Trumpeter Chris Lawrence

[Lazaro Vega]

At 26 this Muskegon, Michigan, native, with a degree in music education, is one musical trumpet player. He's moving out to Portland this week to stay with a cousin and see if he can live on playing music as the struggle continues here in Michigan. In any case, he's been a very good reason to go out and hear live music around the area over the last several yers. The first few tracks on this "Listen" segment were from a radio program done "Live From Blue Lake" with a saxophonist named Caleb Curtis who went to Michigan State and now lives in Brooklyn. Both will be teaching at Blue Lake again this summer.

http://www.chrislawrencemusic.org/live/

[papsrus]

Thanks for posting this. I'm at work now, but will give a listen when I get home.

... not that I'm anywhere near Portland, mind you. Nonetheless ...

[Lazaro Vega]

The less well recorded pieces in his "Listen" section are more recent -- you can hear him gaining confidence.

[Uncle Skid]

Big :tup to Mr. Lawrence... I've heard him play with both the Truth In Jazz Orchestra, as well as the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra. His big band performances were always exciting and noteworthy... and I always regret that I didn't catch him in performance with a smaller group. Every time I've heard him play, I was always interested in hearing more.

From the not-to-common-knowledge-department: A few years back, Chris was instrumental in organizing a local open mike/jam session here, in this (relatively) small town area of roughly <150,000 people (in the whole county). There's a very small, but loyal, following of "jazz" fans around here, and it takes a certain amount of... well, you know, to even attempt to get something like that together.

Wishing him continued good luck at both Blue Lake, and in Oregon!