Visions of a New World

by Lonnie Liston Smith & the Cosmic Echoes, Lonnie Liston Smith

Overview

Pianist Lonnie Liston Smith began his true professional career with Pharoah Sanders and then moved on to the very electric Miles Davis band before embarking on his own journey -- one that took him deep into the waters of pop music and disco by the late '70s. On Visions of a New World, Smith, accompanied by his working unit the Cosmic Echoes, digs deeper into the soul-jazz vein that he had begun exploring on Expansions and Funk Extraction in 1973 and 1974, respectively. In 1975, Smith was looking for a smoother, more soulful groove than he had displayed previously. Elements of the earlier band are in evidence: Vocalist Donald Smith is still on board, as are Dave Hubbard and Cecil Bridgewater on horns. Reggie Lucas even helps out on guitar in one or two places, and Ray Armando helps the percussion section. Despite these fiery players, the music here is strictly a late-night seduction/meditation groove. Tracks like the opener, "A Chance for Peace," keep the funk in mid-tempo while rounding off the edges, but "Love Beams" sounds exactly like its name. "Colours of the Rainbow" is a duet between Donald and Lonnie on keyboard and vocals that goes nowhere except into echoville, and "Devika" is the first place where the groove exceeds the mood. Latin rhythms, loosely woven horn lines, funky backbeats, and a slinky melody bring the whole thing up a couple of notches. The only other place the album heats up is on the final two tracks: the second part of the title suite -- when Don Smith stops singing -- and "Summer Nights," when the concentration is on pure movement and sweaty, shimmering late-night funk. Not exactly a flawless bid for Smith, but there are some shining moments nonetheless. ~ Thom Jurek

Product Details

Release Date:	08/07/2015
Label:	Bgp
UPC:	0029667529426

Tracks

1. A Chance for Peace
2. Love Beams
3. Colors of the Rainbow
4. Devika (Goddess)
5. Sunset
6. Visions of a New World (Phase 1)
7. Visions of a New World (Phase 2)
8. Summer Nights

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Lonnie Liston Smith & the Cosmic Echoes   Primary Artist
Lonnie Liston Smith   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals,Keyboards
Lawrence Killian   Congas,Percussion
Ray Armando   Percussion
Wilby Fletcher   Drums
Michael Carvin   Percussion
Angel Allende   Bongos,Percussion
Reggie Lucas   Guitar
Donald Smith   Flute,Vocals
Cecil Bridgewater   Trumpet
Art Gore   Drums
Greg Maker   Bass (Electric)
Dave Hubbard   Horn,Sax (Soprano)
Clifford Adams   Trombone

Technical Credits

Dave Wittman   Engineer,Mixing
Lonnie Liston Smith   Mixing,Composer,Producer,Original Album Producer
Michael Carvin   Mixing
Lonnie Liston Smith & the Cosmic Echoes   Performer
Daniel Baumgarten   Reissue Producer,Reissue Preparation
David Hubbard   Composer
Jean-Pierre Chalbos   Digital Remastering
Jack Martin   Paintings,Art Direction
Dave Hubbard   Composer
Acy Lehman   Art Direction
Dick Smith   Art Direction
Sarina Grant   Composer
Bob Thiele   Producer,Original Album Producer