Afrodesia
expands upon the
soul-jazz
sensibility of organist
Lonnie Smith
's classic
Blue Note
efforts, abandoning their hairpin-tight, diamond-sharp grooves in favor of more meditative, free-flowing epics that draw on elements of
Latin jazz
,
pop
, and even
disco
. Featuring a supporting cast including then-unknown saxophonist
Joe Lovano
, electric bassist
Ron Carter
, and drummer
Jamey Huddad
features some of
Smith
's strongest, most nuanced work; the imaginative arrangements create panoramic stretches of space for all of the players to explore, and they push the 15-minute
"Spirits Free"
into compelling new spheres of
funk
consciousness. ~ Jason Ankeny