Who says you have to slow down as you get older? The honorable B-3
master, Dr. Lonnie Smith, has been on a renaissance tear since the
beginning of the 21st century. Rise Up! is the fifth new recording since
2000, and there have been a number of reissues of his older work to
boot. Given that some artists issue a record a year, this may not seem
like such a terrific feat -- but appearances are deceiving. Smith
recorded only 13 albums between 1966 and 1996, so five in nine years is
actually prolific. It's not only the quantity, however, it's the
consistency of the quality of the records Smith has been releasing that
is outstanding, and Rise Up! is no exception.
Ever since 2000's
Turbanator and 2003's Boogaloo to Beck: A Tribute, Smith has packed his
records with covers and originals that accent the "soul" in the deep,
wide tradition of soul-jazz. Sure, he's funky, he's got chops, grooves,
and tricks, and he's surrounded himself with compelling musicians from
Jimmy Ponder to David "Fathead" Newman to great effect. Since 2003 he's
been working with guitarist and producer Matt Balitsaris and the results
have been, and remain, electrifying. This set, with guitarist Peter
Bernstein, saxophonist Donald Harrison, and drummer Herlin Riley -- with
extra help on a couple of cuts from Balitsaris and percussionist James
Shipp -- is one of his most realized, funky, and resonant dates yet. The
set jumps off with Smith's original "Matterapat,"showcasing the smoking
Latin percussion of Shipp and taut, off-kilter breaks from Riley, the
front line is all knotty soul and blues. The theme is greasy and in the
pocket; Harrison's solo moves effortlessly from post-bop to soul. The
cover of the Beatles' "Come Together" that follows is even nastier, with
Smith's below-the-basement vocal growl on the first verse all but
indecipherable except as a snarling rap. It's another instrument in this
band's arsenal. This is a slow bump and funky grind with a big payoff.
"Pilgrimage" begins as a ballad but quickly asserts itself as a cooker
thanks to Riley playing counterpoint breaks to Smith's B-3. Other covers
that appear -- and are reinvented in Smith's musical vocabulary -- are
the Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams," which commences, seemingly, as an astral
afterthought but finds a deep percussive bottom end and a spooky
articulation of the melody that is all rhythm based. One can guarantee
that the version of "People Make the World Go 'Round" found here is
unlike any other that exists. It's the longest cut on the set and builds
itself right from a lithe, breezy funk groove with a poppin' set of
rimshot breakbeats from Riley. Harrison is the perfect foil for Smith
because of his lyric sensibility; it is the perfect counter to the
percussive groove quotient of Smith. The solos here are wonderfully
complex and sophisticated and the use of harmonic extension in the
ensemble's reading is pure magic. The set ends on an atmospheric blues
tip with Smith's "Voodoo Doll," where Harrison's alto plays it straight
out of the noir-ish dark and into the shadows where traces of light
emerge. Smith's comping and eventually structural form for the tune
transforms it into a swirling, shimmering heat with Bernstein's guitar
erecting a pulsing bridge for Riley. It's a killer way to end a record.
For B-3 fans, Rise Up! is nothing but solid in terms of tunes,
arrangements, and heat.
Who says you have to slow down as you get
older? The honorable B-3 master, Dr. Lonnie Smith, has been on a
renaissance tear since the beginning of the 21st century. Rise Up! is
the fifth new recording since 2000, and there have been a number of
reissues of his older work to boot. Given that some artists issue a
record a year, this may not seem like such a terrific feat -- but
appearances are deceiving. Smith recorded only 13 albums between 1966
and 1996, so five in nine years is actually prolific. It's not only the
quantity, however, it's the consistency of the quality of the records
Smith has been releasing that is outstanding, and Rise Up! is no
exception.
Ever since 2000's Turbanator and 2003's Boogaloo to Beck: A
Tribute, Smith has packed his records with covers and originals that
accent the "soul" in the deep, wide tradition of soul-jazz. Sure, he's
funky, he's got chops, grooves, and tricks, and he's surrounded himself
with compelling musicians from Jimmy Ponder to David "Fathead" Newman to
great effect. Since 2003 he's been working with guitarist and producer
Matt Balitsaris and the results have been, and remain, electrifying.
This set, with guitarist Peter Bernstein, saxophonist Donald Harrison,
and drummer Herlin Riley -- with extra help on a couple of cuts from
Balitsaris and percussionist James Shipp -- is one of his most realized,
funky, and resonant dates yet. The set jumps off with Smith's original
"Matterapat,"showcasing the smoking Latin percussion of Shipp and taut,
off-kilter breaks from Riley, the front line is all knotty soul and
blues. The theme is greasy and in the pocket; Harrison's solo moves
effortlessly from post-bop to soul. The cover of the Beatles' "Come
Together" that follows is even nastier, with Smith's below-the-basement
vocal growl on the first verse all but indecipherable except as a
snarling rap. It's another instrument in this band's arsenal. This is a
slow bump and funky grind with a big payoff. "Pilgrimage" begins as a
ballad but quickly asserts itself as a cooker thanks to Riley playing
counterpoint breaks to Smith's B-3. Other covers that appear -- and are
reinvented in Smith's musical vocabulary -- are the Eurythmics' "Sweet
Dreams," which commences, seemingly, as an astral afterthought but finds
a deep percussive bottom end and a spooky articulation of the melody
that is all rhythm based. One can guarantee that the version of "People
Make the World Go 'Round" found here is unlike any other that exists.
It's the longest cut on the set and builds itself right from a lithe,
breezy funk groove with a poppin' set of rimshot breakbeats from Riley.
Harrison is the perfect foil for Smith because of his lyric sensibility;
it is the perfect counter to the percussive groove quotient of Smith.
The solos here are wonderfully complex and sophisticated and the use of
harmonic extension in the ensemble's reading is pure magic. The set ends
on an atmospheric blues tip with Smith's "Voodoo Doll," where
Harrison's alto plays it straight out of the noir-ish dark and into the
shadows where traces of light emerge. Smith's comping and eventually
structural form for the tune transforms it into a swirling, shimmering
heat with Bernstein's guitar erecting a pulsing bridge for Riley. It's a
killer way to end a record. For B-3 fans, Rise Up! is nothing but solid
in terms of tunes, arrangements, and heat.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist :
1 A Matterapat 6:46
Dr. Lonnie Smith
2 Come Together 5:07
John Lennon / Paul McCartney
3 Pilgrimage 6:49
Dr. Lonnie Smith
4 Dapper Dan 7:21
Dr. Lonnie Smith
5 And the World Weeps 7:39
Dr. Lonnie Smith
6 People Make the World Go Round 10:42
Thom Bell / Linda Epstein
7 Tyrone 6:15
Young
8 Sweet Dreams 6:47
Annie Lennox / Dave Stewart
9 Voodoo Dolls 4:42
Dr. Lonnie Smith
Credits :
Drums – Allison Miller
Guitar – Matt Balitsaris (faixas: 9,10), Peter Bernstein
Organ – Dr. Lonnie Smith
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