Customer Reviews

Astral Traveling

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

By the early 1970s, jazz needed some chill. Free, fussion, all the social and musical upevil that rock jazz, along with America, in the 60s was just making everything too raw.

Enter Lonnie Liston Smith. He may have used an electric keybord, but he sure was not Keith Jarret or Joe Ziwinal. Smith used the keys to create mellow, shimmering blankets of notes. Nice dreams.

These were so textured and layered and colorful, soloists could blow in them however they liked--it was modal jazz without any of the drive.

Of course, great musicans pick up on the nuances the music begs for, and so the solos in Smiths music are light as a feather, or Smiths touch on the keyboards. You almost get the sense everyone is playing half awake--not that the playing is not outstanding, but like us, the band is lured into that nice little drift we all long for.

This is mood music, but also has a lot of subtance. The layering, and there is a lot, creates texture and weight, we are never at a loss as this music shifts with new sounds each listen.

Enjoy. Go to sleep my baby. Enjoy.

This album came out in the middle of the Afro-American consciousness/Black Power era in jazz (there are so many different names for this jazz style that I simply equate it to the social phenomenon). I have never been much a fan of it, with a few notable exceptions (Pharoah Sanders being among them) but I put this album on this morning and was amazed at how well it holds up some 35 or so years later. It is far more accessible than late period Coltrane and far less pretentious than say, Albert Ayler and avoids the experimentation for experimentation's sake ramblings of Miles Davis. Despite its title it is a cohesive and beautiful album with a band whose members have there feet thouroughly planted on the ground regardless of what kind of traveling they were doing with their minds (another reviewer suggests indulging in a "J" while listening to this...I don't think that gives the boys in the band enough credit as the music stands on its own quite well). All in all a nice rediscovery for me and perhaps a new discovery for you. Highly recommended. The sound is superb on this reissue as well. As with so many of my favorite albums it appears that this one is out of print too so buy it while you can. I guess it lost BMG some money and one of the record execs had to play golf on a public course (!) so they decided to 86 this work of art. Hurray for America!

This mans music speaks for itself!! Beautiful ,mellow,thoughtful,spacey ,groovy...If I miss anything just let me know.To me his music is ultimate for relaxing.Purchase all of his music from the 60's and especially the 70s!!!