Lonnie Liston Smith, Adrian Younge, & Ali Shaheed Muhammad Lonnie Liston Smith JID017 LP

Coursing through the cosmic pulse of Jazz-Funk is the inimitable influence of Lonnie Liston Smith. For over five decades, the legendary keyboardist and bandleader has been a driving force in shaping the genre's sound. Smith made his recording debut as a sideman for heavyweights Miles Davis, Pharoah Sanders, Gato Barbieri and Leon Thomas. He later formed his own ensemble, Lonnie Liston Smith and the Cosmic Echoes which delivered an incredible run of classic albums through the 1970s. His music has served as the foundation for immortal hip-hop samples and ecstatic dancefloor revelry. In late February 2020, Smith headlined Jazz Is Dead's Black History Month series, giving many jazz fans what would be their last taste of live music before the nightmare of COVID-19 that took over in the weeks that followed. Now, he reunites with Jazz Is Dead to deliver Lonnie Liston Smith JID017 - a full-bloom tribute to the multitude of sonic strains that all lead back to the fingertips of the maestro himself.

A true psych funk / jazz trip with Smith moving from windswept piano melodies to sprinklings of Fender Rhodes stardust through Muhammad and Younge's springy rhythms. Joining the session was singer / songwriter Loren Oden who brought a touch of interstellar travel to tunes like 'Cosmic Changes' and 'A New Spring.'