Lonnie Liston Smith Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Lonnie Liston Smith
Smith performing at Glastonbury in 2009
Background information
Born	(1940-12-28) December 28, 1940 (age 84) Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
Genres	Jazz Soul Funk
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	Piano keyboards
Years active	1960s–present

Lonnie Liston Smith Jr. (born December 28, 1940) is an American musician. He plays jazz, soul, and funk music. Lonnie played with famous jazz artists like Pharoah Sanders and Miles Davis. Later, he started his own group called Lonnie Liston Smith and the Cosmic Echoes. They made many popular albums. These albums are known in jazz fusion, smooth jazz, and acid jazz styles.

Lonnie Liston Smith's Musical Journey
Discography
See also

Lonnie Liston Smith's Musical Journey

Early Life and Music (1963–1973)

Lonnie Smith grew up in Richmond, Virginia, United States. His family loved music. His father was in a gospel music group called The Harmonizing Four. Lonnie remembered famous groups visiting his home.

He learned to play the piano, tuba, and trumpet in school. In 1961, he earned a degree in music education. Lonnie was inspired by jazz legends like Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, and Miles Davis. As a teenager, he became well-known in Baltimore. He played piano and sang backup for local bands.

In 1963, Lonnie moved to New York City. He played piano for Betty Carter's band for a year. In 1965, he joined Rahsaan Roland Kirk's band. He recorded his first album with them.

Later in 1965, Lonnie joined Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. This group was a training ground for young jazz musicians. Many talented artists played with them. Lonnie's time with them was short.

In 1967, Lonnie played with Roland Kirk again. Then, he spent a year playing with drummer Max Roach.

Lonnie joined Pharoah Sanders' band in 1968. Sanders started this group after John Coltrane passed away. Lonnie helped record some of Sanders' best albums. These included Karma and Jewels of Thought.

It was during this time that Lonnie started using electric keyboards. He first played a Fender Rhodes electric piano for the album Thembi. He said he was just "messing around" with it. He ended up writing a song called "Astral Traveling." This song sounded like "floating through space." That's how he discovered the electric piano.

Lonnie also played with Gato Barbieri's band from 1971 to 1973. Barbieri's music mixed jazz with softer Afro-Cuban sounds. This influenced Lonnie's own style.

In 1972, Lonnie was invited to join Miles Davis' band. Miles Davis wanted him to learn to play the organ. Lonnie's music appeared on Davis' albums like On The Corner.

The Cosmic Echoes and Solo Work (1973–1985)

In 1973, Lonnie started his own group. It was called 'Lonnie Liston Smith and the Cosmic Echoes'. His band included Cecil McBee on bass. They blended jazz fusion, soul, and funk music.

Their first album was Astral Traveling (1973). Lonnie re-recorded the song "Astral Traveling" for this album. He had written it earlier with Pharoah Sanders.

The next year, Lonnie's brother, Donald, joined the Cosmic Echoes as a singer. Their album Cosmic Funk (1974) showed Lonnie moving towards a smooth jazz-funk style. His music featured dreamy vocals and long, spacey instrumental parts. It had strong funky bass lines and light percussion. Lonnie wanted his music to spread a message of peace. He said he was "trying to expand the consciousness of humanity."

This new style became very popular. It reached audiences who didn't usually listen to jazz. Albums like Expansions (1974) and Visions of a New World (1975) became favorites. They are still popular with DJs and listeners today.

In 1978, Lonnie signed with Columbia Records. He released Loveland and Exotic Mysteries. The song "Space Princess" from Exotic Mysteries became a big disco and R&B hit. A young Marcus Miller wrote this song and played bass on it.

After his success in the 1970s, Lonnie continued to make music. He had a minor hit in 1983 with "Never Too Late." He also performed with Marvin Gaye at the Montreux Jazz Festival. The Cosmic Echoes band eventually stopped playing together around 1976.

Lonnie reunited with producer Bob Thiele for his 'Doctor Jazz' albums. These albums are now considered some of Lonnie's best work. Marcus Miller produced the Dreams of Tomorrow album.

Later Career (1986–Present)

In 1986, Lonnie released Make Someone Happy. This album was an acoustic session. It featured new recordings of jazz standards.

Later, the hip-hop music scene became interested in Lonnie's older work. He worked with rapper Guru. Guru was mixing hip-hop with jazz in new ways. Lonnie appeared on Guru's album Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1 (1993). This helped new fans discover his music.

Lonnie spent time setting up his own record label, Loveland. In 1998, he released Transformation. For this album, he re-recorded some of his popular songs. These included "A Chance For Peace" and "Expansions." His brother Donald also sang on this album.

Since 1998, Lonnie has continued to perform live. He often tours in Europe and Japan. He is still popular with new generations of listeners. He also teaches at music workshops.

His songs are still featured on jazz radio and in compilations. The Cosmic Echoes song "Expansions" was in the video games Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Driver: Parallel Lines. "A Chance for Peace" was in Grand Theft Auto IV. Lonnie performed at the Glastonbury Festival in 2009.

In 2023, Lonnie released his first new recording in 25 years. It was called "JID017."