DR. LONNIE SMITH
Too Damn Hot
Palmetto
Dr. Lonnie Smith brings the funk on this jazz
funk organ trio recording that has all the hallmarks of
the great soul organ bands of the late 1960s. Smith starts
the listener off in “N’Orleans” with a
second line rhythm underpinning an organ/guitar front line
assault that recalls The Meters. Peter Bernstein weighs
in with a slick guitar solo that recalls Grant Green and
the young George Benson’s contributions to recordings
with Jack McDuff and Jimmy Smith. The whole thing has a
cool, understated elegance where lesser musicians would
have relied on bluster and show for the tourist trade.
The title track, which follows, is like something
from a ‘60s spy soundtrack, or Combustible Edison
with chops. But the thing is, you see, that is swings like
a mofo. “Back Track” gets into Medeski, Martin
& Wood jamband territory and as Smith solos, the thing
gathers steam like a runaway train. “The Whip”
is a somewhat rote blues that didn’t really hold my
attention, but the group’s relaxed take on Horace
Silver’s “Silver Serenade” is beautiful
and atmospheric. “Track 9” and “One Cylinder”
get us firmly back into funk mode, with Smith offering a
particularly appealing solo on the latter tune.
One can easily imagine this recording being
pitched at the jam band crowd, and the retro-psychedelic
cover art, complete with the Doctor’s name in ‘Grateful
Dead’ font, makes it likely that that was what the
label had in mind. But then out comes a bona fide jazz standard,
“Someday My Prince Will Come.” Smith can give
it just the right amount of gliding pizzazz without descending
into roller rink cliché. Plus he plays a pretty damn
swinging straight ahead solo. But Dr. Lonnie has a couple
of hot tricks up his sleeve to end the proceedings on a
funky high note. “Your Mama’s Got a Complex”
features what sounds like the whole band doing some vocal
schtick—the intro sounds like an outtake from Dr.
John’s Gris-Gris album.
The CD closes with “Evil Turn,”
a fast post-bopper that is one of the more straight ahead
tunes on the disc. It builds to one hell of a finale, too,
with Smith blistering his way from one end of the keyboard
to the other.
Smith has recorded dozens of albums, but there’s
always room for more if you’re a soul jazz junkie.
Too Damn Hot takes its place beside other superior
Smith efforts such as Beck to Boogaloo and Live
at Club Mozambique. Too hot? Never!
