Lonnie Smith: Think! (Blue Note 80 series) [BLUE NOTE]

Why you'll love it

This Blue Note 80 series edition is on 180g vinyl in stereo, produced for reissue by Joe Harley. AllMusic gave it 4½ stars and called it one of the strongest dates the Hammond B-3 master made for the label.

This edition

• Blue Note 80 series
• 180g vinyl
• Stereo mix

About the album

Before the turban and the Dr. title, Lonnie Smith was a young organist from upstate New York who'd come up through George Benson's quartet and was ready to lead his own. His Blue Note debut put the Hammond B-3 front and centre and surrounded it with a groove-hungry crew.

Lee Morgan brings his bright, cutting trumpet, David Newman plays tenor sax and flute, Melvin Sparks lays down the guitar and Marion Booker Jr. keeps the drums cooking, with congas and timbales joining on "The Call of the Wild" and "Slouchin'." Hugh Masekela's "Son of Ice Bag" opens with an 11-minute Afro-soul workout, "Think" turns Aretha Franklin's anthem into a fast-moving organ shout, and "Slouchin'" is a lazy, bluesy strut, and the long tracks leave plenty of room for everyone to stretch out.

Smith went on to become one of the most loved organists in jazz, and this is where his name first went on the front of a Blue Note sleeve. He also takes "Three Blind Mice" and makes it groove, and frankly no nursery rhyme has looked as cool since.

Also at Kops: more Lonnie Smith on vinyl · browse Classic Jazz

Tracklist

Listen

On Blue Note (cat# 7753113), a reissue of the 1968 album.