LONNIE LISTON SMITH — Astral Traveling (review)

LONNIE LISTON SMITH — Astral Traveling album cover Album · 1973 · Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
5/5 ·
Sean Trane
Out of the Pharoah Sanders crowd (but also Leon Thomas and Rashaan Kirke) comes L L-S (LLS for short), who played piano on Pharoah’s most classic albums from the early-70’s. If LLS ‘s debut album mentions also The Cosmic Echoes moniker, it is the name of his backing band, which features other Alice and Pharoah-alumni McBee, Beck and Mtume as well as then rather-unknown (to moi, anyway) George Barron on sax. Recorded over only one session in April 73, this stupendous album’s musical identity lies between Pharoah (to some extent), but certainly more to Alice Coltrane or even to a lesser extent Carlos Santana. but Lonnie’s piano playing owes much to McCoy Tyner and Alice. Sounds intriguing and enticing enough?? Ya betcha! Originally released on the Flying Dutchman label in mid-73 (and produced by the legendary Thiele), Astral Travelling is a typical JR/F product that ogles in the world fusion direction (tamboura, tabla, congas) with the always superb Fender Rhodes’s orgasmic sound as its main ingredient. At times LLS’ finger runs on the piano’s keyboard can induce the soundscapes of Alice Coltrane’s harp.

Barron’s sax is somewhat Pharoah-nesque (notably on I Mani) but often cooler, Joe Beck’s guitar is fairly cosmic, and LLS’ compositions are above all happy and soothing at once, a perfect feel-good album without being corny or cheesy at all. Much the same way Carlos, Alice or Mahavishnu’s musics are. This doesn’t mean that we’re not dealing with some energetic and engaged moods though, but the mystical orientations of the tracks (well the title are inducing that idea) is more about spirituality than space cruising aboard some improbable spaceship, yet you won’t join a prayer group if you spin the album regularly.

The latest reissue (from 02) features a bunch of bonus tracks (all alternate takes) that are of little use to all but the unconditional fans. This is LLS’ only real jazz solo album in the 70’s, because he will jump on the cosmic-funk bandwagon with his next few albums, even if there will be still some (cheesy) jazzy influences. So coming back to the stupendous Astral Travelling, the closest thing coming to it sonically-speaking would be Carlos & Alice’s Illuminations collaboration. Definitely worth the detour if you want a good dose of positivism.

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