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RIP Dr. Lonnie Smith


sgcim

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It is a terrible news.  RIP.

The Good Doctor visited Japan several times and I could catch some.  I heard that he really loves Japanese "Mugi Choco" (chocolate-coated wheat puff, cheap but good stuff).  Hope he can get tons of them up there.

My favorite in his later years:

 

Edited by mhatta
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One of my favorites--it seems I was fortunate enough to see him live eight times, but never in the city where I live.

May 29, 2007: Jazz Standard, New York

January 31, 2014: Carver Center, San Antonio

May 1, 2014: New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival

April 25, 2015: New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival

July 30, 2016: Lensic, Santa Fe

September 29, 2017: Antone's, Austin

January 11, 2018: Jazz Standard, New York

April 25, 2019: Snug Harbor, New Orleans

 

 

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I first saw him with Lou Donaldson and he really impressed me. 

And I saw a film from German TV about Lou Donaldson with Lonnie Smith. There was a sound check without Lou and Lonnie Smith played a very fast version of Dizzy´s "Blue´n Boogie". That was first class bop on organ !!! 

I didn´t know he was "only 79" when he died. When I saw him around 2000, maybe due to that strange turban and that long an weird beard he looked much older than the maybe 50+ he was at that time. And he had that really hoarse voice like Miles Davis. 

I saw later fotos of him with a cane, so maybe he really had been  quite frail or sick for some times. 

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43 minutes ago, The Magnificent Goldberg said:

He didn't need the walking stick. Like the turban and the Dr, it was a commercial affectation.

MG

 

Oh I see ! And not to forget his huge rings on his fingers. Some people might wonder how he could play with it, but I know how that is, since I also wear more rings than just my wedding ring:D

 

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1 hour ago, The Magnificent Goldberg said:

I saw Dr Lonnie in 2000 at the Brecon Jazz Festival, here. He's the only musician ever who got me so excited I couldn't help screaming.

RIP.

MG

This is very sad news, especially so as he was still active musically. It was around 2003-4 that I got to see him at the Jazz Cafe in London with Lou Donaldson. Very glad that I did. RIP, sorry that he is no longer with us.

One memory implanted in my mind is of him coming through the main door into the gig with a couple of Tesco carrier bags. Surreal. Also the beaming face of Steve Winwood stood next to me digging Lonnie’s playing.

Edited by sidewinder
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August 2008, NYC, Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, Marcus Garvey's park, just before the Rashied Ali's set. A man with a smile bigger than life  finds its way to the seat right behind me, it's Dr. Lonnie Smith. I must have stared at him like 10 seconds until he gave me huge wink! Those little trivia that made that journey even more memorable.

Thank you for the music!

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When I saw that famous photo with Iggy Pop from when his last album came out I remember I thought he looks really much younger than Pop. But that can have something to do with Iggy Pop's lifestyle and with Smith wearing a turban. At the time I thought he was older, but I'll check now. They can easily be in the same age group. Iggy Pop is also in his 70s IIRC.

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