Label: Blue Note Records, 2021

Personnel - Dr. Lonnie Smith: Hammond B-3 organ; Jonathan Kreisberg: guitar; Johnathan Blake: drums; Iggy Pop: vocals; Alicia Olatuja: vocals; John Ellis: tenor saxophone; Sean Jones: trumpet; Jason Marshall: baritone saxophone: Robin Eubanks: trombone.

The primary attraction of Dr. Lonnie Smith’s Breathe is the one-of-a-kind collaboration between the Hammond B-3 specialist and the rock monster Iggy Pop on two tracks, namely Timmy Thomas’ 1972 soul hit “Why Can’t We Live Together” and Donovan’s psychedelia pop-folk brew “Sunshine Superman”.

Immersed in chill-out vibes, the former piece features the soloing capabilities of Smith, who goes strictly bluesy here, and guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg, who showcases all his rich lyricism and phrasal fluidity. They cast a generous light on the tune, despite of Iggy’s lugubrious vocal tone, which is a better fit here than on “Sunshine Superman”, a number that Smith recorded 50 years ago for his album Move Your Hand. The aforementioned pieces bookend a live album that doesn’t reach new heights or even the energy of its predecessor, All in My Mind (Blue Note, 2018). The music on both discs was culled from 2017 performances at Jazz Standard, by the occasion of Smith’s 75th birthday.

The absence of new originals is compensated for with a solo-less and rhythmically syncopated astral-funk take on Monk’s “Epistrophy”. However, two signature Smith compositions, “Bright Eyes” (made known by George Benson) and “Track 9”, are resurrected here with inspired appeal and vivid colors, partly due to the presence of a four-horn frontline that expands the trio format into a pliant septet. “Bright Eyes” relies on a sleek blend of jazz and soul laid down with a triple-metered flow, and becomes jubilant during John Ellis’ tenor improvisation. “Track 9”, in turn, combines a rock-driven rhythm with an open funk feel, having drummer Johnathan Blake probing multiple rhythmic variations and featuring a trio of horn stretches (Ellis, trumpeter Sean Jones and baritonist Jason Marshall).

If Smith demonstrates his soulful command of the blues on “Too Damn Hot”, then on the R&B-infused ballad “Pilgrimage”, he provides vast space for the voice of Alicia Olatuja.

In no way an embarrassment, the album still doesn’t transcend other central works by the organist.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Why Can’t We Live Together ► 02 - Bright Eyes ► 04 - Track 9

Label: Blue Note Records, 2018

Personnel - Dr. Lonnie Smith: organ; Jonathan Kreisberg: guitar; Johnathan Blake: drums.

An ace of the B-3 Hammond organ, Dr. Lonnie Smith, is back on the Blue Note Records, this time with All In My Mind, a live record in which he tackles covers and originals with the same devotion. Accompanying him on this groovy journey are guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg and drummer Johnathan Blake, whose exceptional musicality could be heard on Smith's last year’s Evolution. Hence, the trio keeps well anchored in the groove, only here the guests are much less than on the cited album, which counted on Joe Lovano, John Ellis, Joe Dyson, and Robert Glasper, just to name a few.

All the fervency of Wayne Shorter’s “JuJu” is left intact in this absolutely stirring version. Throbbing at a swift 3/4 tempo, this modal exercise sparkles with a wondrous reverb-drenched guitar improvisation by Kreisberg, who, revolving around the melody, injects occasional rhythmic convulsions and jaw-dropping patterns within the limpid phrasing that characterizes his playing. Smith and Blake follow him with solos involved in brightness.

Elegantly atmospheric, “Devika”, an old original, offers up a polished slice of jazz-funk wrapped in blue tonalities. The relaxation identified with this number opposes to Paul Simon’s pop hit “50 Ways To Leave Your Lover”, whose buoyant spirit makes it instantly accessible. The song starts off with guest Joe Dyson’s colorful press rolls imposing the pace, while the melody is shared between the guitarist and the organist, who dig the A and B sections, respectively. By the end, after the bandleader’s organ explosion, we have vibrato guitar inflections and the amazing marching chops devised by the drummer.

The deft brushed drumming of Blake sets in motion Tadd Dameron’s ballad “On a Misty Night”, but it was with Smith’s never-recorded original “Alhambra” that his burning-hot style comes to the forefront. Rooted in Spanish music, the piece displays a rich sonic palette with horn and woodwind emulations mixed with egregious synth chords, electronics, and semi-acoustic guitar. Its flow is an invitation to discover new places and new sounds, and everything culminates in a fusion cocktail spiced by a cool Latin/samba rhythm.

The title track, another Smith’s classic, features the guest singer Alicia Olatuja duetting with the bandleader, whereas Freddie Hubbard’s “Up Jumped Spring”, a piece that first saw the daylight in 1962 through Art Blakey, closes the session in a bohemian hard-bop gaiety.

Produced by Don Was, the recording is presented with the finest quality, so every move or expression can be heard clearly and crisply. In a remarkable shape, the emblematic Dr. Lonnie Smith showcases his peculiar sounds, having fun with the beneficial organ-guitar-drums format.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Ju Ju ► 03 - 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover ► 05 – Alhambra