AOTW January 23 to January 29.

[connoisseur series500]

Lonnie Smith - Move Your Hand (click here to buy)

Lonnie Smith's best, in my opinion. I'll post some comments later. What do you guys think of this cd?

Edited March 31, 2006 by Jim Alfredson

[White Lightning]

Don't have it yet, although It's on my wish list. If it's as good as Lonnie Smith's Live @ Club Mozambique with the sa,e line up - it must be a great one.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I like the album a lot. Now on my third copy - had an accident with the first in 1972.

I don't think this album is as good as "Club Mozambique". Sylvester Goshay isn't anywhere near the drummer Joe Dukes is. And Rudy Jones isn't the tenor player that Dave Hubbard is. Same goes for Larry McGee compared to George Benson.

More than that, the FEELING of the Detroit session is so much more funky, so much more vibrant. And it's LOUDER, too. It just LEAPS out of the speakers.

Having said that, "Move your hand" isn't an album I would want to be without. Ever.

MG

[Soulstation1]

i don't have this one, it's on the list....

[Noj]

Having said that, "Move your hand" isn't an album I would want to be without. Ever.

MG

Ditto!

[clifford_thornton]

I'm not a huge fan of organ jazz, but Think! is something that has been on my BN LP wish-list for some time. The AOTW I've passed by a number of times, but maybe I'll nab both of them the next time I see 'em.

[Guest akanalog]

agree the mozambique session is better, though perhaps that makes this a better AOW choice as it is more worthy of a relisten.

wasn't this sort of a working band though? many of these dudes were on the drives album, weren't they? something to be said for that over having the big names like benson and dukes....

[sidewinder]

I'm not a huge fan of organ jazz, but Think! is something that has been on my BN LP wish-list for some time. The AOTW I've passed by a number of times, but maybe I'll nab both of them the next time I see 'em.

Definitely grab it !

I've passed on the Rare Groove vinyl of 'Move Your Hand' a couple of times. Wish I hadn't now.

[etherbored]

i gave this a listen last night and i can see why it was chosen as an AOTW.

for one, the arrangements are definitely on the one and executed by, as akanalog says, a working band. i like the absence of benson. the group sounds as if they're working harder than on other organ combo sides to get the material over.

as for being lonnie smith's "best", obviously that's subjective. it seems there are many phases to his career and, hence, sound...

-e-

[connoisseur series500]

I like the album a lot. Now on my third copy - had an accident with the first in 1972.

I don't think this album is as good as "Club Mozambique". Sylvester Goshay isn't anywhere near the drummer Joe Dukes is. And Rudy Jones isn't the tenor player that Dave Hubbard is. Same goes for Larry McGee compared to George Benson.

More than that, the FEELING of the Detroit session is so much more funky, so much more vibrant. And it's LOUDER, too. It just LEAPS out of the speakers.

Having said that, "Move your hand" isn't an album I would want to be without. Ever.

MG

Gotta disagree here.

I think this session is superior to Mozambique. I had the latter once and was so unimpressed that I traded it away. On the other hand, I love "Move Your Hand" so much that I bought an expensive JRVG version so I could really hear it.

Sylvester Goshay may not be Joe Dukes but he plays just fine. Larry McGee on guitar is superb throughout, while I was unimpressed with Benson's work at the Mozambique.

Most of the solo chores are taken up by Ronnie Cuber and Lonnie Smith, who plays some of his funkiest stuff on record.

Lonnie's solo on "Sunshine Superman" is worth the price of admission alone. The tune is excellent. I also enjoy the groove on "Dancin' in an Easy Groove," which was the bonus track.

These guys were really on that evening at Club Harlem in Atlantic City on August 9, 1969.

[connoisseur series500]

More than that, the FEELING of the Detroit session is so much more funky, so much more vibrant. And it's LOUDER, too. It just LEAPS out of the speakers.

MG

I highly recommend picking up the JRVG version. You will find that it leaps out of the speakers as well. The domestic mastering sounds really lame. Worth the extra $, because "Sunshine Superman" has to be played LOUD!

[Soul Stream]

Well, to begin with, anything Lonnie Smith has ever recorded is great. Simply because he's one of the legendary organists, and there's only a handfull.

Move Your Hand is in the top ten organ records of all time. Maybe it's the title track that puts it in that catagory. I agree that Mozambique spends more time on my turntable than this one, better playing and players imho. BUT, Move Your Hand is one of THE live records of this era and with every ring of the cash register you can feel the vibe. I get the same good feeling from Charles Earland's "Live At THe Key Club" and Lou Donaldson's "The Scorpion." Move Your Hand delivers in the feeling good department, and for that it's very special.

I don't dig the sonics of this record. I have the JRVG which is a nice improvement, but you can tell Rudy ain't at the controls and it shows. I'll love this record till the day I die. I'll always listen to it. Lonnie's playing on this is what busted him out of the pack and showed the masses what he was all about. This album was a hit for Blue Note, and I would guess was Lonnie's biggest seller ever.

Pure joy is what Lonnie is about when he plays. Whether it's today or the 60's, it alway comes through.

All hail Dr. Lonnie Smith.

Edited December 10, 2006 by Soul Stream

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

More than that, the FEELING of the Detroit session is so much more funky, so much more vibrant. And it's LOUDER, too. It just LEAPS out of the speakers.

MG

I highly recommend picking up the JRVG version. You will find that it leaps out of the speakers as well. The domestic mastering sounds really lame. Worth the extra $, because "Sunshine Superman" has to be played LOUD!

I'm thinking of taking your advice. I was disappointed in how quiet it was. When you say JRVG, is that the Japanese RVG? Isn't that version available yet in the US?

MG

[connoisseur series500]

More than that, the FEELING of the Detroit session is so much more funky, so much more vibrant. And it's LOUDER, too. It just LEAPS out of the speakers.

MG

I highly recommend picking up the JRVG version. You will find that it leaps out of the speakers as well. The domestic mastering sounds really lame. Worth the extra $, because "Sunshine Superman" has to be played LOUD!

I'm thinking of taking your advice. I was disappointed in how quiet it was. When you say JRVG, is that the Japanese RVG? Isn't that version available yet in the US?

MG

Right, the mini-lp version.

Sound is really muted on the domestic.

[JSngry]

Bought this on LP back in the 70s, played it once and was not particularly enthralled. Not what I was looking for at the time. Files it away as a necessary part of an ongoing Blue Note Quest and let it go at that.

Pulled it out on a whim several years later and was enthralled. Not much in the way of "creativity", but damn, the groove will just about kill you with goodness. Works for me.

Still prefer Think, just because of the Lee/Fathead tandem, but oh well.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

More than that, the FEELING of the Detroit session is so much more funky, so much more vibrant. And it's LOUDER, too. It just LEAPS out of the speakers.

MG

I highly recommend picking up the JRVG version. You will find that it leaps out of the speakers as well. The domestic mastering sounds really lame. Worth the extra $, because "Sunshine Superman" has to be played LOUD!

I'm thinking of taking your advice. I was disappointed in how quiet it was. When you say JRVG, is that the Japanese RVG? Isn't that version available yet in the US?

MG

Right, the mini-lp version.

Sound is really muted on the domestic.

What's a mini-lp?

MG

Edit - Oh, do you mean a CD in a paper sleve that looks like an LP? I guess it hasn't got "Dancin' in an easy groove" on it. Is that right?

Edited January 26, 2006 by The Magnificent Goldberg

[Soulstation1]

random thought

i thought alligator boogaloo was album that put the good Doctor on the map?

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

random thought

i thought alligator boogaloo was album that put the good Doctor on the map?

Very pointed random thought... and very true.

MG

[connoisseur series500]

More than that, the FEELING of the Detroit session is so much more funky, so much more vibrant. And it's LOUDER, too. It just LEAPS out of the speakers.

MG

I highly recommend picking up the JRVG version. You will find that it leaps out of the speakers as well. The domestic mastering sounds really lame. Worth the extra $, because "Sunshine Superman" has to be played LOUD!

I'm thinking of taking your advice. I was disappointed in how quiet it was. When you say JRVG, is that the Japanese RVG? Isn't that version available yet in the US?

MG

Right, the mini-lp version.

Sound is really muted on the domestic.

What's a mini-lp?

MG

Edit - Oh, do you mean a CD in a paper sleve that looks like an LP? I guess it hasn't got "Dancin' in an easy groove" on it. Is that right?

Yes, it does have "Dancin' in an easy Groove" Great tune. Yeah, it's the paper sleeve edition. Don't know if getting the superior mastering will lead to any upgrade assessment on your part for the session, but at least you can hear it better. I really think the domestic version is terribly muted. Can't hear shit.

[connoisseur series500]

BTW, the extra track is not listed on the back of the mini-lp, but the tune is on there for sure. You have to open it up and look at the insert written in Japanese. Then you'll see the name of the tracks in English and Japanese.

[danasgoodstuff]

I have this on reissue vinyl, and "Dancing In an Easy Groove" on the 2LP Lost Grooves. All good stuffs but I agree with those who prefer Live @ the Club Mozambique. Isn't this the seesion that the unissued version of "Satisfaction" is from? The only Lonnie I didn't really care for was Drives.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

More than that, the FEELING of the Detroit session is so much more funky, so much more vibrant. And it's LOUDER, too. It just LEAPS out of the speakers.

MG

I highly recommend picking up the JRVG version. You will find that it leaps out of the speakers as well. The domestic mastering sounds really lame. Worth the extra $, because "Sunshine Superman" has to be played LOUD!

I'm thinking of taking your advice. I was disappointed in how quiet it was. When you say JRVG, is that the Japanese RVG? Isn't that version available yet in the US?

MG

Right, the mini-lp version.

Sound is really muted on the domestic.

What's a mini-lp?

MG

Edit - Oh, do you mean a CD in a paper sleve that looks like an LP? I guess it hasn't got "Dancin' in an easy groove" on it. Is that right?

Yes, it does have "Dancin' in an easy Groove" Great tune. Yeah, it's the paper sleeve edition. Don't know if getting the superior mastering will lead to any upgrade assessment on your part for the session, but at least you can hear it better. I really think the domestic version is terribly muted. Can't hear shit.

Thanks, I'll pursue that. My present copy isn't even US, it was made in Holland.

MG

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

BTW, the extra track is not listed on the back of the mini-lp, but the tune is on there for sure. You have to open it up and look at the insert written in Japanese. Then you'll see the name of the tracks in English and Japanese.

Thanks a lot; gives me more confidence.

MG

[connoisseur series500]

I have this on reissue vinyl, and "Dancing In an Easy Groove" on the 2LP Lost Grooves. All good stuffs but I agree with those who prefer Live @ the Club Mozambique. Isn't this the seesion that the unissued version of "Satisfaction" is from? The only Lonnie I didn't really care for was Drives.

Agree with you on "Drives." It's a terrible cd.

[JohnS]

Maybe it's me but the sound from my euro Rare Grooves cd doesn't exactly leap out of the speakers so maybe I'm missing something here.

Liked the opening and closing tracks but I get the feeling there's some cruising going on. Cuber sounds fine but the grooves are a trifle coarse for my taste. Probably great on the night but like I say maybe I'm missing something here.