Lon Moshe & Southern Freedom Arkestra - Love Is Where The Spirit Lies

• Posted on 21 April 2021
• 0

Lon Moshe - vibraphone, marimba / Eka-Ete Jackie Lewis - vocals / Ngoma Hill - violin / Robin Bolling - vocals / Melvin Glover Jr - guitar / Nat Lee - acoustic piano / Timothy A Hall - piano / Calvin Craddock - bass / Reggie Brisbane Jr - drums / Ndikho Xaba - percussion / Marvin Daniels - flugelhorn, trumpet, shakere / Ben Wilson - vibraphone / Atiba Rudy Tyson - piano / Freddie Williams - bass / Hugh Peterson - drums

Recorded: Arrest Recording Studios, Washington DC; June 3, 1976 & September 14, 1977

Released: Black Fire; 1977 - Reissued: Strut Records; 2020

Lon Moshe was a member of the group Oneness of Juju and that is apparent here. There is also a heavy influence of Afro-futuristic, cosmic jazz á la Sun Ra - as you would expect from the cover-art perhaps and definitely the name of the group. There are also some moments that are slightly straight-ahead-esque jazz, is the term I'll use, the last track is dedicated to Bobby Hutchinson after all. There are Indian and African elements, some moments you'd be forgiven for thinking it was a Don Cherry LP. What I am saying is: there is a lot of goodness going on here.