JZ Jazz Concert Series - Lawrence Ku Trio (May) May 11, 2008

Performance Hall - Shanghai Oriental Art Center
Tickets: 200 150 100
Ticket HL: 962388 (24 HL), 68541234

The Shanghai based trio features the veteran guitarist Lawrence Ku. He was a member of the New England Conservatory Jazz Orchestra which won the “Downbeat Award”. Currently he is involved in several musical projects and also hosts “More Than Jazz” a new television show broadcast on ICS (International Channel Shanghai); he therefore plays an important role in the Chinese jazz scene.

Lawrence Ku

Guitarist/composer Lawrence Ku grew up in Los Angeles, California, but has made China his home for over ten years. Since late 2005, he has been living in Shanghai. He plays regularly at the JZ Club (www.jzclub.cn) and is the music director at the JZ School (www.jz-school.cn). He has previously resided in Beijing, where he performed regularly and taught at the Midi School of Music and the Beijing Contemporary Music Institute, and Boston, where he did his graduate work in composition and jazz performance at the Longy School of Music and the New England Conservatory.
The Lawrence Ku Septet recently recorded and released its first CD “Process” in 2007 and has been featured at the Helsinki Jazz Festival, Beijing Ninegates Jazz Festival and the Shanghai International Jazz Festival. He also leads a funk-groove band called the Red Groove Project and is part of The Far East Quartet, which recently released its debut recording “Something Real”.
Lawrence has had the honor of playing with such musicians as Joe Lovano, Gunther Schuller, Maria Schneider, George Russell and Ken Schaphorst. And as part of the diverse and constantly growing music scene in Shanghai, he has performed with musicians from all over the world, including Jon Morrison, Willow Neilson, Toby Mak, James Danderfer, Campbell Ryga, Cennet Jonsson, Alec Haavik, JQ Whitcomb, Xia Jia, Victor Noriega, Steinar Nickelson, Rolf Becker, Sinne Eeg, Andy Hunter, Peter Scherr, Simon Barker, Sean Higgins, EJ Parker, Chris Trzcinski, Nicholas Mcbride and others.
Lawrence has learned from some incredible musicians including Ben Monder, Charlie Banacos, Jerry Bergonzi, George Garzone, George Lewis and Carol Kaye.

Official Website: http://www.jzclub.cn