Contrast Josh Lawrence & Color Theory

• 1Circles On Black04:23
• 2Around The Circle04:55
• 3Dominant Curve04:50
• 4Accompanied Contrast04:33
• 5In The Black Square06:46
• 6Gray05:59
• 7Brown05:48
• 8Agent Orange05:50
• 9Blues On The Bridge07:56
• 10Sometimes It Snows In April04:49
• Total Runtime55:49

Info for Contrast

Trumpet player Josh Lawrence examines the scene from a whole new perspective on Contrast, his second release for Posi-Tone. Using both his instrument and his skills as a bandleader, Lawrence succeeds in making another inspired statement by exploring several different musical avenues with his Color Theory project. Also featured on the record are the colors and sounds of alto saxophonist Caleb Curtis, trombonist David Gibson pianists Orrin Evans and Zaccai Curtis, bassist Luques Curtis, and drummer Anwar Marshall. The session is elegantly lyrical and clearly suggestive of a modern jazz sensibility. With an amazing combination of talents, brilliant performances, and an evocative program of new original compositions, Contrast is sure to bring bright moments of intense delight to serious listeners and jazz fans everywhere.

"With the caliber of musicians on Contrast, this album can’t miss. The sound palette on each track makes it truly exciting, and classy." (wrti.org)

Josh Lawrence, trumpet
Caleb Curtis, alto saxophone
David Gibson, trombone
Zaccai Curtis, piano and Fender Rhodes (9)
Orrin Evan, piano (track 9, 10)
Luques Curtis, bass
Anwar Marshall, drums

Josh Lawrence
is the founder of Color Theory, a jazz ensemble for which he composes works fusing swing, the blues, Afro-Cuban music, and hip-hop. Lawrence uses sound to paint expressionist portraits and landscapes inspired by art, architecture, philosophy, and social observation.

Lawrence's new record Contrast (2018, Posi-Tone) uses both his instrument and his skills as a bandleader to succeed in making another inspired statement exploring several different musical avenues with his Color Theory project. The album features saxophonist Caleb Curtis, pianists Orrin Evans & Zaccai Curtis, bassist Luques Curtis, and drummer Anwar Marshall.

Color Theory’s 2017 debut Posi-Tone Records release led to a Chamber Music America New Jazz Works award for his Lost Works Suite (premiering 2018) inspired by painter and art theorist Vasily Kandinsky's first three compositions which were destroyed during World War II.

Now living in New York, Lawrence studied at the University of the Arts in his hometown Philadelphia. There he co-founded the Fresh Cut Orchestra, an experimental electro-jazz ensemble that won a Pew Center Philadelphia Music Project grant, an American Composers Forum Subito grant, a Kimmel Center Jazz Residency, and released two albums with Ropeadope Records. Lawrence is also the co-founder of oljo creative minds, a NY-based multimedia production company started in partnership with designer/photographer Ola Baldych. Other work includes collaborations with pianist Orrin Evans' Captain Black Big Band and Tarbaby as well as recordings with saxophonist Caleb Curtis, bassist Jonathan Michel, vocalist Laurin Talese, guitarist Matt Davis' Aerial Photograph , R&B legends Boyz II Men, and the great Erykah Badu.

This album contains no booklet.