Search - Piers Lawrence Quartet :: Stolen Moments

Piers Lawrence a soulful, melodic guitarist, and prolific songwriter was born in Manhattan, raised in San Francisco, and Geneva, Switzerland,where he studied Guitar and Composition at the Conservatoire de Musique de Lausanne. Upon his return to New York, he joined the world-renowned, Harlem-based, Jazz-Mobile Orchestra Big Band while he continued his studies with jazz greats Barry Galbraith and Ted Dunbar. Soon he was playing Broadway shows including 'Guys and Dolls', 'Dancin', 'Hubie', and 'Your Arms Too Short to Box With God' and touring and recording with, , Wilson Picket, The Main Ingredient, Ester Phillips, Phyilis Hyman and The Caribbean Allstars and Merl Saunders. Today, he's back in New York City, bringing his love of jazz music both to the live stage and to internet radio, where he produces and hosts radio show Manhattan Jazz on internet radio station TribecaRadio.net His record label, JazzNet Media produces independent projects such as Stolen Moments which features three original tunes, Samba Christina, Everytime and Dimanche. As Pianist Chuk Fowler puts it, I had the great good fortune to be born and raised in Haaarlem, by which he means, 119th Street during the end of the Harlem Renaissance. His early influences include Nat King Cole, Hampton Hawes, and Miles Davis and after studying with Sir Roland Hanna and Sonny Stitt's father, Edward Boatner, he has gone on to play with Kenny Durham, Hank Mobley, Billy Higgins and Harry & Sweet Edison. Jim Hankins, upright Bass, comes from Detroit, MI, where he grew up in a jazz musician-rich neighborhood that was home to icons such as Barry Harris, Charles McPherson, Donald Byrd and Kenny Burrell. Jim has worked with jazz icons such as Sonny Stitt, Lou Rawls, Wes Montgomery, Donald Byrd and Betty Carter. Sir Earl Grice started on the Drums at the advanced age of four, playing for his parents gospel choir in Newark, New Jersey. His early influences include Buddy Rich, Art Blakey, 'Papa' Jo Jones and his all time favorite musician is John Coltrane with Elvin Jones. Earl also has impressive credits as an actor, he's appeared in over forty films and television productions starting with a Bronx Tale in 1992. As a drummer Sir Earl has appeared with Sonny Rollins, Clark Terry, Stevie Wonder and George Benson.