Chicago's 39th Annual Jazz Festival With Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio
CHICAGO (CBS) -- It's time to get jazzing.
Chicago's 39th annual Jazz Festival kicks off this weekend in Millennium Park.
WBBM's Steve Miller was out with the noontime crowd.
One of the headliners: Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio.
Right before his soundcheck, WBBM spoke with Dr. Lonnie Smith himself, a jazz organist who is 75-years old.
"You know, I've been coming to Chicago for many years. I enjoy myself here. Plus I used to play at Joe Segal's (Jazz Showcase) many years ago," he said.
Dr. Lonnie Smith wears a turban.
WBBM asked him, not about the turban, but how he got the "Doctor" attached to his name.
"That's one thing we don't talk about. The 'Doctor' and the turban," Smith said.
"I will do some operations in a few minutes and you'll see why they call me 'Doctor.'"
As the Jazz Festival was starting in Millennium Park, WBBM asked people to reflect on a summer that seemed to go before we really got to know it.
"We didn't get a lot of heat wave. That's the summertime for us. But since we only got it for a couple of weeks...Then everything started going fast, you know?"
"Fall brings so much fun things to the city. So we're not missing out. It's winter that I'm not waiting for. That winter is harsh for me."
"I just like the end of summer because I want to go to Hawaii and San Francisco so I don't have to deal with the cold weather in Chicago anymore."
Jazz Fest takes place in Millennium Park through Sunday.
