CD from BGP.
From the same year Smith left the Miles Davis group, the title track is such an almighty classic, it has eclipsed this lovely LP.
Desert Nights, Voodoo Woman and the dubby Shadows are variations of the same ecstatically cosmic, limberly funky modal jazz as the beloved opener, centred on the sublimity of Cecil McBee’s bass-playing. Summer Days and My Love go Latin. The tenor voice of Lonnie’s bro Donald leads a version of Horace Silver’s Peace (with new, yearning lyrics by Doug Carn).
‘Ace is celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the original Flying Dutchman release, with an ultra-high quality deluxe vinyl edition of the album. Using the original album master tape we decamped to Frank Merritt’s East London studio, the Carvery, for an all-analogue cut of the album. It has never sounded better!
‘We have housed this in a tip-on a laminated gatefold sleeve, which has allows Jack Martin’s original painting of Lonnie to shine as never before. We have also a fully illustrated sleeve note by Frank Tope, telling the story of how the record took its journey through the universe from its spiritual jazz route to become a clubland anthem. This story is told with help from Gilles Peterson, Norman Jay, and others.’
The best of the Flying Dutchmans.
His final Flying Dutchman: classic jazz-fusion, imbued with Latin rhythms.
His brother Donald is in fine voice throughout, but that’s Lonnie himself singing on the grooving, anthemic opener; a kind of reprise of Expansions.
Next up, Renaissance.
Classy gospel soul, with a drop of funk and a couple of heavy breaks.
Featuring the early-70s Fantasy gang including Bernard Purdie and Richard Tee; The Reflections doing backing vocals; ace horns; Van Gelder engineering.
His masterful 1971 production, marshalling a stunning lineup bringing jazz luminaries like Monty Alexander, Jim Hall, Freddie Hubbard, Jerome Richardson and Jaki Byard together with up and coming names like Grady Tate, Bob James, Joe Sample and Eric Gale. Highlights include a hard-swinging, show-stopping, big-band version of What’s Going On, with Valerie Simpson at the mic; a lovely Cast Your Fate To The Wind; and a couple of funky do-overs of stuff off the TV, in particular Hikky Burr, nailed down by the great Carol Kaye on bass guitar.
Half-speed mastering.