Matt Smith’s Well-Crafted Music Series with Steve Okonski, Evan Martin and Kevin Williams

Born in Summerville, New Jersey, Okonski grew up in Milan, Michigan, where he started playing piano at a young age. Initially, he listened to his parents’ record collection, imbibing songs by the Beatles and Miles Davis. After high school, he studied music at Eastern Michigan University, before transferring to City College of New York where he dove further into jazz. He also began gigging and eventually met drummer Aaron Frazer, who brought him on board for his throwback R&B outfit Durand Jones & the Indications. From 2017 onward, Okonski toured and recorded with the band, appearing on their albums American Love Call and Private Space.