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Jazz Articles about Chad Lawson
Chad Lawson: Crossing Over and Back
by K. Shackelford
Chad Lawson is a compelling musical voice that deserves wider attention. He's a masterful pianist with an extensive jazz background, but has crossed genres taking the beauty of his music into the classical world. Recently, he released The Chopin Variations, arrangements of famed composer Frédéric François Chopin. On the album, Lawson re-contextualizes Chopin's piano solo pieces, particularly by adding two voices--cello and violin--to the mix. Embedded into this trio's sound is an ethos of desire, beauty, and love--creating a heartfelt ...
read moreChad Lawson Trio: Unforeseen
by Dan McClenaghan
Nothing particularly earthshaking or groundbreaking here; just a well oiled piano trio going after an engaging set tunes, melody in the forefront. Pianist Chad Lawson has an ear for fine melodies on this collection that mixes standards, a few rock tunes, and four of his own first rate compositions. The set opens with Past Reference," a Lawson original: a slightly sad atmosphere with flashes of right hand brightness that sounds like a tune you've heard before, ...
read moreThe Chad Lawson Trio: Dear Dorothy: The Oz Sessions
by Jack Bowers
The future isn't always as bleak as it so often appears. Amid the welter of rubbish that passes for music these days one can occasionally discern a refreshing ray of sunshine. Here's one--music from MGM's film classic The Wizard of Oz, handsomely arranged and marvelously played by three talented young musicians from North Carolina. The idea for the album, says leader / pianist Chad Lawson, came to him while visiting a friend's house whose daughter was watching the film on ...
read moreChad Lawson Trio: Dear Dorothy: The OZ Sessions
by Glenn Astarita
Summit Records has evolved into one of the finer jazz record labels. They're proponents of worthy, yet at times lesser-known talent, while also recruiting more familiar names for a variety of projects. Here, the Chad Lawson (piano) Trio morph tunes from The Wizard of Oz into mainstream jazz arrangements. The musicians have designed a pleasant outing, marked by their rather good-natured approach to the material. In fact, recordings of this ilk could serve as a good basis for introducing jazz ...
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