Dr. Lonnie Smith Explained

Dr. Lonnie Smith should not be confused with Lonnie Liston Smith.

Lonnie Smith
Background:non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth Date:3 July 1942
Birth Place:Lackawanna, New York, U.S.
Death Place:Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.
Occupation:Musician
Instrument:Organ
Years Active:1960–2021

Lonnie Smith (July 3, 1942 – September 28, 2021), styled Dr. Lonnie Smith, was an American jazz Hammond B3 organist who was a member of the George Benson quartet in the 1960s. He recorded albums with saxophonist Lou Donaldson for Blue Note before being signed as a solo act. He owned the label Pilgrimage, and was named the year's best organist by the Jazz Journalists Association nine times.

Early life

Smith was born in Lackawanna, New York, on July 3, 1942.[1] He was raised by his mother and stepfather,[2] and the family had a vocal group and radio program. He stated that his mother was a major influence on him musically, as she introduced him to gospel, classical, and jazz music.[3]

Career

Smith was part of several vocal ensembles in the 1950s, including the Teen Kings which included Grover Washington Jr., on sax and his brother Daryl on drums.[4] Art Kubera, the owner of a local music store, gave Smith his first organ, a Hammond B3.[5]

George Benson Quartet

Smith's affinity for R&B mixed with his own personal style as he became active in the local music scene. He moved to New York City in 1965,[6] where he met George Benson, the guitarist for Jack McDuff's band. Benson and Smith connected on a personal level, and the two formed the George Benson Quartet, featuring Lonnie Smith, in 1966.[7] [8]

Solo career; Finger Lickin' Good

After two albums under Benson's leadership, It's Uptown and Cookbook, Smith recorded his first solo album (Finger Lickin' Good Soul Organ) in 1967,[9] with George Benson and Melvin Sparks on guitar, Ronnie Cuber on baritone sax, and Marion Booker on drums. This combination remained stable for the next five years.[7]

After recording several albums with Benson, Smith became a solo recording artist and subsequently recorded over 30 albums under his own name. Numerous prominent jazz artists joined Smith on his albums and in his live performances, including Lee Morgan, David "Fathead" Newman, King Curtis, Terry Bradds, Blue Mitchell, Joey DeFrancesco and Joe Lovano.

Blue Note Records

In 1967, Smith met Lou Donaldson, who put him in contact with Blue Note Records. Donaldson asked the quartet to record an album for Blue Note, Alligator Bogaloo, which was recorded in April 1967.[10] Blue Note signed Smith in 1968, and he released five albums on the label,[11] including Think! (with Lee Morgan, David Newman, Melvin Sparks and Marion Booker) and Turning Point (with Lee Morgan, Bennie Maupin, Melvin Sparks and Idris Muhammad).[12]

Smith's next album Move Your Hand was recorded at the Club Harlem in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in August 1969.[13] The album's reception allowed his reputation to grow beyond the Northeast. He recorded another studio album, Drives, and another live album (unreleased at the time), Live at Club Mozambique (recorded in Detroit on May 21, 1970),[14] before leaving Blue Note.

Smith recorded one album in 1971 for Creed Taylor's CTI label, which had already signed George Benson. After a break from recording, he then spent most of the mid-1970s with producer Sonny Lester and his Groove Merchant label,[15] [16] then with Lester's LRC labels.[17] It resulted in four albums, with the music output veering between jazz, soul, funk, fusion and even the odd disco-styled track.

Smith rejoined the Blue Note label in March 2015. He released his first Blue Note album in 45 years titled Evolution which was released January 29, 2016, featuring special guests: Robert Glasper and Joe Lovano.[18] His second Blue Note album All in My Mind was recorded live at "The Jazz Standard" in NYC (celebrating his 75th birthday with his longtime musical associates: guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg and drummer Johnathan Blake), and released January 12, 2018.[19] His third Blue Note album, Breathe was also recorded live and released March 26, 2021. It features Iggy Pop on two studio vocal tracks, "Why Can't We Live Together" and "Sunshine Superman".

Tours and performances

Smith toured the northeastern United States heavily during the 1970s. He concentrated largely on smaller neighborhood venues during this period. His sidemen included Donald Hahn on trumpet, Ronnie Cuber,[7] Dave Hubbard,[20] Bill Easley and George Adams on saxes,[21] [22] George Benson,[7] Perry Hughes,[23] Marc Silver,[24] Billy Rogers and Larry McGee on guitars,[25] [26] and Joe Dukes,[27] Sylvester Goshay,[26] Phillip Terrell,[28] Marion Booker,[7] Jimmy Lovelace,[29] Charles Crosby,[30] [31] Art Gore,[32] Norman Connors,[33] and Bobby Durham on drums.[34]

Smith performed at several prominent jazz festivals with artists including Grover Washington Jr., Ron Carter, Dizzy Gillespie, Lou Donaldson, Ron Holloway, and Santana. He also played with musicians outside of jazz, such as Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight,[35] and Etta James.[36]

Personal life

Smith had five children: Lani, Chandra, Charisse, Lonnie, and Vonnie.[2]

Smith died of pulmonary fibrosis on September 28, 2021, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at the age of 79.[2] [15]

Public image

Starting in the 1970s, Smith added the "Dr." title to his name.[7] The origin of the moniker is unclear and was not an academic title. One theory is that fellow musicians called Smith this due to his ability to "doctor up" their music.[37] Another is that he adopted the title in an attempt to differentiate himself from other musicians.[38] Smith himself gave the following explanation:

But I’m a doctor of music. I’ve been playing long enough to operate on it, and I do have a degree, and I will operate on you. I’m a neurosurgeon. If you need something done to you, I can do it. But when I go up on that stand, the only thing I’m thinking of is music. I’m thinking to touch you with that music. I don’t think about the turban, I don’t think about the doctor — I just think about how I’m going to touch you.[39]
Smith was well known for wearing a turban.[7] He stated that the turban had no religious significance and was something he had worn since he was young.[2] Matt Collar of AllMusic suggested the turban was a theatrical gesture to his spiritual views on music,[7] but Smith himself said he did not know why he started wearing a turban and referenced the iconic headwear of Sun Ra and Sonny Rollins' mohawk.

Awards and honors

Discography

As leader

As sideman

With Eric Allison

With George Benson

With Lou Donaldson

With Richie Hart

With Red Holloway

With Javon Jackson

With Jimmy McGriff

With Jimmy Ponder

With others

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Dr. Lonnie Smith: Organ Guru . January 21, 2008 . Gilbreath . Mikayla . January 7, 2008 . All About Jazz.
  2. News: Lonnie Smith, Soulful Jazz Organist, Is Dead at 79. Peter. Keepnews. September 29, 2021. September 30, 2021. The New York Times.
  3. Book: Manheim, James M.. Contemporary Black Biography. Gale. 2005. 978-1-4144-0548-3. 49. Detroit. 133–135. Dr. Lonnie Smith. 1058-1316. 728680730.
  4. Bennett, Bill (January/February 2005) "Dr Lonnie Smith - The Doctor Is In". JazzTimes.
  5. Book: Feather. Leonard. Gitler. Ira. The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz . 2007. Oxford University Press. New York. 978-0-19-532000-8. 612.
  6. Book: Blake, Daniel. Smith, "Dr." Lonnie. January 13, 2015. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Oxford University Press. en. 10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.a2276518. 9781561592630 .
  7. Web site: Dr. Lonnie Smith – Biography & History. Matt. Collar. AllMusic. September 30, 2021.
  8. Web site: Dr. Lonnie Smith. September 30, 2021. National Endowment for the Arts.
  9. News: Farberman. Brad. March 24, 2021. How Lonnie Smith Found an Unlikely New Collaborator: Iggy Pop. en-US. The New York Times. September 30, 2021. 0362-4331.
  10. Book: Cook, Richard. Blue Note Records: The Biography. Justin, Charles & Co. 2003. 1-932112-10-3. 191–192. 52092736. Richard Cook (journalist).
  11. Web site: Minsker. Evan. September 29, 2021. Dr. Lonnie Smith, Hammond Organ Virtuoso, Dies at 79. September 30, 2021. Pitchfork. en-US.
  12. Web site: Turning Point – Dr. Lonnie Smith. Stephen Thomas. Erlewine. AllMusic. September 30, 2021.
  13. Book: Lord, Tom. The Jazz Discography. 1999. 1-881993-00-0. 929. 30547554. 21. Lord Music Reference.
  14. Web site: Live at Club Mozambique – Dr. Lonnie Smith. Richie. Unterberger. AllMusic. September 30, 2021.
  15. News: Dr. Lonnie Smith, Master Of The Hammond Organ, Dies At 79. Greg. Bryant. September 28, 2021. September 30, 2021. NPR.
  16. News: Dr. Lonnie Smith, Legendary Hammond Organist and Jazz Master, Dies at 79. Lars. Brandle. September 29, 2021. September 30, 2021. Billboard.
  17. November 26, 1977. The Best of Today's Jazz on Marlin Records. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. 89. 47. 65. 0006-2510.
  18. Web site: Evolution – Dr. Lonnie Smith. Matt. Collar. AllMusic. September 30, 2021.
  19. Web site: All in My Mind – Dr. Lonnie Smith. Thom. Jurek. AllMusic. September 30, 2021.
  20. Web site: Dave Hubbard – Credits. AllMusic. September 30, 2021.
  21. News: A Rainy Reunion. Mary. Kunz Goldman. August 7, 2000. September 30, 2021. The Buffalo News. https://web.archive.org/web/20210930184655/https://buffalonews.com/news/a-rainy-reunion/article_c1885098-22d9-51a6-aab3-4b0df0f2de6e.html. September 30, 2021.
  22. Book: Jazz Journal International. 61. Billboard Limited. 2008. 30.
  23. News: Night and Day. Eve. Doster. April 27, 2005. September 30, 2021. Detroit Metro Times.
  24. Web site: Contemporary Guitar Improvisation Master Class. September 30, 2021. Sweetwater Sound.
  25. News: Drummer's dynamism drives band. Zan. Stewart. September 25, 2008. September 30, 2021. The Star-Ledger. Advance Publications.
  26. Web site: Move Your Hand – Dr. Lonnie Smith. Stephen Thomas. Erlewine. AllMusic. September 30, 2021.
  27. Web site: Joe Dukes – Credits. AllMusic. September 30, 2021.
  28. Book: Down Beat. 33. Maher Publications. 1966.
  29. Book: Silbergleit, Paul. 25 Great Jazz Guitar Solos: Transcriptions, Lessons, Bios, Photos. Hal Leonard Corporation. November 1, 2015. 74. 9781495055416.
  30. Web site: Here Comes the Whistleman – Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Roland Kirk. Thom. Jurek. AllMusic. September 30, 2021.
  31. Web site: Out to Lunch playlist for 10/20/2011. September 30, 2021. WKCR-FM.
  32. Web site: Art Gore. September 30, 2021. Yamaha Corporation.
  33. Book: Down Beat. 43. Maher Publications. 1976.
  34. Web site: Legends of Acid Jazz – Red Holloway: Credits. AllMusic. September 30, 2021.
  35. News: Fawcett. Thomas. Dr. Lonnie Smith's B-3 Love Affair. September 29, 2017. September 30, 2021. The Austin Chronicle. en-US.
  36. Legaspi. Althea. September 29, 2021. Dr. Lonnie Smith, Lauded Hammond Organist, Dead at 79. September 30, 2021. Rolling Stone. en-US.
  37. Web site: Milkowski. Bill. Dr. Lonnie Smith: The Doctor Is In!. September 30, 2021. JazzTimes. September 29, 2021 . en-US.
  38. Web site: September 29, 2021. Organ Maestro Dr. Lonnie Smith Has Died At Age 79. September 30, 2021. Music Feeds.
  39. Web site: 2021-09-29. Dr. Lonnie Smith: 1942–2021. 2021-09-30. downbeat.com. en.
  40. Web site: Dr. Lonnie Smith – Album Discography. AllMusic. September 29, 2021.
  41. Web site: Lonnie Smith / Alvin Queen – Lenox and Seventh. Jazz Music Archives. September 29, 2021.
  42. Web site: Dr. Lonnie Smith – Credits. AllMusic. September 29, 2021.
  43. Web site: Remembering Wes . AllMusic. January 12, 2018.
  44. Web site: Greasy Street. AllMusic. January 12, 2018.
  45. November 9, 1985. Reviews – Jazz/Fusion. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. 97. 45. 79. 0006-2510.
  46. Book: Lord, Tom. The Jazz Discography. 17. Lord Music Reference. 1997. 571. 9781881993025.

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