Punk icon Iggy Pop has collaborated with legendary Hammond B-3 organist Dr. Lonnie Smith on his new album Breathe, released March 26th on Blue Note Records. Today the first of the two new studio recordings, a funk-fuelled take on Donovan’s 1965 hit “Sunshine Superman” is released on all platforms.

Listen to Sunshine Superman HERE

“I was playing with my trio at Arts Garage in Delray Beach in Florida,” says Dr. Lonnie, who lives in Ft. Lauderdale. “Iggy would come by and say he wanted to play with me. I let him play slaparoo and he loved it. He enjoyed playing with us. We thought about recording a few songs, so we went in with my trio backing us up, and it worked.”

Pop, Smith, Kreisberg, and Blake headed into a Miami studio with the addition of percussionist Richard Bravo and discovered a unique chemistry that resulted in two striking performances. The album closes with “Sunshine Superman” for a funkified joyride. “Ah, hah!” exclaims Doc. “You can hear the ones we both like. This fits his voice.”

Breathe is Smith’s third album since his 2016 return to the label where he first made a name for himself in the late-1960s. Produced by Don Was, Breathe is a dynamic eight-song set, six tracks of which were recorded during Smith’s 75th birthday celebration at the Jazz Standard in New York City in 2017. The album captures the NEA Jazz Master with his steady trio of guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg and drummer Johnathan Blake, as well as an expanded septet featuring John Ellis on tenor saxophone, Jason Marshall on baritone saxophone, Sean Jones on trumpet, and Robin Eubanks on trombone, plus guest vocalist Alicia Olatuja. 

The track listing for Breathe is as follows:

1. Why Can't We Live Together featuring Iggy Pop (Timmy Thomas)

2. Bright Eyes - Live (Dr. Lonnie Smith)

3. Too Damn Hot - Live (Dr. Lonnie Smith)

4. Track 9 - Live (Dr. Lonnie Smith)

5. World Weeps - Live (Dr. Lonnie Smith)

6. Pilgrimage - Live featuring Alicia Olatuja (Dr. Lonnie Smith, lyrics by Lynne Meryl Koenigsberg)

7. Epistrophy - Live (Thelonious Monk)

8. Sunshine Superman featuring Iggy Pop (Donovan)