•
Rating: Lonnie Liston Smith, having grown up listening to jazz legends Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, and Miles Davis, had his first serious chance to be appreciated thanks to the usual Art Blakey, who wanted him in the lineup of his Jazz Messengers for a series of performances at the Village Vanguard in New York. However, it was only by transitioning from the piano to electric keyboards that he achieved his complete artistic evolution under the aegis of Pharoah Sanders, who had him participate in the recordings of three of his fundamental albums for the dissemination of the jazz fusion gospel in “Karma” (1969), “Jewels Of Thought” (1970), and Thembi (1971). Also very important for Smith's formation was his participation in Leon Thomas's album “Spirits Known and Unknown,” which was already characterized by Sanders' formidable Cosmic Groove through its “pygmy yodel” singing.
Today I’ll tell you about “Visions Of A New World,” the crossover album produced by Bob Thiele and Smith himself, recorded in the summer of 1975 at the Electric Lady Studios in New York for RCA/Flying Dutchman.
Our keyboardist is backed by the amazing formation of his “Cosmic Echoes,” which includes his brother Donald, the vocal performer of most of the tracks and a flutist, Dave Hubbard on soprano sax and horns, Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet, Clifford Adams on trombone, Reggie Lucas on electric guitar, Greg Maker on electric bass, Art Gore and Wilby Fletcher on drums, and a percussion quartet made up of Lawrence Killian, Angel Allende, Michael Carvin, and Ray Armando.
The album contains eight tracks, all characterized by a vein of soul-smooth jazz with a “half-time” funk insert, enriched by a seductive groove that is very fluid and easy to listen to, with a clear intention to reach a much wider audience than the previous three works, without renouncing the influence of jazz music's greats of the past.
The concept of the entire album is based on the message of peace, love, and harmony aimed at humanity, as immediately evidenced by the opening of “A Chance for Peace,” a track characterized by delicate percussion and a smooth funky bass line, with Donald Smith’s dreamy and bluesy voice providing a counterpoint to the instrumental passages.
The dreamy “Love Beams” has a funky theme supported by an alluring rhythmic beat that captures you at the first listen.
In “Colors of the Rainbow,” the two Smith brothers duet in a “cosmic intertwining” of keyboard and voice: “Mother Nature seems to love us so. When she smiles, there is a subtle glow. And with tears of joy, the happiness flows. I see red and orange and purple. Yellow and blue and green…”
With the beautiful “Devika (Goddess),” we return to a funk groove supported by a Latin rhythmic beat that nevertheless retains a delicate Hard Bop aftertaste.
Both “Sunset” and “Visions of a New World (Phase I)” are imbued with a fusion and chill jazz atmosphere that seems tailor-made to favor the contemplation of Mother Nature and for meditation.
In the concluding “Visions of a New World (Phase II)” and “Summer Nights,” we return to funk and a more exquisitely fusion rhythm.
A special mention must be reserved for the splendid artwork by Jack Martin for the gatefold cover, which has a spectacular rendering once opened.
Lonnie Liston Smith, like other great jazz fusion musicians such as Miles Davis and Donald Byrd, has undoubtedly inspired the rappers of the hip-hop movement and DJs worldwide who have sampled his music, continuing to keep it alive and relevant to this day. It is no coincidence that 30 years after the release of "A Chance for Peace," this piece ended up being the soundtrack to an award-winning video game like “Grand Theft Auto IV.”
Enjoy listening from your DoctorJazz.
Loading comments slowly
