IT STARTED WITH -

After growing up in a Jazz festival environment in Sacramento, California, Mark (alias MJ Lawrence) has transformed from the jazz style of that area to a more contemporary artist. Although he loves to push borders, he does enjoy going back to the roots...

During Mark’s childhood, the annual jazz festival and monthly society meetings in his hometown, Sacramento, California USA gained broad international attraction. Consequently, he was repeatedly given opportunity to play sets with several world-renowned jazz players (incl. Trummy Young, Kenny Davern, Jim Beatty, Jimmie Rivers, Barret Deems). This provided a fertile learning environment. ​Mark became an international citizen in 1985 when he left his hometown and the California jazz festival circuit to take to the European stages. Settling mainly in Munich, Germany, he joined the Veterinary Street Jazz Band who were widely known at that time for TV performances on ZDF’s the “KNOFF HOFF SHOW”.

Over the last decades, Mark has been highly engaged with diverse music styles (Blues & Dixieland, Jazz, Funk, R&B, Soul, and Pop). While past albums include Blues & Dixieland with Tuleburg, Chicago Sidewalk Jazzband, and Veterinary Street Jazz Band, he has also composed contemporary songs and integrated them together with other works for his own pop instrumental and vocal music productions. ​Blues & Dixieland recordings are not readily offered here, but Mark can be found frequently playing this music live in Germany. He is available locally and internationally as a trumpet player/singer as well as able to provide a band for music events.