March 7, 2019
Recorded on May 21, 1970, at Detroit’s Club Mozambique, this was shelved and remained unreleased until it was retrieved for CD issue in 1995. It’s odd that Blue Note decided to sit on it for so long, because it ranks as one of Lonnie‘s better sets. The band, featuring George Benson on guitar, is relaxed and funky without being in your face about it, and unlike much soul-jazz of the time, most of the material is original, Smith having penned six of the eight numbers. Although the riffs often owe a lot to James Brown, this is definitely at least as much jazz as soul, with Lonnie taking a rare vocal turn on “Peace of Mind.”
