Search - Lonnie Smith :: Live at Club Mozambique

FUNKY SIDE OF THE B-3 GROOVE AT ITS MOST EXTREME !

Eddie Landsberg | Tokyo, Japan | 12/25/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"First of all... Lonnie Liston Smith and Lonnie Smith (or Doctor Lonnie Smith as he prefers to be called these days) are two different people... but both are bonified funmeisters. Dr. Lonnie Smith however (the Lonnie Smith of THIS particular album) realized his funk on the B-3, whereas Lonnie Liston is a synthmeister. - - With that aside... come on dudes... you have a Jazz organ legend playing I CAN'T STAND IT... That's JB grease at its heaviest. This is the Blue Note label of the late '60s/Early '70s.. do I really have to extrapolate on how funky an album this is ? - - The group is tight, the guitar, drums and sax are sticky. Although it is a young George Benson on guitar, it would be easily to accidently think Grant Green is in there, because of the nature of the funk involved here. - - Lonnie rips out similar funk on his album MOVE YOUR HAND. - - What's funny is, this is really an album for the ACID JAZZ, RARE GROOVE and FUNK set, not straight ahead Jazzers, however, Lonnie Smith can also play the sweetest ballads and solo profoundly. At one point he was even beating Jimmy Smith on the Downbeat polls. Listen to him do Cherokee on Charles Earlands JAZZ ORGAN SUMMIT album. (Last I saw Lonnie he was touring with Lou Donaldson and stealing the show with his charismatic playing and stage presence. - - In case you didn't know he has a long beard, wears a tourban, and smiles and silently mouths the words and shows facial expressions to every note he plays !) - - Anyway, if you like things funky, this album is a must have. The bass lines are Rocco Prestia on steriods, the comping is pure grease, and the solos are hot and sharp ! After this I'd consider some REUBEN WILSON or GRANT GREEN."

Bad mutha!

Eddie Landsberg | 01/14/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"my fiancee bought me this for christmas and im telling you, its one bad mutha of an album! "cant stand it" comes on and youre thinking "this is pretty fine" and then that bass rumbles in like theres no tomorrow and your jaw drops! gave me goosebumps the first time i heard it! i am a james brown freak and i usually dont want to hear any JB covers but this has got to be JB approved! its smokin'! its strange to hear george benson who sounds like hes been to the grant green school of music. hes funky, and fast, but no grant(i just love the green!). really though these guys are all bad, lonnie rips it on organ, and the energy is ridiculous!"

THIS IS THE ONE- ON THE ONE! THA FUNKAY ONE!

Daddy-o | Beatsville, USA | 11/25/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the album I want with me everywhere. I keep the original in a safe place and I have burned copies in my car and at work. I never! never! want to be without this up-lifting funky masterpiece. I can listen to this from beginning to end over and over again- it's just that good. I recommend this over MOVE YOUR HAND for a first purchase, because all the players are up front in volume and Funky as Hell. Another favorite of this genre is Jimmy Smith-Root Down [LIVE] and anything that has Idris Muhammad (the original funky drummer)on it."