Dr Lonnie Smith: All In My Mind

Rating: ★★★★

Record and Artist Details

Musicians:

Joe Dyson (d)
Jonathan Kreisberg (g)
Jonathan Blake (d)
Alicia Olatuja (v)
Dr Lonnie Smith (org)

Label:

Blue Note

March/2018

RecordDate:

2017

One of the great Hammond organists in addition to the mighty Jimmys (Smith and McGriff), the Doctor made several essential albums for Blue Note in the late 1960s before going on to plough an interesting furrow of psychedelic fusion in the 1970s. His return to the legendary label in 2016 (with Evolution) found him in good form, and this live set shows that the 75-year-old has since lost none of his spark. Returning to his staple organ-guitar-drums format, Smith generates heat and light by way of finely nuanced solos over leisurely but funky grooves. His artful changes of texture on the B3’s two keyboards and delightfully punchy use of the bass pedals are those of a master at work. Furthermore, the set-list is right on the money. A spare, touch-sensitive version of Lonnie Liston Smith’s ‘Devika’ really brings out the svelte, swan-like elegance of the original theme, while a jaunty, bossa-ish take on Paul Simon’s ‘Fifty Ways To Leave Your Lover’ captures the sun-kissed cynicism of break-ups that can inspire vicious putdowns. None of which compares to the title-track, though, which features a superb turn by vocalist Alicia Olatuja as Smith slides back into vaguely cosmic, mystic man mode with righteous conviction.

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