A New Orleans native, who has called Charlotte home for the past decade, Lonnie Davis and her husband, Ocie, have been credited by many with turning Charlotte into one of the fastest growing local jazz scenes in the U.S.
As president of the Jazz Arts Initiative (JAI), Lonnie has been instrumental in the creation of programs that educate local students; such as the Youth Jazz Workshops, the Jazz Arts Music Camp and the Jazz in Schools program. And, with the JAI’s highly acclaimed, regularly sold-out monthly series; The Jazz Room @ The Stage Door Theater; Lonnie and Ocie have created an oasis for parched jazz fans from around the country, who now call the Queen City home.
Already, in this season, The Jazz Room’s seventh, there have been acclaimed tributes to Louis Armstrong and Sarah Vaughan as well as Jazz Room at the Symphony, a thrilling jazz meets classical performance with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, that brought the Knight Theatre audience to its feet.
Lonnie Davis will join me during the second hour of JAZZ LIVES on Thursday, May 19, to talk about upcoming performances in The Jazz Room, such as bassist Tim Singh and the QC Latin Jazz Orchestra, paying tribute to Tito Puente (Friday, May 20). She will also share information about exciting upcoming JAI educational events, like the Jazz Arts Music Camp, in June, with guest artist in residence vibraphonist/drummer Jason Marsalis. And since we do celebrate the music of living jazz artists on JAZZ LIVES!!!, Lonnie and CurtJazz will discuss and play, music by some of the great musicians who call the Carolinas home.
JAZZ LIVES!!! with CurtJazz, airing LIVE every Thursday from 6:00pm to 9:00pm via CharlotteCommunityRadio.org, CLTCRadio.org OR use the Mixlr app where you can listen and chat with our hosts and guests alike.
(Photo of Lonnie Davis, courtesy of Southern Living.com)
hen WPBX, on the East End of Long Island, was the best gig of my life, of any kind, one I reluctantly gave up, when I moved south almost sixteen years ago. As I signed off in October 2000, I always knew that I would be back one day. I just didn’t think that my son, who was less than a month old when I left, would be ready to start driving when that day came!
Curt's Jazz Cafe 