Chris Laurence

Not to be confused with Chris Lawrence.

Chris Laurence
Chris Laurence
Chris Laurence
Background information
Born (1949-01-06) 6 January 1949 (age 75)
London, England
Genres
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Double bass

Chris Laurence (born 6 January 1949)[1] is an English musician. Born in London, he studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and primarily works with jazz and classical music.[1] In the classical world he was principal double bass with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields orchestra[1] until 1995, playing on many of their recordings ranging from the film Amadeus to Benjamin Britten's Curlew River. He has recorded with many jazz artists, including trombonist J. J. Johnson, Tony Coe, Joe Williams, Sarah Vaughan, Clark Terry, Johnny Mathis, and Lena Horne. His most recent recordings include John Surman's The Spaces in Between (2007), Kenny Wheeler's The Long Waiting (2012) and Songs for Quintet on ECM Records, and Norma Winstone's Manhattan in the Rain (1998). He has also recorded music for television, film, and albums, most notably Leaving Las Vegas (1995), Ken Loach's Looking for Eric (2009), The Constant Gardener (2005), Howard Shore's score for Hugo (2011), and most recently was featured on the soundtrack of Mike Leigh's Mr. Turner (2014). In 2007, he recorded a CD with his own jazz quartet titled New View, released on the Basho label along with Frank Ricotti (vibes), John Parricelli (guitar), Martin France (drums), and featuring Norma Winstone (vocals).

As well as jazz and classical music, Laurence has also featured on albums with many stars including Elton John, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Joni Mitchell, David Gilmour, Michel Legrand, and guitarist John Williams.

Select discography[edit]

Chris Laurence Quartet, New View, 2007

Chris Laurence Quartet (As leader)

  • New View (Basho) (2007)[2]
  • Some Gnu Ones, Jazzin Britain (2021)

With David Gilmour

With Barry Guy/The London Jazz Composers' Orchestra

With Michael Nyman

With Emily Rose Laurence

  • Relativity (2022)

With Alan Skidmore

With John Surman

With John Taylor

  • Pause, and Think Again (Turtle)
  • Decipher (MPS)

With Kenny Wheeler

With Brian Miller

  • Whatever Next? (2015)

With John Horler

  • Not A Cloud In The Sky (2010)

With David Forman

  • Like A Rainbow (2022)

Fiachra Trench

  • Essential Classics (1989)

With Gareth Williams

  • Short Stories (2022)

With Stan Sultzman

  • On Loan With Gratitude (2023)

With Frank Ricotti Quartet

  • Our Point of View (CBS)
  • Frank Ricotti Stars (Beiderbecke Collection, 1988)

With Gordon Beck

  • Once Is Never Enough (FMR)

With John Williams

  • The Magic Box (Sony Classical)

With Elton Dean

  • They All Be on This Old Road (Ogun)

With the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields

With Tony Coe

  • Nutty on Wilisa
  • Les Sources Bleues Camomil
  • Mainly Mancini

With Lena Horne

With Sarah Vaughn

With Harry Beckett

  • Warm Smiles
  • Flare Up

With Maurice Andrea/ Michel Legrand

  • Windmills

With Geoff Eales

  • Master of the Game
  • Transience

With Debbie Wiseman, Locrian Ensemble

  • Wolf Hall

With Johnnie Mathis

With Norma Winstone

  • Manhattan in the Rain
  • Edge of Time

With Mike de Albuquerque

  • We May Be Castle but We All Have Names
  • First Wind

With Peter Gabriel

With Gil Evans

  • Absolute Beginners
  • Having It All
  • Va Va Voom
  • Insignificance

With John Warren

  • Travellers Tale

With Mike Figgis

With Anja Garbarek

  • Smiling and Waving

With Brigitte Baraha

  • Babelfish
  • Chasing Rainbows
  • Once Upon A Tide

With Helen Jane Long

  • Intervention

With Michel Legrand

  • Radio Days

With Robert Farnon

With Elton John

With Joni Mitchell

With Clark Terry

  • Clark After Dark

With Guy Barker

  • Holly

With Joe Douglas Trio

  • Visage (Spotlight Records, 1979)

With Michael Garrick/ Don Weller

  • You've Changed (1978)

With The Mike Westbrook Concert Band

  • Metropolis (Citadel 315)

With Neil Ardley

  • Symphony of Amarantis

With Andy Sheppard

  • Dancing Man & Woman
  • Learning to Wave

With Alan Davie

  • Bird Through The Wall

With Alison Moyet

  • Voice

With Elvis Costello

With Mark Hollis

With Zizi Possi

  • Per Amore

With Dick Walter

  • Capricorn Rising

With the London Trombone Quartet

  • Some of Our Best Friends

With Michael Civisca

  • Love is Like a Breeze

With Beryl Cook

  • Live From London

With Morrissey

  • He Knows I'd Love to See Him (His Master's Voice, 1990)

With Gerd Dudek

Soundtracks[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Who's Who of Jazz (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 253. ISBN 0-85112-580-8.
  2. ^ Double Bassist 2007 -- Volumes 40–43 – Page 67 "New View Chris Laurence (db) Basho Records SRCD 18-2 This aptly named disc revisits tunes by several of the .."
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