert Nights" (6:45) Lonnie switches to piano while the rhythm crew establish a slow-groovin' motif to quell us into nighttime submission while flute, sax, piano, and drums take turns spewing forth their subdued solos, flourishes, and fills. Lonnie's piano pounding feels a little unsuited to the desert vibe being bouyed by the others but then, who knew he'd have had a history with Don Pullen? (8.875/10)

   
A3. "Summer Days" (5:53) a happy-go-lucky two key samba sounding like something from a Herb Alpert or Sergio Mendes song. Here we find Lonnie once again reverting to the acoustic piano as his main voice. (8.75/10)

B1. "Voodoo Woman" (4:13) a very engaging song that is built over a more insistent beat (due to the prominence of the clavinet). Flutes, hand percussives, and Lonnie's flanged Fender Rhodes make this rather two dimensional song rise above the Easy Listening fare of artists like the more-pop-oriented Bob James, The Crusaders, Grover Washington, Jr., and Hubert Laws but don't quite take it into the arena of the jazz-funk greats like War, Mandrill, Osibisa, Kool & The Gang, Earth, Wind & Fire, the Ohio Players, or The Isley Brothers. (8.875/10) 

B2. "Peace" (4:13) a gentle song with Donald Smith back in the vocal driver's seat--very much a vocal-centric song that sounds as if it is built over a variation of Leon Russell's "This Masquerade" chord and melody lines. Very pleasant and jazzy but nothing earth-shattering or ground-breaking. (8.75/10) 

B3. "Shadows" (6:20) another gentle melody line around which is constructed a weave of bass, flanged drums, congas and other hand percussives, and rich electric piano and synth strings textures. Dave Hubbard plays a gentle sax over the top before Lonnie takes over with his delay-echoed Fender Rhodes. (He must have really been trying hard to figure out how to use this echo effect. It's really hard to do--and Lonnie by no means crushes it.) The overall music is actually good but diminished by (8.875/10)

B4. "My Love" (5:40) how can one not like this beautiful song! Donald Smith sings a flawless vocal over a great musical tapestry of support. This is a song I would love to see live--to dance with my beautiful wife to. Lonnie's piano playing is absolutely perfect for this, and the two-key motif so lovely and romantic--with the usual awesome work of the rhythm & percussion team beneath. (9.25/10)

Total time: 39:08

The Cosmic Echoes continue on their funk-imbued quest to promote the manifestation and realization of higher states of consciousness.

89.29 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of early Easy Listening / Adult Contemporary / Smooth Jazz. 

LONNIE LISTON SMITH & The Cosmic Echoes Visions of a New World (1975)

Recorded with Bob Thiele in New York City at Electric Lady Studios, July 18-20, 1975, Visions was then published by Flying Dutchman Records in September.

Line-up / Musicians:

– Lonnie Liston Smith / keyboards

- Greg Maker / bass (A1, A2, A4, B1, B3, B4)

- Angel Allende / bongos, percussion (A1, A2, A3, A4, B1, B3, B4)

- Lawrence Killian / congas, percussion (A1, A2, A3, A4, B1, B3, B4)

- Art Gore / drums (A1, A2, A4, B1, B3, B4)

- Wilby Fletcher / drums (A1, A2, A4, B1, B3, B4)

- Reggie Lucas / guitar (A1, B3)

- Dave Hubbard / horns (A1, A2, B1, B3, B4), Soprano Sax (A4)

- Michael Carvin / percussion (A1, A2, A4, B1, B3, B4)

- Ray Armando / percussion (A1, A2, A4, B1, B3, B4)

- Clifford Adams / trombone (A1, A3)

- Cecil Bridgewater / trumpet (A1, B3)

- Donald Smith / vocals (A1, A3, B2), Flute (A2, B1, B4)

A1. "A Chance For Peace" (5:18) opens like a heavier, funkier version of Herbie Hancock's "Hidden Shadows" before Donald Smith's Vernon White-like vocal and horn accents join in to present a WAR-like tune. Great groove! It also sounds like it could come from something composed by Barry White for his Love Unlimited Orchestra or War's "Slippin' into Darkness." I love the wah-wah-ed rhythm guitar, the Arp strings, the usual multiple percussionists hard at work, and, of course, Lonnie's pedaled and oscillating Fender Rhodes. Donald's vocal performance is so unusual for him--that natural smooth beauty is ameliorated by trying the direct, hard-punching approach more common to Vernon White and War's Howard Brown. Great song! (9.333/10)

A2. "Love Beams" (4:07) beautiful lazy-day-I'm-in-Heaven float music over which Donald return his beautiful flute playing. A song that could be repeated ad infinitum for the creation of a state permanent bliss. (10/10)

A3. "Colors Of The Rainbow" (5:53) Donald and Lonnie lining up again to worship the Earth Goddess. Beautiful music that succeeds in chasing out any and all demons of stress and anxiety. (9/10)

A4. "Devika (Goddess)" (5:14) beautiful love funk as "told" through Dave Hubbard's sweet saxophone. Greg Maker's laid-back bass play is so uber-cool! (9.25/10)

B1. "Sunset" (4:10) gentle late-night love-lounging music, perfect for sitting with one's cocktail on the tropical vacation home's veranda watching the sunset. Evokes one's natural stress reduction. Could use a little more dynamics, variation, or development. (8.875/10)

B2. "Visions Of A New World (Phase I)" (2:08) roiling ocean piano bottom turns into a rainbow of flitting, flying notes, prompting Donald to join in singing in his usual celestial voice, soaring high above the piano as he goes beyond words. (4.625/5) 

B3. "Visions Of A New World (Phase II)" (3:40) a percussion-fronted weave of gentle funk that suggests dancing--both slow dancing (with a partner) and fast dancing independently. The groove is definitely infectious, ending far sooner than the feet and core want it to. Could be another love theme to a scene in a Black sexploitation film. On a level near to that of Kool & The Gang's "Summer Madness." (9.125/10) 

B4. "Summer Nights" (5:05) Man! can these guys match their music with their titles! Another great late night groove that seems to continue the mood set up by Side Two's opening song "Sunset." My guess is that the two were intended to kind of bookend the side as they do. Great work from Lonnie on both his Fender and his Arp strings play in support. I love the effects he's using on the Fender Rhodes on both his richly-textured left hand as well as the Vangelis Blade Runner-like lead up top. The use of Donald's very understated voice as a support instrument for the main melody as well as his almost-whispered slow repetition of the song title is so perfect! (9.25/10)

Total Time 34:55

Some of the greatest smooth mood music you'll ever hear. There is not a lot of dynamic jazz here but there are very few albums or artists that you will ever hear who so master the gentle moods as Lonnie and the Echoes do here. There is such little need for flash here: as a matter of fact it would be a detriment to the perfection of this music if anyone involved was seeking ego stroking. There really are no egos here! Just a collective trying to administer peace and bliss to the world.  

92.61 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a perfect album of Smooth Jazz: so smooth and yet somehow still maintaining the integrity of jazz through a gentle kind of funk. As a contingent of Jazz-Rock Fusion artists moves closer to the Smooth, Easy Listening, Adult Contemporary Jazz we find a few leaders in the group. Lonnie and his loyal band of Cosmic Echoes are in that leadership role and this album is one of the earliest and finest masterpieces of the movement.  

LONNIE LISTON SMITH & The Cosmic Echoes Reflections of a Golden Dream (1976)

Lonnie and the Echoes team up with Bob Thiele and his Flying Dutchman label for yet another majestic display of "mind-expanding" music for the masses.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Lonnie Liston Smith / Lead Vocals, Electric Piano, Other [Electric Colorations] 

- Al Anderson / Bass

- Leopoldo Fleming / Vocals, Guitar, Congas, Percussion
- Wilby Fletcher / Drums

- Guilherme Franco / Percussion

- Arthur Kaplan / Saxophone [Baritone]

- George Opalisky / Saxophone [Tenor]

- David Hubbard / Saxophone, Flute

- Joe Shepley / Trumpet, Flugelhorn 

- Jon Faddis / Trumpet, Flugelhorn 

- Donald Smith / Flute, Vocals

With: 

- Maeretha Stewart, Patti Austin, Vivian Cherry / Backing Vocals [Chorus] 

A1. "Get Down Everybody (It's Time For World Peace)" (4:19) what sounds like an anthemic Blaxploitation song set in a Disco funk milieu. Nice music with requisite sassy female b vox and real horns accenting the call of the title phrase by Lonnie himself. The brief bridge in the middle is derivative of Marvin Gaye's What's Going On album's sound palette. Very nice percussion work.  (8.75/10)

A2. "Quiet Dawn" (3:29) reverting to his bread-and-butter: the relaxing music that remains founded in jazz yet previews the coming takeover of Smooth Jazz. Synth strings, congas, simple bass line, and sonorous flutes back Lonnie's exquisite piano tinklings on the upper registers. So calming. (9.125/10)

 

A3. "Sunbeams" (3:52) percussion rich Latin-lite with bass and autoharp opens this one before low-note flutes and bouncy piano join in. Soprano sax takes the first solo while Lonnie' synth strings enrich the sonic field. Lonnie's piano takes the second solo, using a more melodic-yet-definitely jazz approach. Drums and flutes get to show off a bit in the final minute. (9/10)

A4. "Meditations" (4:21) "dirty" Fender Rhodes plays Blade Runner-like over wind-chime-like piano arpeggi and other mid-range piano and Fender chords and water-like arpeggi and runs. Lonnie tout seul. Very pretty. (8.875/10)

A5. "Peace & Love" (2:39) a Leopold Fleming composition unveils a different more Sly & The Family Stone approach to the album's opening song. The only song on the album not composed and arranged by Lonnie. (4.375/5)

B1. "Beautiful Woman" (5:57) a Marvin Gaye-like funk-lite tune with Lonnie's usual mastery of "full" textural weaves. Nice wah-wah rhythm guitar, clavinet, and "dirty" Fender Rhodes with some stellar drumming from Wilby Fletcher. Flutes, steady bass and bongos, and the smooth voice of brother Donald Smith add so much enrichment. (8.875/10)

B2. "Goddess Of Love" (4:24) a rich sonic field seems to carry forward some of the essence of the previous song (especially in the bass line and rhythm guitar sound) while Lonnie's synth strings and Fender magic double up with calming flute notes to set up this very engaging, hypnotic tune. After the 90 second opening sucks us in and settles us into our pool-side lounge chair we are treated to some of the Master's Fender piano melody magic. Very rich and beautiful. (9/10)

B3. "Inner Beauty" (2:18) swirling piano arpeggi and glissandi with wordless vocalese and saxophone laying out the gentle melody over the top. Nice work from Donald, David, and percussionists Leopold Fleming and Guilherme Franco. (4.5/5)

B4. "Golden Dreams" (4:47) gentle Latin foundation with breathy flutes and gentle Fender Rhodes two-chords supporting Lonnie's pleasant-though-unpolished singing voice. In the third minute Lonnie's heavily-reverbed "dirty" Fender Rhodes lends an equally-gentle and very pleasant solo.  Nice song that transports the listener as do so many of Lonnie's songs. (8.875/10)

B5. "Journey Into Space" (2:29) individual chimes (or tubular bells) with water percussion sounds and other swipes and hits of synth sounds, muted kalimba, echoed flute riffs, and lots of other sounds that sound more like African jungles than space. (4.375/5)

89.12 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a wonderful collection of songs exhibiting Lonnie's usual polish and excellent engineered, composed, and produced music. There's a lot of pop and smooth jazz leanings on display here but it's still of that ultra-engaging jazz-trained heart. 

LONNIE LISTON SMITH & The Cosmic Echoes Renaissance (1976)

The Echoes are crumbling: falling into the allure and trappings of the more commercially-successful but soulless musics of Earth, Wind & Fire, Bob James, and Freddie Hubbard. The recording and release of the music that reached Renaissance was supervised by Bob Thiele on behalf of RCA Records all within the calendar year 1976.

Line-up/Musicians:

- Gene Bertoncini / Acoustic Guitar
- Al Anderson / Bass
- Leon Pendarvis / Clavinet
- Lawrence Killian / Congas
- Wilby Fletcher / Drums
- David Hubbard / Flute, Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone
- Donald Smith / Flute, Vocals
- Guilherme Franco / Percussion
- Lonnie Liston Smith / Piano [Acoustic], Electronics [Electronic Colorations]

 - Ken Bichel / Synthesizer [Moog]

A1. "Space Lady" (6:40) great heavily-processed electric bass coupled with the clavinet and keyboard-generated electronic bass. Lonnie has definitely mastered the strings (must be a new keyboard he's using to generate them). Flute, saxophone and Fender Rhodes are exemplary at adding the smooth textures while the song remains totally grounded in Jazz-Funk. Brilliant! (9.25/10)

A2. "Mardi Gras (Carnival)" (6:02) raucous celebratory music so fittingly titled. Here Lonnie moves back to his acoustic piano while the percussion team and rhythm section hold fast to a Latin motif start to finish. Great energy and, of course, get-up-and-dance motivation. Nice contributions from the flutes, too. (8.875/10)

A3. "Starlight And You" (5:21) rich, chorused Fender Rhodes with airy flute and percussives open this before the bass, drums, and synth strings set up a gentle NORMAN CONNORS-like motif for Donald Smith to sing over. The problem comes in that Donald is singing a sexy love song--something that feels icky/uncomfortable for we the listener after all of his hymns to the Sun, the Moon, the Earth, and the Cosmos. Plus, the song has less jazz pinions and more pop-Soul/R&B foundations than anything I've heard before from Lonnie and the Echoes. (8.66667/10)

B1. "Mongotee" (5:44) back to some jazz-funk with percussion, bass and sax-and-flute providing the grist to the motif. Lonnie's synth strings take over the lead in the third minute, showing his skill at arranging and conducting for an orchestra. (8.75/10)  

B2. "A Song Of Love" (4:05) the band tries returning to their more universal themes of praise and gratitude within a song that feels like the band has finally gone fully over to the making of Easy Listening Elevator music. It's good--for that genre--but it just feels so strongly as if it is loosing its jazz-soul to something more commercially-oriented--as if the band is more invested in getting something out for the sales and radio play than the expression of their inner longings and spiritually-elevating mission. (8.75/10)

B3. "Between Here And There" (2:36) Lonnie soloing on his heavily-treated Fender Rhodes. Loveley. (4.5/5)

B4. "Renaissance" (4:53) A high-quality soul/R&B song more akin to the pop-successful music of Earth, Wind & Fire, Rick James, or Steely Dan--complete with female background vocalists. The band has lost their center: allowed it to drop from the heart and third eye to the pelvis. And Donald! I commend your past commitment to the attainment of higher planes while worrying about the giving in to the temptations of the carnal world. (8.75/10)

Total Time: 35:34

Too much of this album is dedicated to showing off Lonnie's new found string synthesizer--and the skill he has at working orchestral strings arrangements into his music. 

88.53 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a collection of very nice, smooth easy listening songs bordering on pop directed. 

LONNIE LISTON SMITH Loveland (1978)

Say goodbye to the Cosmic Echoes, hello Columbia Records. With this album, Lonnie eschews his wonderful team of collaborators of the past six years. The "cosmic" "expanding consciousness" pretense of his Cosmic Echoes years seems also on the outs, here choosing to try to reach to connect and entertain the pop-oriented masses, using more generic, humanized love themes in place of the celestial ones. This is also the album on which Lonnie introduces to the world the 18-year old bass phenom he discovered as a 16-year old, Marcus Miller! Marcus appears on songs 1, 3 & 4 of Side One. His talents are already prodigious. 

Lineup / Musicians:

- Lonnie Liston Smith / Keyboards

- George Johnson / Drums 

- Lawrence Killian / Congas, Percussion

- Ronald D. Miller / Electric guitars, acoustic guitar (B3)

- Donald Smith / Flutes (A1, A3, A4, B2), Vocals (A2, B1, B3)

- David Hubbard / Flutes (A1, A2, B2), Soprano Saxophone (A3, A4, B3, B4)

With:

- Marcus Miller / Bass (1, 3, 4)

- Al Anderson / Bass (B2, B3, B4)

A1. "Sunburst" (4:08) great start! Funky Smooth Jazz in the territory of masters like BOB JAMES and the LAWS family. Flute, funky bass, great near-Disco drums and percussion, with Lonnie's electric piano virtuosity on full display. I love that he is still so enamored of the continually-evolving technologies of electric keyboards. This is really a fun, zippy song! (9.125/10)

A2. "Journey into Love" (5:19) another slower BOB JAMES-like song over which brother Donald sings among the spacey keys, horn accents, and steady but deep and rich "Papa Was a Rolling Stone"-like bass. (8.875/10)

A3. "Floating Through Space" (4:35) so rich and lovely! One can just get lost floating in the psychedelic ether while supported by Marcus' steady, engaging bass line. (9.5/10)

A4. "Bright Moments" (6:43) built on engaging yet simple (watered down) Latin rhythms with Lonnie's piano pounding/accenting brilliantly right along with the rhythm section as David Hubbard's saxophone carries the main melody. I could listen to piano solos like this all day long! (9.25/10)

B1. "We Can Dream" (5:00) another funky rhythm-supported R&B song with Lonnie's brother Donald singing in his gorgeous Leon Thomas/Philip Bailey-like voice. The lyrics and melody used to deliver them aren't quite up to the quality of the music with its strings and horn arrangements. Even Lonnie's Fender solo is lacking a little zip and zest despite the ample support. (8.75/10)

B2. "Springtime Magic" (4:18) built around a two-chord strummed rhythm guitar sequence, the bass and flute almost immediately add something interesting to the mix, but the drums are a bit robotic and the rhythm guitar quickly fades into the realm of forgottenhood. Lonnie and the ethereal flutes (there are two of them) try to keep us entertained but even they fall short. (8.75/10) 

B3. "Loveland" (3:30) now here's a song that seems to reach back into the old palette of magic that Lonnie and Donald had with the Cosmic Echoes. I love it when Donald sounds like Leon Thomas. So commanding! (8.875/10)

B4. "Explorations" (6:27) an arrangement of a horn bank opens this one, sounding almost like a Christmas Carole type of theme, but then super-fast funk bass kicks in with Lonnie's swirling electric piano and some solid CHIC-like rhythm guitar supporting David Hubbard's deep and rich soprano sax sound soloing up front. In a big surprise, an electric guitar solo takes over the third minute--Ronald D. Miller's tone taking on an ERNIE ISLEY or LARRY CORYELL like sound and style. Impressive! And he gets to keep the spotlight well into the fifth minute! Truly Herculean (in the Ernie Isley way). The song's main foundation is not very different from that of Eumir Deodato's "Superstrut" with some absolutely stellar funk bass and rhythm guitar play. And Lonnie doesn't even take a second of solo for himself: just funking things up with his heavily-processed electronic keyboards. In the end I realize how this song is built over the same chord and rhythm pacing as the album's opening song, "Sunburst." (9.125/10)  

The music through out this album is smooth, very lush and engaging and very well crafted--and still jazzy in its foundations. These are really great songs, some of them probably ideal for the Discotheque or Adult Contemporary "Quiet Storm" or "Pillow Talk" night time radio play. It's like a step up from the Bob James and (Jazz) Crusaders productions of the time, similar to the music of the Laws brothers (Hubert and Ronnie), but even more mature and "polished."

90.31 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of very high quality Smooth Jazz.

LONNIE LISTON SMITH Exotic Mysteries (1978) 

Lonnie's second album since discarding his Cosmic Echoes (save for brother Donald) and his second for Columbia Records. Now 19-years old, full band member Marcus Miller gets to show off his talents as a bass player, arranger, and composer! Lonnie's conversion to a pop orientation, here both Disco, pop R&B and Smooth Jazz, is complete though there are still some very jazzy elements, threads, and arrangements within the songs--even among such smooth classics as "Quiet Moments." Marcus' two compositions, "Space Princess" and "Night Flower" both earned a lot of play: the former as a dance favorite at discotheques, the latter as another late night Adult Contemporary radio favorite. The album possesses excellent sound engineering and very engaging, mature, and skillful performances, especially in the richly-textured smooth jazz songs. Though hardcore jazz purists will detest this music, there can be no denying that Lonnie and company are master crafters of very engaging, eminently enjoyable music.

Lineup / Musicians:

- Lonnie Liston Smith / Piano, Electric Piano, Producer

- Marcus Miller / Bass

- Steve Thornton / Congas, Percussion

- Lino Reyes / Drums

- Ronald D. Miller / Guitars

With:

- Donald Smith / Vocals (A1), Flute (A4, B2, B4)

- David Hubbard / Flute (A4), Soprano Saxophone (B2, B4)

- Butch Campbell / Rhythm guitar (B1)

- Aurell Ray / 12-string guitar (B1)

A1. "Space Princess" (7:00) an awesome and very solid Disco dance tune with great fullness, flow, and vocals by both lead singer Donald Smith (Lonnie's brother) and the typical mix of Disco b vox. The "Copacabana" percussion palette in the instrumental fifth and sixth minutes is a bit distracting, but the vocal passages are quite winning. I can see why this would have been quite popular in the discotheques. (13.5/15)

A2. "Quiet Moments" (3:54) a stellar smooth jazz instrumental with a very simple but killer four-note piano melody and lush strings accompaniment (accomplished with one of Lonnie's keyboards?) Reminds me a lot of my father's smooth Ronnie Aldrich albums. Beautiful! (9.25/10)

A3. "Magical Journey" (4:58) more soulful funk/R&B smooth jazz that sounds very much like a cover of a pop song in the way Bob James or one of his stable of musicians might arrange. Solid, high quality; always nice to here Lonnie on the acoustic piano, but nothing ground-breaking here (other than some of Marcus Miller's bass licks and Lonnie's clavinet play). (8.875/10)

A4. "Exotic Mysteries" (5:00) rich lushness that sounds like it could be coming from one of Hubert Laws' lush funky albums of the same period (Flame). Between Marcus' bass play and Lonnie's Fender Rhodes, this song could really win, but there's just something "extra" missing. Not even the late-arriving flutes can elevate it (though they do in fact make it sound even more like something off of Hubert Laws' Flame). (8.875/10)

B1. "Singing for Love" (5:29) more smooth, easy listening jazz-funk with the always-welcome touch of brother Donald's vocals. However, neither the lyrics or melodies here are very good. In fact, it's almost like a repeat of the previous song: great palette and chemistry between the musicians but something intangible missing from the overall pastiche. It's almost like the band is struggling to find inspiring lyrics--forcing it when their "mind-expanding" slices of cosmic bliss from the Cosmic Echoes period were so successful (and, seemingly, effortless). Too bad cuz I do so love this sound palette. (8.75/10)

B2. "Mystical Dreamer (A Tribute to Miles Davis)" (6:00) lush keyboards supported by thin rhythm instrument presence opens this one before the band settles into a smooth jazz-funk motif with lots of subtleties coming from each and every one of the instrumentalists--as well as some cutting edge electronic piano effects--over which airy flutes soar peacefully. Lonnie's richly chorused and reverberated Fender Rhodes takes the lead in the third and fourth minutes. This would work if only the two-chord motif beneath would change, shift, or do something more interesting. (8.875/10)

B3. "Twilight" (1:28) (4.375/5)

B4. "Night Flower" (6:07) almost the same palette, feel, and sound as all of the Side Two songs! What happened to variation, Lonnie!? (8.75/10)

As a contributor to the "Classic" Jazz-Rock Fusion lexicon of the 70s, this is an excellent evidence of the skill and serious music-making attitude involved in the transition to Smooth Jazz though it also demonstrates a fairly complete and unapologetic commitment to said sub-genre of Jazz. It is without a doubt beautiful and still-sophisticated music!

89.0625 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a lovely sound to have as background music behind your evening activities but nothing really remarkable beyond the opening two songs. Of course the real treat here is listening to the development of bass player Marcus Miller. What a talent! 

LONNIE LISTON SMITH A Song for the Children (1979)

 Lonnie's third and penultimate studio album for Columbia Records.

Lineup / Musicians:

- Lonnie Liston Smith / keyboards, piano

- Lino Reyes / drums

- Steve Thornton / congas, percussion

- David Hubbard / flute, saxophones [tenor & soprano]

- Marcus Miller / bass

With:

- Ronnie Miller / guitar (A1, A4, B1, B3)

- Butch Campbell / guitar (A3, B4)

- Kevin J. Perry / guitar (B2)

- Peter Brown / bass (B2)

- Aurell Ray / 12-string guitar (A3, B4)

Backing Vocals: Janet Wright, Ulanda McCullough, Yvonne Lewis
Lead Vocals:  James Robinson

A1. "A Song For The Children" (7:05) Jazzy Disco with a decent dynamic vocal from James Robinson. (13.25/15)

A2. "A Lover's Dream" (4:43) another new sound palette for the ever adventurous keyboard artist. (8.875/10)

A3. "Aquarian Cycle" (4:26) a funked up two-chord smooth jazz tune with a second bridge/break motif over which David Hubbard's doubled up and distorted DAVE SANBORN sound-alike saxophone screeches throughout. It's an Aurell Ray composition. It's okay; not sophisticated enough--too generic. (8.75/10) 

A4. "Street Festival" (4:43) a fairly straightforward Latin-jazz-funk tune from the basic quintet of Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Marcus Miller on bass, the awesome Steve Thornton on a variety of Latin percussion instruments, Lino Reyes on disco drums, and Ronnie Miller on rhythm guitar. As always, it's nice to hear Lonnie leading the way on his acoustic piano, but also his synths strings are awesome. A top three song for me. (9/10)

B1. "Midsummer Magic" (6:08) a Marcus Miller composition in which Marcus sets himself loose to energize and excite. David Hubbard's sax is once again the lead instrument (along with Lonnie's keys) but once again we are kind of put to sleep by the BOB JAMES-like sound palette. I also hear a little of the jazzy stylings and sound palette of Anita Baker's monster hit album, Rapture. (8.875/10) 

B2. "Nightlife" (4:49) an energetic song that bears quite a similarity to BOZ SCAGG's "Lowdown" (without the words or singing, of course). (8.875/10)

B3. "A Gift Of Love" (4:43) it's been a while, but here Lonnie gives guitarist Ronald Miller a chance to exhibit one of his own compositions--with a slow, voice-like guitar solo leading the way over some interesting not-typical-Lonnie music. There's a certain LARRY CORYELL sound and feel to this that I like. In the end, however, (like so many of Larry Coryell's songs) it fails for lacking a feeling of sonic integration. Also, it seems very unfortunate that Ronald's guitar skill only starts to emerge as the song is fading out. (8.875/10) 

B4. "Fruit Music" (6:01) a discofied tune from Aurell Ray that lacks the fullness and meatiness of the true Disco era--sounding more like a STEELY DAN song cut from the Gaucho album. When James Robinson's vocal starts up I want to cringe. Then the "horns" and female b vox! So corny and forced! Aurell's guitar play in the instrumental section in the third minute is nice but then it's cut short by the corny CHIC-like female vocal "fruit mu-SIC" tease-chants and Dicso claps and other percussive work of the rhythm section. (8.75/10) 

After listening to this collection of sometimes lackluster tunes I have my concerns. Is the Maestro's well running dry? or is he, in his position of elder statesman, just trying to do his best to foster and develop the skills and careers of the younger generation of new artists that he's mentoring? cuz the songs he has given up to the creative talents of his bandmates is far more than usual and, unfortunately, the quality and "fullness" of these songs is far less-dimensional and polished than the songs that Lonnie himself writes and executes. 

88.0 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; another excellent collection of background music with a few almost great songs. 

LONNIE LISTON SMITH Love Is the Answer (1980)

Despite this being Lonnie's last album for the Columbia label (and the followup to a rather unispired A Song for the Children), something (or someone[s]) have definitely put some zip back into Lonnie's music.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Lonnie Liston Smith / Piano, Electric Piano

- Pee Wee Ford / Bass

- Lino Reyes / Drums

- Lawrence Killian / Congas, Bongos

- Abdul Wali / Guitar 

- Asante / Percussion

- Dave Hubbard / Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute

With:

- James "Crabbe" Robinson / Vocals, Guitar (A3)

- WM "Doc"Powell / Guitar (B4)

And:

- Backing Vocals: Butch Jackson, Cassie Hawkins, Gloria Jones, Keith Rose , Marcella Allen
- Horns: Albert "Duke" Jones , Johnathan Lewis, Kevin Jasper, Koran Daniels, Louis P. Barbarin*

A1. "In The Park" (4:19) an uptempo Latin-percussion-led song with fretless bass and piano falling into place until Dave Hubbard's flute is brought in to amplify the main melody. Then Lonnie takes over with a nice melodic jazz piano solo. (Nice synth strings support coming from behind.) Light and delightfully peppy! (8.875/10)

A2. "Love Is The Answer" (4:47) this is not the Todd Rundgren/Utopia song that Hall & Oates made into a mega hit, this is Lonnie and James Robinson's doing. (8.875/10)

A3. "Speak About It" (5:56) a horn-infused jazz-funk-rock tune that almost sounds pre-hip hop with James' invested gospel/R&B vocal and the awesome smooth support of the team of background vocalists. Lonnie provides piano to add to and sometimes offset the rhythm section and Pee Wee Ford's slap bass play is off the charts! James also plays some guitar with Abdul Wali in the rhythm corps. And I love the near-militant the lyrics! So invigorating! Even when it goes EW&F and Disco in the end movements. This is a GREAT song: one of the best Lonnie and company have ever put out there. It should have been a major hit--at least on the Soul/R&B charts and stations. (9.75/10)

A4. "Bridge Through Time" (4:02) finger clicks, spacious rhythm guitar licks, and other electronic percussion sounds infuse this sparsely populated sonic field until Pee Wee's funky smooth bass and Lonnie's clean, reverb Fender Rhodes joins in, giving the song a very Earth Wind & Fire "Can't Hide Love" ("girl, I betcha!") feel. Soprano sax, Fender Rhodes, and synth strings provide a three-part harmony delivery of the main melody. Then in the final section Abdul steps up a bit to show us a little of his hidden talents. Nice! (8.875/10)

B1. "On The Real Side" (5:46) sophisticated, dynamic, and peppy, this is a kind of Jazz-Rock Fusion I'd like to hear more from Lonnie. And we've actually got Lonnie on an old organ for this one! (9.125/10)

B2. "The Enchantress" (4:57) on the soft/seductive side, Pee Wee Ford's funky slap bass and coupled with Abdul Wali's genius rhythm guitar interjections gives Lonnie's usual hypnotic beauty a fresh, more human dimension. (8.875/10)

B3. "Give Peace A Chance" (6:00) yet another attempt/offering of anthemic anti-war music calling for a social shift toward peace, love and kindness. Cool to hear Lonnie on organ some more as well as the use of horns and soulful b vox. (8.875/10)

B4. "Free And Easy" (3:10) a light, cheerful song that sounds as if BOB JAMES had lured JACO PASTORIUS into his studio for his input into a single song. Piano and smooth yet syncopated music. (8.75/10)

Abdul Wali is definitely the greatest guitar find I've heard on any Lonnie album up to this point. And Pee Wee Ford is definitely a great slap-funk bassist. Together with Lonnie's usual support crew they help make for the most lively, dynamic, and sophisticated jazz-funk Lonnie Liston Smith album I've heard up to this point in his discography. Reminds me of the music coming out of the Laws family. Well done, Guys!

Not at all your typical Lonnie Liston Smith fare! No indeed! The injection of zip and pep from slap-funk bassist Pee Wee Ford and amazing rhythm guitarist Abdul Wali as well as Lonnie's own experimentation with organ renders this collection of songs far more spirited, lively, and dynamic than anything he's ever produced up to this point in his discography. This may still be Smooth Jazz but it is the closest music to his jazz roots than anything the Cosmic Echoes or Marcus Miller collaborations ever revealed. I am blown away by the fresh new sound and wonderfully upbeat and zesty feeling I get from this album! This may have been Lonnie's last album with Columbia (whether he knew it or not) but he sure goes out with a bang! Mega kudos to whoever infused Lonnie with this new life! If it was just Pee Wee and Abdul, then I bow down to you two. I suspect there was something much more profound going on in Lonnie's life.

90.0 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of a collection of masterfully rendered and perfected Jazz-Rock Fusion and Jazz-Funk songs. This is one Lonnie Liston Smith album that you do not want to miss!

LONNIE LISTON SMITH Dreams of Tomorrow (1983)

Here Lonnie celebrates his reunion with his long-time champion, producer Bob Thiele, who encouraged Lonnie to take on his solo career back in the Pharoah Sanders years. Bob is now the head of his own label, Doctor Jazz, and this is the first of a series of albums the two would collaborate--producing what some believe is Lonnie's best stretch of music in his career.

Lineup / Musicians:

- Lonnie Liston Smith / electric piano (A1, A2, A4 to B2, B4), piano (A1, A3, B1 to B4)

- Marcus Miller / bass (A1 to B1, B3), Synthesizer [Prophet 5] (A1 to B1, B3), guitar (A1, A2, B3)

- Yogi Horton / drums (A1, A2, B1)

- Buddy Williams / drums (A3, A4, B2, B3)

- David Hubbard / soprano saxophone (A1, A3, B1 to B3)
- Donald Smith / flute (A2, A3, B2, B3), lead vocals (A1, A4, B1, B3)
- Steve Thornton / percussion (A1 to B3)

1. "A Lonely Way to Be" (4:34) seems to preview George Benson's 1980 release, Give Me Night with its monster hit of the title song. (8.75/10)

2. "Mystic Woman" (4:40) great opening with its funky sound palette and hard-driving funk beat. Again, I feel as if we're getting a preview of George Benson's next album. Marcus Miller's dynamic bass play seems to have injected some kind of joy juice into Lonnie's veins cuz I haven't heard this kind of energy and enthusiasm in his keyboard play in an album or two. (9.25/10)

3. "The Love I See in Your Eyes" (3:40) here we move back to the BOB JAMES style and palette of melodic vocal-less song covers with the simple Bob James-like piano lead over some smooth jazz music. It's very pleasant and eminently enjoyable but nowhere as adventurous as the old Lonnie. The most exciting thing about this song is, of course, the wonderful bass play of Marcus Miller. (8.875/10)

4. "Dreams of Tomorrow" (4:18) old style Lonnie supporting the incredible singing voice of Donald Miller--here in one of his best recorded performances to date. The music is sparse but perfect in its support of both of the Smith brothers, with some really cool (and different) tom-tom sound and play helping to populate the background. Incredible! Plus, the world-harmonizing lyrics are back! Man! I've missed these! (9.5/10)

5. "Never Too Late" (5:21) more George Benson- or Narada Michael Walden-sounding radio-oriented music with Donald singing the pop lyric. (8.875/10)

6. "Rainbows of Love" (4:13) nice upbeat, uptempo Smooth Jazz with all kinds of hooks to try to keep you engaged. (8.875/10)

7. "Divine Light" (3:35) very pleasant piano-led song with Lonnie tickling the ivories in their very upper registers. Great performances from the congas, rhythm guitar, and, of course, bass as well as some smooth soprano sax from long-time collaborator David Hubbard. (9/10)

8. "A Garden of Peace" (3:10) beautiful melody--heart-wrenching like a Satie or Vangelis song. One for the ages. (9.75/10)

Total Time: 33:31

Some incredibly beautiful highs in "Mystic Woman," "Dreams of Tomorrow," "Divine Light," and "Garden of Peace" whereas the others feel somewhat hollow or imitative.

91.09 on the Fishscales = / stars; a minor masterpiece of fairly sophisticated and mildly-complex Smooth Jazz.