Lonnie Smith Live at Club Mozambique (80th) (180g Vinyl 2LP)

Blue Note 80 Vinyl Reissue Series Curated by Don Was and Cem Kurosman; Blue Note Live, Part 2 Themed Installment Presented on 180g Vinyl 2LP

In honor of Blue Note Records' 80th Anniversary, the legendary jazz label is launching the Blue Note 80 Vinyl Reissue Series. Distinct from the Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series, this second series curated by Don Was and Cem Kurosman features 180g vinyl LP releases in standard packaging with albums spanning the many eras of the label's history presented by themes: Blue Note Debuts, Blue Grooves, Great Reid Miles Covers, Blue Note Live, and Blue Note Drummer Leaders. The series resumes in December 2019 with Part 2 of the Blue Note Live theme  - Jimmy Smith – Groovin’ At Smalls’ Paradise (1958), Lonnie Smith – Live at Club Mozambique (1995) and Lee Konitz – Alone Together (1997) - and will continue with three albums released each month for the coming year.

Recorded in May 1970, this smoldering set of funky soul-jazz by the great organist Lonnie Smith went unreleased until 1995. Captured live at Club Mozambique in Detroit just five months after Smith recorded his excellent Blue Note album Drives, this live date featured a similar line-up with tenor saxophonist Dave Hubbard, baritone saxophonist Ronnie Cuber, and drummer Joe Dukes, with the notable difference being the presence of guitarist George Benson here. On this double album the band stretches out on six Smith originals including "I Can't Stand It" and "Play It Back" along with covers of the Sly Stone song "I Want To Thank You" and Miles Davis' "Seven Steps to Heaven."

This Blue Note 80 Vinyl Edition is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g double vinyl at Optimal.

Musicians:
Lonnie Smith, organ
George Benson, guitar
Dave Hubbard, tenor saxophone
Ronnie Cuber, baritone saxophone
Joe Dukes, drums
Gary Jones Congas
Clifford Mack, tambourine

Features:
• Blue Note 80 Vinyl Reissue Series
• 180g vinyl 2LP
• Curated by Don Was and Cem Kurosman
• Theme: Blue Note Live (Part 2)
• All-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes
• Pressed at Optimal
• Standard packaging