Date Posted: Jun 14, 2016

Congratulations to the amazing organist Dr. Lonnie Smith for his NEA Jazz Master’s Award announced this week! Dr. Lonnie was featured on the Litchfield Jazz Festival in 2003, and 2011.

Twenty years ago pianist David Grausman called after LJF’s inaugural festival and told us  the person we absolutely should book was Lonnie Smith. David, a mainstay at the Mayflower Grace luxury hotel in Washington CT, has super taste. A few years later we heard Lonnie in person on a jazz cruise and were blown away. He had everything—exciting looks, charm, humor and, most important, gangbuster chops!

LJF presented Dr. Lonnie is 2003 with Don Braden, drummer Cecil Brooks and guitarist Mark Whitfield.  In 2011, we presented Lonnie’s trio with, Jonathan Kreisberg on guitar and Jamire Williams on drums.  Always a joy, we’d love to get him back sometime soon.