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Lawrence Duff

About Me

My Jazz Story

I love jazz because...when it's good, it's about the experience of being and creating in the moment from the heart and spirit. Every performance is creating new music in the moment that will never be performed again exactly the same... I was first exposed to jazz...as a young teenager hearing Dave Brubeck on piano and Jimmy Smith on the organ. I'm sure I heard Duke Ellington and Tony Bennett earlier but considered it my father's music, so wanted to play rock and roll like I listened to with my friends. I was playing with friends in a band, learning to play the blues and fell in love with Ray Charles, which opened the door to appreciate jazz. The best show I ever attended was...Ray Charles circa 1968 The first jazz record I bought was...Jimmy Smith? My advice to new listeners... Or whatever else you have in mind.