Lost Luggage, a local jazz band, performed at Goshen Brewing Company on March 18 at 7 p.m. as a part of the free Wednesday music series. They performed both original songs and covers of songs for their set, featuring Kenneth Craig on the vibraphone, Deron Bergstresser on the drums and Kent Dutchersmith ’90 on the upright bass and electric bass.

Lost Luggage started as a trio with Craig, Bergstresser and Dutchersmith in 2017. The band later accepted a fourth member, saxophone player Ben Good-Elliott ’22, who unfortunately was not there during the performance due to illness.

When asked how to describe their music, besides jazz, Dutchersmith said, “We gravitate towards Latin beats and a ’60’s vibe.”

Bergstresser added “funky lounge music” to the list of genres. 

“We don’t like to be put in a box,” Craig said. 

The vibe they described was reflected in their set that evening. The set included original songs from their 2024 album “Carrion Items,” such as “Blue Heron,” “Apocolypso,” “Vegan Chili,” “Goshen Blue-ing Company” and “The Jazz Chicken.”

Like many bands, each band member has a job outside of their commitment to the band. Dutchersmith is a co-leader of ECoSistema, a music education program based on the worldwide El Sistema program; Bergstresser is the pastor of senior ministries at Waterford Mennonite Church; and Craig is working as a behavioral health therapist at Maple City Healthcare Center.

“So, a music educator, a pastor and a therapist walk into a bar …” Dutchersmith joked.

“… And what do they do? They play jazz,” Bergstresser added.

Over the years, Lost Luggage has visited more venues than just GBCo. “We were playing at a fancy banquet in the ballroom at the learning room at Oaklawn,” Craig said as the group reflected on their most memorable gigs.

Bergstresser said that GBCo. will always hold a special place in his heart. “For me, it was the first time we played here … it was our first gig out in public … this place was packed even more than tonight. I feel like I wasn’t thinking about what I was playing.”

Craig experienced a similar euphoria during the performance. “We were surrounded by friends,” he said. “And it just sort of felt like a warm glow and all of my problems just dissipated, and I was just like in this little dream sequence.”

They also performed at the second annual Festival of Hope in 2022, hosted by the Center for Healing and Hope at GBCo., and helped to raise $24,000 for affordable healthcare and immigrant advocacy programs. They perform yearly at the Michiana Mennonite Relief sale at the Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds in Goshen, and have recently booked a gig for a wedding reception.

To listen to their songs, Lost Luggage’s 2024 digital album, “Carrion Items” is available at thelostluggage.bandcamp.com, featuring all original songs from the group.