“Expansions” was the first charted single for jazz keyboardist Lonnie Liston Smith. The year was 1975.Nationally, it was a minor radio hit. But I think “Expansions” got a lot of play in D.C., because the bass line looms in my memory as one of the killer funk- fusion hooks of the decade. (Bass player was Cecil McBee.)
Stetsasonic took that bass lick and built a hit record in 1988 called “Talkin’ All That Jazz.”
Cheers to Mark, a.k.a. fastflyer2007, for uploading this one.
That cut is the shit. Lonnie Liston's mid-70s albums are some underrated gems. He had that nasty Rhodes sound along with sound textures on the synthesizers. Along with Donald Byrd played that Black smooth jazz sound before it became Quiet Storm muzak.
ReplyDeleteCecil McBee did some shit on that cut.
Cecil McBee did some shit on that cut.
ReplyDeleteAnd he was doing it on an upright bass, right? Wow.
I listen to this album all the time.. !!!
ReplyDeletea early in the night warm-up track,that is right at home with Roy Ayers,Ike's-Pursuit Of The Pimpmobile from the Truck Turner O.S.T.,Coke Escovedo,Joe Bataan,anything with a hint of Jazz or Latin.
ReplyDeleteEssential track,but was hard to find on wax,so heavily bootleged in the late 80's.
You've got to give props to his brother, Donald, on vocals, too. Always loved Renaissance from the Watercolors album, which also has Expansions and My Love.
ReplyDelete(Not the James from above, but I am the James from the Political Witchcraft discussion)
You've got to give props to his brother, Donald, on vocals, too.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, James. There was a very specific style of lovely, progressive male jazz singing during that era... typified by Leon Thomas's "The Creator Has a Master Plan." Eternally cool.