Lonnie Liston Smith & The Cosmic Echoes Renaissance LP 12" RCA Victor Jazz

$

30

Near Mint. Promotional Copy(1977). Experience the ultimate in cosmic jazz-funk with Dr. Lonnie Liston Smith and The Cosmic Echoes’ masterpiece, Renaissance. Released at the peak of Smith’s creative powers, this album is a smoother, warmer evolution of his signature sound, blending spiritual jazz currents with soulful fusion and tighter 70s grooves.

"Renaissance" had a massively "sweet groover" that perfectly balances jazz, funk, and soul. Dr. Smith's brilliant acoustic piano and "electric colorations" (including Fender Rhodes and ARP) create an atmospheric, lush, and futuristic listening experience.

The album serves as a peaceful "paean to Peace, Love and Understanding," featuring ethereal flute and vocals by Lonnie’s brother, Donald Smith.

"Mardi Gras (Carnival)": A percussive, upbeat jazz-dance classic with a relentless Brazilian flavor.
"Space Lady": A vintage, low-slung jazz-funk instrumental driven by shimmering electric keys.
"Renaissance": The title track finale, a soulful mid-tempo groove that became a staple of the Rare Groove scene.

This LP is often considered the final studio effort for The Cosmic Echoes, and marked marked a transition from the Flying Dutchman label to RCA, capturing the group at their most ingratiating and refined.

Contemporary music historians and retro reissue labels widely recognize the album as a definitive masterpiece of the cosmic jazz-funk subgenre.

The LP has become a Cult Collector Phenomenon because of corporate restructuring at RCA, the record originally suffered from minor commercial neglect and went out of print on vinyl for decades. This obscurity directly elevated it to a highly sought-after, premium-tier "holy grail".
among jazz-vinyl collectors.

Track List
Side A
"Space Lady" (5:56) – A signature cosmic instrumental track driven by expansive synthesizer textures.

"Mardi Gras (Carnival)" (6:01) – A high-energy, percussion-heavy groove that became a legendary UK club anthem

"Starlight and You" (5:04) – A smooth, melodic composition highlighting the group's softer fusion side.

Side B
"Mongotee" (6:11) – A rhythmic and rhythmically complex track rooted in Afro-Cuban and jazz-funk rhythms.

"A Song of Love" (4:12) – A soulful, romantic ballad featuring rich vocal arrangements.

"Between Here and There" (5:22) – A deeply atmospheric, spiritual track.

Renaissance" (2:10) – The short, uplifting title track that beautifully closes out the record.