Cosmic Funk

Vinyl LP pressing. 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, alumni of Miles Davis' fusion bands, pushed the boundaries of the fusion genre. Over four years and five albums, they incorporated post-bop modal and spiritual jazz, funk, rock, pop, smooth jazz, quiet storm, and crossover genres. Despite venturing into commercial styles, Smith maintained integrity, vision, and a unique spacey sensibility, paving the way for modern jazz musicians like Kamasi Washington. Lonnie's second Flying Dutchman album, 1974's Cosmic Funk, took a funkier direction with Donald Smith's smooth vocals on tracks like John Coltrane's 'Naima'. Produced by Bob Thiele, this album is a transitional yet captivating work. Complete with original gatefold album art, 'Cosmic Funk' is another post-fusion masterpiece from Lonnie Liston Smith and the Cosmic Echoes.