Although it predates his classic
soul-jazz
dates for
Blue Note
by a few years,
Lonnie Smith
's debut LP,
Finger-Lickin' Good
, boasts a deeply funky groove quite unusual for the mid-'60s, a period when few
jazz
musicians acknowledged the influence of more commercial musical pursuits, let alone introduced such elements into their own work. Aided and abetted by an all-star lineup including guitarist
George Benson
, saxophonist
King Curtis
, and trumpeter
Blue Mitchell
,
Smith
keeps the performances brisk and bold, galvanized by stiletto-sharp bursts of organ. Cuts like
"Hola Muneca"
and
"Can't You Just Feel It"
possess a raw vitality quite uncommon for the moment in question, and while it's disingenuous to call
groundbreaking, it's definitely a record ahead of its time. ~ Jason Ankeny