Dr. Lonnie Smith 2016 album 'Evolution'

Dr. Lonnie Smith 2016 'Evolution'

Dr. Lonnie Smith not only stands as the preeminent Hammond B-3 organist in jazz today, but at the age of 73 he’s still progressing as an artist, as witnessed by his remarkable new album, appropriately titled Evolution. Teeming with his trademark accent marks, finesse caresses, bright sparks and jagged lines, Evolution finds Smith in the company of his regular band and special guests Robert Glasper on piano and Joe Lovano on saxophones. Doctor has returned to Blue Note Records for the first time in 45 years, where he made a name for himself in the late 1960s, first as a sideman with saxophonist Lou Donaldson, and soon after as a leader with his own soul-jazz classics..

A master of foot-tapping grooves, sophisticated harmonic voicings and indelible melodicism, Smith is the latest Blue Note legend from yesteryear to rejoin the classic label with vital new music, along with such titans as Wayne Shorter, Bobby Hutcherson and Charles Lloyd. Blue Note president Don Was signed Smith and produced Evolution, which is a robust and spirited collection of seven tunes, including fresh takes on Dr. Lonnie’s favorite originals and standards as well as brand-new excursions that he had never recorded before. Joining Smith is a top-notch band of musicians including tenor saxophonist/bass clarinetist/flautist John Ellis, trumpeters Maurice Brown and Keyon Harrold, guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg, and the powerhouse double drummer team of Joe Dyson and Johnathan Blake (appearing together on five of the seven numbers).

Staff:

Dr. Lonnie Smith – Hammond B3 organ, vocals, keyboards
Jonathan Kreisberg – guitar
Jonathan Blake – drums
Joe Dyson – drums (1-3, 5, 7)
Keyon Harrold – trumpet (1)
Maurice Brown-trumpet (2, 3, 5)
John Ellis – tenor sax (1, 2, 5), bass clarinet (3), flute(7)
Robert Glasper-piano (1)
Joe Lovano- tenor sax (3), mezzo soprano sax(2)

Track Listing:

1. Play It Back (Smith)
2. Afrodesia (Smith)
3. For Heaven’s Sake (Smith)
4. Straight No Chaser (Monk)
5. Talk About This (Smith)
6. My Favorite Things (Rodgers-Hammerstein)
7. African Suite (Smith)

info: www.bluenote.com