Three familiar faces around the conservatory will join two new ones on Wednesday night. The Lawrence Jazz Trio will play in Harper Hall at 8 p.m. on the 12th, along with two guests, saxophonist Wayne Escoffery and vocalist Carolyn Leonhart.
The Lawrence Jazz Trio *******– Matthew Turner on cello and piano, Dane Richeson on drums, and Mark Urness on bass ******– performs regularly on campus, including an extensive performance in Prof. Richeson’s recital last term.
Leonhart, the daughter of jazz bassist Jay Leonhart, is an extremely successful performer in a competitive field. She started singing early, and by 16 she had made an appearance at the Blue Note jazz club. She is coming to Lawrence just after completing a tour of Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands with her band, Lyn Leon, as a guest with Al Jarreau. Her new CD, “New 8th Day,” is scheduled for release in February of this year.
Escoffery is 6 feet 4 inches tall, weighs in at 200 pounds, and has appeared in the TV show “Oz,” as well as a Pfizer industrial film and a Mitsubishi ad. He also has an impressive music resume, holding diplomas from the Hartt School and the New England Conservatory, as well as having recorded with the Mingus big band on “Tonight at Noon,” with Eric Reed on “Happiness,” and as a leader on two CDs *****– Times Change (2001) and Intuition (2004). His shoe size is 13/14.
This event promises to be musically rewarding for all comers. The LU Jazz Trio will provide a reliable yet flexible backdrop for two first-rate soloists, and the synthesis of their creative energies will be nothing if not unique and exciting.