Astral Traveling

Vinyl LP pressing in gatefold jacket. Lonnie Liston Smith and the Cosmic Echoes' groundbreaking albums for the Flying Dutchman label deserve more attention from jazz fans. Keyboardist Smith and his cohorts pushed the boundaries of Miles Davis' fusion bands, incorporating post-bop modal and spiritual jazz, funk, rock, pop, smooth jazz, quiet storm, and crossover genres. Smith's records are marked by integrity, vision, and a unique spacy sensibility, paving the way for modern jazz musicians like Kamasi Washington. For his 1973 debut album, Lonnie Liston Smith enlisted a stellar band including Cecil McBee on bass, George Barron on sax, James Mtume and Sonny Morgan on percussion, David Lee, Jr. on drums, Badal Roy on tabla, Geeta Vashi on tamboura, and Joe Beck on guitar. This multifaceted ensemble delves into spiritual jazz, influenced by Smith's time playing with Pharoah Sanders. The original gatefold artwork and Nat Hentoff's liner notes have been faithfully recreated. An essential jazz album of its era!