Organist Dr. Lonnie Smith Named 2017 NEA Jazz Master
ORGANIST DR. LONNIE SMITH NAMED 2017 NEA JAZZ MASTER
NEW BLUE NOTE ALBUM EVOLUTION IS HIS FIRST FOR ICONIC LABEL SINCE 1970
The legendary organist Dr. Lonnie Smith has been named one of the National Endowment for the Arts 2017 NEA Jazz Masters Fellows, the nation’s highest honor in jazz. Smith—along with bassist Dave Holland, vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater, keyboardist Dick Hyman, and writer Ira Gitler—have been recognized for their lifetime achievements and exceptional contributions to the advancement of jazz.