LONNIE LISTON SMITH — A Song For The Children (review)

LONNIE LISTON SMITH — A Song For The Children album cover Album · 1979 · Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
FunkFreak75
Lonnie's third and penultimate studio album for Columbia Records.

A1. "A Song For The Children" (7:05) Jazzy Disco with a decent dynamic vocal from James Robinson. (13.25/15)

A2. "A Lover's Dream" (4:43) another new sound palette for the ever adventurous keyboard artist. (8.875/10)

A3. "Aquarian Cycle" (4:26) a funked up two-chord smooth jazz tune with a second bridge/break motif over which David Hubbard's doubled up and distorted DAVE SANBORN sound-alike saxophone screeches throughout. It's an Aurell Ray composition. It's okay; not sophisticated enough--too generic. (8.75/10)

A4. "Street Festival" (4:43) a fairly straightforward Latin-jazz-funk tune from the basic quintet of Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Marcus Miller on bass, the awesome Steve Thornton on a variety of Latin percussion instruments, Lino Reyes on disco drums, and Ronnie Miller on rhythm guitar. As always, it's nice to hear Lonnie leading the way on his acoustic piano, but also his synths strings are awesome. A top three song for me. (9/10)

B1. "Midsummer Magic" (6:08) a Marcus Miller composition in which Marcus sets himself loose to energize and excite. David Hubbard's sax is once again the lead instrument (along with Lonnie's keys) but once again we are kind of put to sleep by the BOB JAMES-like sound palette. I also hear a little of the jazzy stylings and sound palette of Anita Baker's monster hit album, Rapture. (8.875/10)

B2. "Nightlife" (4:49) an energetic song that bears quite a similarity to BOZ SCAGG's "Lowdown" (without the words or singing, of course). (8.875/10)

B3. "A Gift Of Love" (4:43) it's been a while, but here Lonnie gives guitarist Ronald Miller a chance to exhibit one of his own compositions--with a slow, voice-like guitar solo leading the way over some interesting not-typical-Lonnie music. There's a certain LARRY CORYELL sound and feel to this that I like. In the end, however, (like so many of Larry Coryell's songs) it fails for lacking a feeling of sonic integration. Also, it seems very unfortunate that Ronald's guitar skill only starts to emerge as the song is fading out. (8.875/10)

B4. "Fruit Music" (6:01) a discofied tune from Aurell Ray that lacks the fullness and meatiness of the true Disco era--sounding more like a STEELY DAN song cut from the Gaucho album. When James Robinson's vocal starts up I want to cringe. Then the "horns" and female b vox! So corny and forced! Aurell's guitar play in the instrumental section in the third minute is nice but then it's cut short by the corny CHIC-like female vocal "fruit mu-SIC" tease-chants and Dicso claps and other percussive work of the rhythm section. (8.75/10)

B/four stars; another excellent collection of background music with a few almost great songs.
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