06/03/2026
From the melting pot of cultures and music that is Louisiana, Mike Lockett has grown up and become a musical fixture in the spiciest gumbo. Growing up and working in Baton Rouge, a city known for the blues, then post-college working in New Orleans, a city known for jazz and second lines, and finally moving to Lafayette, the city known for zydeco and Cajun music, Lockett incorporates all of these spices into his sound. Guided by the rhythmic sounds of Allen Toussaint and Professor Longhair, along with the soulful sounds of Joe Sample, he blends this foundation with the melodic offerings of Thelonious Monk, McCoy Tyner, and many other jazz greats. With his mastery of acoustic and electric piano, as well as his fusion-driven solo synth work influenced by Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea, he and the Mike Lockett Trio truly wow audiences. As a keyboardist for many top artists, he has traveled both nationally and internationally. During his world travels, Mike Lockett has also been seen and heard on national television and radio programs. He was a member of the legendary Beau Jocque and the Zydeco Highrollers, who were musical guests on David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, and Good Morning Australia. Mike Lockett has performed at many major festivals, including the Montreux Jazz Festival, City by the Bay, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Milwaukee Summerfest, and at the Library of Congress, just to name a few. He has long been a go-to keyboardist on stages across the globe. In 2024, Lockett received a Grammy Award in the Regional Roots Music category for his work on “New Beginnings,” a project he engineered, co-produced, and played keyboards on with Buckwheat Jr. and the Ils Sont Partis Zydeco Band. From his upcoming project, “Still Smooth,” Mike Lockett has released the single “September,” which is available on all major streaming platforms.
