DR LONNIE SMITH — Think! (review)

DR LONNIE SMITH — Think! album cover Album · 1969 · Soul Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
Sean Trane
One of the Doctor’s more respected release, Think! is seen by some as the companion album to Turning Point ( I kind of beg to differ, though), even if the horns lack the prestige of its sibling. Indeed, if Newman is no Priester or Maupin, but he’s no slouch either. As for the rest of the band, you’ll find once more guitarist Sparks, trumpeter Morgan, and of course, the Doctor himself (although the “Dr” thing came sometimes later) alongside a bunch of very meriting lesser-knowns. Recorded in one session in the NY dog days of summer of 68, the album is one of those over-rated icons that abound the Blue Note later-60’s catalogue.

Opening on the South-African master Masekela, Son of Ice Bag is lengthy and energetic jazz that has everything to get you grooving, including over-mixed drums (the Van Gelder remaster-remix?) and cool horns to boot. Once the following slower-starting Call Of The Wild awakes, the two congas and the timbales are driving you quickly insane with an extra-rapid rhythm and the remaining 11 minutes are used for soloing and jamming. A nice and smooth rendition of Aretha’s Think! track can bring a smile upon first discovery, but it won’t survive well repeated listens, unlike the trad Three Blind Mice piece, which seems to have a purpose other than just filling time and tapes in recording studios. The closing Slouchin’ is probably wisely titled, because we’re in a gentle jazz, where the over-mixed drums returns, but again the groove is there and the gentle instrumental interplay gets a gentle ray of the spotlight, but it’s really nothing to write home bout.

Normally, this 60’s & 70’s instrumental JR/F nuthead should love this kind of music, but something is simply lacking: real energy, a sense of urgency, a lack of purpose, a will to challenge, instead of just please. Don’t get me wrong, this is pleasant enough to even have non-jazz listeners enjoying it, but for the demanding jazz buff, it’s just too lightweight, like most (all?) of the Doctor’s vinyl prescriptions.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

New Start Fusion
TOM KENNEDY
Buy this album from MMA partners
Love Songs Live Avant-Garde Jazz
JOHN ZORN
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Data Avant-Garde Jazz
MATTHEW SHIPP
Buy this album from MMA partners
Peace Post Bop
SADAO WATANABE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Remy Le Boeuf’s Assembly Of Shadows : Heartland Radio Progressive Big Band
REMY LE BOEUF
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

??·??·?·???·?·????
SADAO WATANABE
snobb· 11 hours ago
"Miles Between" // by Shawn Schlogel & Nancy Erickson Lamont
NANCY ERICKSON LAMONT
js· 1 day ago
Mature Hybird Talking
FRANK GRATKOWSKI
js· 2 days ago
Perspective (Peace & Love)
ISAIAH COLLIER
js· 3 days ago
T-SQUARE 45th Anniversary Celebration Concert & Tour 2023 @Zepp Nagoya ?CLIMAX?
T-SQUARE
js· 3 days ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed