by Scott Yanow
This obscure LP features organist Lonnie Smith (no relation to Lonnie Liston Smith) backed by a large ensemble on three numbers from 1976 and 1979 and on two selections (&Apex& and &Impressions&) in 1975 with a quartet including tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano (at the beginning of his career) and guitarist George Benson. The music ranges between soul-jazz and hard bop and holds one's interest, although this album will be a difficult one to locate.