Lawrence Brown (jazz trombonist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lawrence Brown
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Lawrence Brown in Duke Ellington's orchestra (1943)
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| Background information | |
| Born | August 3, 1907 Lawrence, Kansas, U.S. |
| Died | September 5, 1988 (aged 81) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instruments | Trombone |
| Years active | 1932–1970 |
| Labels | Clef Records, Impulse! Records |
| Associated acts | Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges |
Lawrence Brown (born August 3, 1907 – died September 5, 1988) was an amazing jazz trombonist from California. He is most famous for playing with the legendary Duke Ellington orchestra. Lawrence was also a busy musician who played on many recordings and even made his own albums.
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Early Life and Musical Start
Lawrence Brown was born on August 3, 1907, in Lawrence, Kansas. When he was about six or seven years old, in 1914, his family moved to Oakland, California. He first started playing the violin, but he soon found it boring. He then switched to playing the tuba in his school's band.
Lawrence came from a very musical family. His father was a preacher at the African Methodist Episcopal Church, where he often sang during his sermons. Lawrence's mother played both the organ and the piano. Lawrence found the trombone while he was doing cleaning work at his father's church. He said he wanted to make the trombone sound like a cello, which is a string instrument.
A Life in Music
Lawrence Brown began his music career playing with bands led by Charlie Echols and Paul Howard. In 1932, he joined Duke Ellington's famous band. Lawrence was very skilled at playing the trombone. He had a special "creamy tone" and a unique vibrato (a wavering effect in the sound). His wide range of notes was often featured in Ellington's songs, like "Blue Cellophane" and "Golden Cress."
Time Away from Ellington
In 1951, Lawrence left Duke Ellington's band. He joined a band led by Johnny Hodges, who was another famous musician who used to play with Ellington. Lawrence stayed with Johnny Hodges until 1955. After that, he worked for five years at CBS. There, he was a "session player," which means he played on many different recordings for other artists.
Back with Duke Ellington
In 1960, Lawrence rejoined Duke Ellington's band. He stayed with them until 1970. After leaving Ellington's band for the second time, at the age of 63, Lawrence stopped performing music.
Lawrence played many important roles in the Duke Ellington Orchestra. He was great at playing slow, beautiful songs (called ballads). He was also a very technical soloist, meaning he could play fast and complex musical parts. He was also a strong leader for the trombone section of the band. His smooth ballad playing and his quick, technical style inspired many other trombonists, from Tommy Dorsey to Bill Harris.
Personal Life
Lawrence Brown was married to Dorothea Bundrant and later to actress Fredi Washington. He passed away in Los Angeles, California, when he was 81 years old.
Discography
As leader
- Slide Trombone Featuring Lawrence Brown (Clef, 1955)
- Inspired Abandon (Impulse!, 1965)
