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Rise Up!

Dr. Lonnie Smith

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iTunes Review

Back in the ‘60s, Dr. Lonnie Smith got quite a bit of attention for his funky organ playing in groups led by the guitarist George Benson and the saxophonist Lou Donaldson, and he’s recorded numerous high-spirited albums as a leader since. On 2009’s Rise Up!, Smith leads a quartet — guitarist Peter Bernstein, alto saxophonist Donald Harrison, and drummer Herlin Riley — through a lively set of originals and covers. (As with many jazz organ combo outings, there is no bass player.) Things kick off with “A Matterapat,” a high-octane, Latin-tinged piece with an insistent theme. The mellow “And the World Weeps” features wordless singing by Jo Lowry and others, imbuing the track with an eccentric, lounge-like quality. Smith nicely reimagines the Beatles’ “Come Together,” which features the organist croakily vocalizing the melody. It might take you a minute to recognize the cover of Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams,” the ‘80s hit by the British pop duo. The cut opens with a wonderfully odd organ intro before heading into a downtempo groove. Rise Up! closes with “Voodoo Doll,” a spacey mid-tempo keeper abetted by the percussion of James Shipp, who contributes to a handful of tracks.

Customer Reviews

AllAboutJazz.com by John Barron

Rise Up! is Dr. Lonnie Smith's third release for Palmetto Records and a welcome addition to the organist's rich recorded legacy. Since bursting onto the scene as a member of George Benson's quartet in the 1960s, the Buffalo native has been an unrelenting force on the Hammond B3. Joined here by alto saxophonist Donald Harrison, guitarist Peter Bernstein and drummer Herlin Riley, Smith offers up a listener-friendly set of originals and pop covers. Smith is known for dispensing heavy doses of soulful grease and this record does not disappoint. Rise Up! is a deep-in-the-groove session with enough funk to keep the party rolling into the wee hours. Smith's compositions have always been riff-heavy with clever vamp sections—the kind that peak the interest of musicians and make the toe-tapping public smile—and the batch of originals on this disc stay true to form. Tunes like "Matterpat," "Dapper Dan" and "Voodoo Doll" contain simplified themes, hypnotic grooves and soulful soloing courtesy Smith, Bernstein and Harrison. What stands out—and perhaps separates Smith from the slew of jazz organists who seem to be everywhere these days—is the orchestral approach Smith brings to his instrument. With five decades of experience, Smith seems to have honed-in on all of the instruments sweet spots, manipulating the draw bars and kicking things up a notch at just the right moment. The swirling intensity he builds on The Stylistics' R&B staple "People Make The World Go Round" is otherworldly. The Turbanator delivers a hard-driving version of The Beatles' "Come Together," with Smith groaning along to the melody and Drummer Riley pounding out a tireless backbeat. Other stand-out moments include a spirited reworking of the late organist Larry Young's "Tyrone"—the original 3/4 blues is transformed into a rousing second-line romp—and a dark-hued version of The Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams." Bernstein's blues-inflected guitar lines on "And The World Weeps" and "People Make The World Go Round" are at once punchy and graceful with a hint of angularity. Harrison's gospel lyricism on Smith's "Pilgrimage" and biting alto at the end of "Come Together" are disc highlights. For as predictable as this music may be it succeeds at being energizing, optimistic and downright infectious.

Buy this album!

Just saw him live in NYC. "Pilgrimage" and "People Make the World Go Round" are really great. Herlin Riley's drumming on this CD is immaculate, it really does bring the whole sound together. If you have the chance to see the Dr. Lonnie Smith Quartet live, do it...you won't be disappointed. Lonnie himself said to me tonight that he normally doesn't like his own albums, but this is his best work and he loves it.

Another Great album

Lonnie is soulful and his use of dynamics is incredible. If you can see him live do it. You won't be dissapointed if you like the B. This album is another good one. Plus the addition of a sax player on this album is cool.

Biography

Born: July 3, 1942 in Buffalo, NY

Genre: Jazz

Years Active: '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s, '00s, '10s

Organist Lonnie Smith has often been confused with keyboardist/pianist Lonnie Liston Smith — and, in fact, more than a few retailers have wrongly assumed that they're one and the same. In the mid-'60s, the Hammond hero earned recognition for his membership in George Benson's classic quartet before going on to play with Lou Donaldson (contributing some memorable solos to the alto saxman's hit 1967 album Alligator Bogaloo) and recording enjoyable dates of his own for Blue Note. For all their...
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