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2025-05-15T14:37:40Z

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{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Doug Lawrence
| image = Doug Lawrence at the Isola (Italy) Jazz Festival 2013 Photo by Maurizio Rossi.jpg
| caption = Doug Lawrence at the Isola (Italy) Jazz Festival 2013 Photo by Maurizio Rossi
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1956|10|11}}
| birth_place = [[Lake Charles, Louisiana]], U.S.
| genre = Jazz
| occupation = Musician
| instrument = Tenor saxophone
| years_active =
| label =
| associated_acts = [[The Jazz Knights]], [[Count Basie Orchestra]]
| website = {{Infobox military person
|embed = yes
|embed_title = Military service
|allegiance = {{flag|United States|1912}}
|branch = {{Army|United States|size=23px}}
|serviceyears = 1978–1986
|rank =
|unit = [[West Point Band|USMA Band]]
|battles =
|awards =
}}
}}

'''Doug Lawrence''' (born October 11, 1956) is an American [[jazz]] tenor saxophonist from [[Lake Charles, Louisiana]].

==Early life==
Lawrence, the youngest of six children, was born into a musical family in [[Lake Charles, Louisiana]], and raised in [[Albuquerque, New Mexico]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Doug Lawrence gives back to youth - Albuquerque Journal |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/1431899/doug-lawrence-gives-back-to-youth.html |access-date=2022-07-17 |website=www.abqjournal.com}}</ref> His father and two of his older three brothers were professional musicians who worked and recorded with [[Jack Teagarden]], [[Elvis Presley]], [[Ike and Tina Turner]], [[Edgar Winter]], [[The Righteous Brothers]], [[Louis Bellson]] and others, and both of his sisters played musical instruments.<ref>Feather, L; Gitler, I "The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz", New York: Oxford University Press, 1999, p.403</ref> His mother was a dancer and played piano. Lawrence graduated high school from [[Highland High School (Albuquerque, New Mexico)]] and studied music at [[North Texas State University]], the [[University of New Mexico]] and was a member of [[the Jazz Knights]], a jazz ensemble of the [[West Point Band]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Command |first=United States Army Recruiting |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PoYihU4qmyYC&dq=Doug+Lawrence+musician+high+school+albuquerque&pg=PA20 |title=U.S. Army Recruiting and Reenlisting Journal |date=1978 |publisher=U.S. Army Recruiting Command |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=McGill |first=Nigel |date=2015-03-19 |title=Doug Lawrence Interview |url=https://saxschoolonline.com/articles/doug-lawrence-interview/ |access-date=2022-07-17 |website=McGill Music Sax School Online |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Career ==
Lawrence spent over 25 years in [[New York City]], collaborating with [[Frank Sinatra]], [[Tony Bennett]], [[Aretha Franklin]], [[Roy Eldridge]], [[Nancy Wilson (jazz singer)]], [[Joe Williams (jazz singer)]], [[Teri Thornton]], [[Benny Goodman]] and others.<ref>{{cite web|title =Doug Lawrence: Biography |first=Scott|last=Yanow |publisher=Allmusic| url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/doug-lawrence-mn0000802765 |accessdate = July 14, 2011}}</ref> He has also recorded with many prominent jazz musicians such as [[Buck Clayton]], [[Dizzy Gillespie]], [[Ray Charles]], [[Wild Bill Davis]], [[Hank Jones]], [[Mel Lewis]], [[Frank Wess]], [[Grover Mitchell]], [[Loren Schoenberg]], [[Butch Miles]] and [[Jimmy Cobb]] as well as recording six albums as a leader - "Soul Carnival",<ref>{{cite web|title=Doug Lawrence: Soul Carnival|first=Ken|last=Frankling |publisher=JazzTimes| url=http://jazztimes.com/articles/10335-soul-carnival-doug-lawrence |accessdate= June 10, 2013}}</ref> "High Heel Sneakers",<ref>{{cite web|title=Doug Lawrence |first=Tom|last=Terrell |publisher=JazzTimes| url =http://jazztimes.com/articles/20734-doug-lawrence}} |accessdate= 10 June 2013</ref> "Big Band Swing"<ref>{{cite web|title=Doug Lawrence and His Orchestra: Big Band Swing |first=Jack|last=Bowers |date=25 July 2006 |publisher=All About Jazz| url =http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=22554#.UbX8qM1byW0 |accessdate= 10 June 2013}}</ref> "Street Wise"<ref>{{cite web|title=Doug Lawrence; Street Wise |first=C.Michael|last=Bailey |date=13 February 2003 |publisher=All About Jazz| url =http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=11305#.UbX99c1byW0 |accessdate= 10 June 2013}}</ref> and "Doug Lawrence and Friends".<ref>{{cite web|title=Doug Lawrence;Doug Lawrence and Friends|first=Jack|last=Bowers |date=11 December 2021 |publisher=All About Jazz| url=http://www.allaboutjazz.com/doug-lawrence-and-friends-doug-lawrence-self-produced }}</ref> Lawrence served in the [[West Point Band]]'s [[The Jazz Knights|Jazz Knights]] in the early 1980s as the lead tenor saxophonist.

Lawrence has been a featured performer at [[Carnegie Hall]], the [[Kennedy Center]], the [[Village Vanguard]], the [[Walt Disney Concert Hall]] and at international concert halls and jazz festivals including the [[Sydney Opera House]], the [[Moscow International House of Music]], the [[Blue Note Tokyo]], [[Telluride Jazz Celebration]] and the [[North Sea Jazz Festival]]. Since 1996 Lawrence has been, and is currently, the featured tenor saxophone soloist with the [[Count Basie Orchestra]]. In 2020 Lawrence began working with the iconic organist [[Joey DeFrancesco]] in DeFrancesco's "Tenor Madness" band. After Mr DeFrancesco's untimely death on August 25, 2022, the band briefly continued on with Dan Trudell taking Mr DeFrancesco's place on organ. This band featured longtime [[Harry Connick Jr.]] tenor saxophonist [[Jerry Weldon]] and Lawrence in a quartet or quintet setting.<ref>{{cite web|title=Boss Tenors Jerry Weldon and Doug Lawrence|publisher=Musical Instrument Museum| url =http://www.mim.org/events/boss-tenors/ |accessdate= 4 April 2023}}</ref> Lawrence also works regularly with pianist [[George Cables]] among others.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dexter Gordon Legacy Quartet with Doug Lawrence, George Cables, Louis Hayes, John Webber|publisher=Outpost Performance Space| url =http://www.tickets.holdmyticket.com/tickets/348151?tc=hmt_venue |accessdate= 27 April 2023}}</ref> Lawrence leads his own Trio, Quartet, Quintet or Sextet as well as a latin jazz band called Doug Lawrence y Su Nuevo Mexicanos.<ref>{{cite web|title=Match Made In Jazz Heaven |first=David|last=Steinberg |publisher=Albuquerque Journal| url =http://www.abqjournal.com/main/98611/entertainment/match-made-in-ja-zzheaven.html |accessdate= 17 June 2013}}</ref> Lawrence frequently appears as guest clinician and artist-in-residence at universities and jazz camps around the world.<ref>{{cite web |title=Festival internationale Isola Jazz |first=Franchesco |last=Gambetta |publisher=Genova Oggi Notizie |url=http://genova.ogginotizie.it/255962-festival-internazionale-isola-jazz-dedicato-a-bobby-durham/#.UdHs3c3_CJM |accessdate=July 1, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817184908/http://genova.ogginotizie.it/255962-festival-internazionale-isola-jazz-dedicato-a-bobby-durham/#.UdHs3c3_CJM |archive-date=August 17, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Lawrence lives in [[New Mexico]], USA.<ref>{{cite web|title=Doug Lawrence: Local Jazz Hero|first=Mike|last=Page-English |publisher=[[Local iQ]] | url =http://www.local-iq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1460&Itemid=54 |accessdate= 10 June 2013}}</ref>

==Discography==
[[File:George Cables, Doug Lawrence, John Webber, Leroy Williams.pdf|thumb|George Cables, Doug Lawrence, John Webber, Leroy Williams]]

===As leader===
* ''Soul Carnival'' (Fable/Lightyear/WEA 1997)
* ''High Heel Sneakers'' (Fable/Lightyear/WEA 1998)
* ''Big Band Swing'' (Black Orchid 2001)
* ''Street Wise'' (AllTribe 2002)
* ''Doug Lawrence New Organ Trio'' (Cactus 2014)
* ''Doug Lawrence and Friends'' (Junkie Jazz 2021)

===As sideman===
* Richard Allen, ''Gone with the Wind'' (JazzInn 1999)
* Count Basie Orchestra, ''All About That Basie'' (Concord 2018)
* Count Basie Orchestra, ''A Very Swinging Basie Christmas'' (Concord 2015)
* Count Basie Orchestra, ''Ella 100: Live At The Apollo'' (Concord 2020)
* Count Basie Orchestra, ''Late Night Basie'' (Primary Wave Music 2023)
* Count Basie Orchestra, ''Live At Birdland'' (Candid 2021)
* Count Basie Orchestra, ''Live in Japan'' (Sony 2006)
* Count Basie Orchestra, ''Singing, Swinging, Playing'' (Mack Avenue 2009)
* Count Basie Orchestra, ''The Count Basie Orchestra Swings The Blues'' (Candid 2023)
* Hinton Battle, ''Meets the Count Basie Orchestra'' (Sony 2013)
* Tony Bennett, ''A Swingin' Christmas'' (Columbia 2008)
* Isrea Butler, ''Congo Lament'' (Vegas 2024)
* Ray Charles, ''Ray Sings, Basie Swings'' (Concord 2007)
* James Chirillo, ''The Doug Lawrence Trio'' (DoLaDi 1981)
* Buck Clayton, ''A Swingin' Dream'' (Stash 1989)
* Buck Clayton, ''Live at the Village Vangauard'' (Nagel Hayer 1991)
* Buck Clayton, ''New York Ballads'' (Nagel Hayer 2020)
* Buck Clayton, ''Swings The Village'' (Nagel Hayer 2002)
* Rosemary Clooney, ''Live At Ravinia'' (PBS/WTTW 2001)
* Tony Corbiscello, ''In Full Swing'' (Allanna 1999)
* Jamie Cullum, ''The Pursuit'' (Verve 2009)
* Wild Bill Davis Trio, ''Live At The West End'' (WKCR 1990)
* Massamo Faraò, ''Body and Soul featuring Doug Lawrence'' (Azzura 2023)
* Massamo Faraò, ''The Great Saxophone Jazz Lounge featuring Doug Lawrence and Jerry Weldon'' (Azzura 2023)
* Dave Glasser and Doug Lawrence, ''Two For The Road'' (Cactus 2024)
* Nneenna Freelon, ''Blueprint of a Lady'' (Concord 2005)
* Jeff Jeroloman and George Cables, ''Swing Thing'' (Candid 1993)
* George V. Johnson, ''Live at the JazzInn'' (JazzInn 2001)
* Martha Lorin, ''The Time Is Now'' (Carmel 1993)
* Butch Miles, ''Straight On Till Morning'' (Nagel Hayer 2003)
* Grover Mitchell, ''Truckin'' (Stash 1987)
* Grover Mitchell, ''Hip Shakin'' (Ken 1990)
* Grover Mitchell, ''Live In Paris'' (Radio France 1987)
* New York Voices, ''Sing, Sing, Sing'' (Concord 2000)
* Ken Peplowski, ''A Good Reed'' (Concord 1997)
* Sammy Price, ''Two Tenor Boogie featuring Percy France and Doug Lawrence'' (WKCR 1990)
* Loren Schoenberg, ''Just a Sittin' and a Rockin''' (Musicmasters 1990)
* Loren Schoenberg, ''Manhattan Work Song'' (Music Masters 1993)
* Loren Schoenberg, ''Out of This World'' (Montreux 1998)
* Loren Schoenberg, ''Time Waits for No One'' (Music Masters 1992)
* Cynthia Scott, ''I Just Want to Know'' (Itocs 1998)
* Bobby Short, ''You're the Top'' (Telarc 1999)
* Debra Silver, ''Basie Rocks'' (Green Hill 2025)
* Debra Silver, ''Swinging Through The Holidays'' (Green Hill 2024)
* Clyde Stubblefield, ''B3 Bombers Live at the Green Mill'' (AllTribe 2002)
* Jimmy Sturr, ''Jimmy Sturr Orchestra Polka Disco'' (RBS 1979)
* Teri Thornton, ''Good Morning Heartache'' (Monte Carlo 1988)
* John Trentacosta, ''Meets Doug Lawrence, Desert Bop'' (Cactus 2019)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.douglawrenceofficial.com/ Doug Lawrence official website]
* [http://www.thecountbasieorchestra.com/ Count Basie website], Richard Barnhart
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140517171736/http://jimmycobb.net/ Jimmy Cobb website]
* [https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/doug-lawrence Doug Lawrence Interview] NAMM Oral History Library (2022)

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lawrence, Doug}}
[[Category:1956 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American jazz tenor saxophonists]]
[[Category:American male saxophonists]]
[[Category:Hard bop saxophonists]]
[[Category:Swing saxophonists]]
[[Category:Musicians from Lake Charles, Louisiana]]
[[Category:United States Military Academy people]]
[[Category:United States Army Band musicians]]
[[Category:21st-century American saxophonists]]
[[Category:Jazz musicians from Louisiana]]
[[Category:21st-century American male musicians]]
[[Category:American male jazz musicians]]
[[Category:Musicians from Albuquerque, New Mexico]]
[[Category:Musicians from New Mexico]]
[[Category:Jazz musicians from New Mexico]]

Doug Lawrence (jazz musician) - Revision history

2601:8C0:883:4940:96E:534D:913E:C1DA: /* External links */