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  • Services
    I am a Santa Barbara-based singer, pianist, and guitarist available to perform in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Ventura, and Los Angeles counties and beyond for wedding ceremonies, cocktail hour and receptions, anniversaries, bar/bat mitzvahs, corporate events, holiday parties, birthday parties, fund raisers, wine tastings, memorials or any special occasion.

    I am available for New Years Eve and holiday parties, as a soloist or ensemble.      For New Years Eve I can provide a great band; jazz swing or mixed genre, or perform as a solo, duo, or trio.
     
    Music is my life work and passion. I have loved music all my life and have been performing since I was in my early teens, professionally for the last 20 or so years.  I sing and play (solo or with other musicians) in a variety of styles from jazz standards (Great American songbook; the repertoire of Tony Bennett, Sinatra, Diana Krall, etc.),  to more contemporary songs (60's to the present) from smooth jazz, pop, rock, blues, funk, latin, Brazilian, New Age, Broadway, country, as well as traditional and contemporary folk songs including Irish and Spirituals, and some classical pieces.  As a performer I hold myself and the musicians I work with to the highest professional standards and always put my heart and soul into everything I do.

    For your wedding I can provide the best possible music of your choice, including your favorite contemporary songs, instrumental or with vocals, solo or ensemble (keyboard or acoustic guitar) for your ceremony. Package deals are available if you use my services for ceremony and cocktail/dinner hour, and/or reception. For more details click on 'Weddings' in the upper left menu.
     
    Give yourself the gift of live music; the warmth, passion, energy and excitement of living music played by real musicians in real time. Let me and the musicians I work with provide the soundtrack to make your wedding , party or other event a treasured memory.

    I also teach piano, voice and guitar (click on 'Lessons' in upper left menu).

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    Recent client feedback:
    Lawrence receives our highest recommendation, and we look forward to booking him again! He delighted our guests with his superior musical performance skills, pleased them with his wide repertoire, impressed them with his flexibility (when the birthday girl wanted to sing a song and dance a few steps), and charmed them with his personality. He did a good job of selecting songs based on the age of and type of guests as well. He was prompt and professional, and he even put a lot of effort into making the contracting/payment process easy for us. The birthday girl was delighted with him, and so are we! Simply "excellent" in every way. -Lisa W, Beverly Hills, CA
     
    From a recent wedding at the Canary Hotel, Santa Barbara:

    "You absolutely can't go wrong with this very excellent and professional performer. His music hit the perfect note for our ceremony and celebration. We were so happy with the vast array of possible songs and instrumentals and our guests had many compliments for the music."

    Other testimonials:

    "Larry's mastery of the keyboard is unquestioned, with a subtle rhythmic touch that delights the listener. But his real strength is his smooth-as-silk voice, which naturally floats to cover a wide range of both pitch and emotion."

          "Larry performed at my mother's 90th birthday party.  His song list suited the tastes of three separate generations and his sound system was outstanding.  He was professional, accomplished and courteous, but perhaps most importantly, he genuinely seemed to enjoy performing for us and was having a good time himself.  By the end of the evening, we were all out on the dance floor.  His dance music ranged from traditional Italian circle dances to Motown and classic rock.  He even accommodated my niece's burning desire to sing for the group.  Overall, we would highly recommend Larry for any social event you may be planning."


    "His music enlivened me and inspired me to dance and feel a mood of celebration. He is an obvious master in his field. I love how versatile and eclectic his music is! Thanx Larry!"

    More client feedback in 'Testimonials' (upper left menu)


    If you're looking for music for your WEDDING, click on 'Weddings'  in the  upper left menu.


    For Mp3 music samples click on 'Music Samples' (upper  menu on the left)
    or directly from the links on the left - 'Standards', Wedding Ceremony Music', 'Wedding Ballads', etc.


    My 'Song Lists' are accessed from the  menu on      the upper left.
      

    For a list of past and     upcoming private and public performances scroll down to 'Performances'.

    As a SOLOIST:
    • I can perform as a one man band with very realistic sounding back up tracks recorded by real pro musicians and sound great through my two Bose sound systems (for stereo).
    • just piano (yours, or my keyboard, with or without vocals) playing jazz standards and/or contemporary styles (contemporary jazz , pop, New Age, blues, etc.), traditional, some classical
    • vocals, piano (or keyboard), guitar
    • vocals, guitar
     

    As a DUO, TRIO, OR LARGER ENSEMBLE
    I can play with:
    • Jon Crosse, long time music director and multi-instrumentalist (soprano, alto, or tenor saxs, trumpet, clarinet, flute) with Paul Anka's big band (seen on The Tonight Show and in Vegas playing tunes from their hit album 'Rock Swings')(depending on availability) - www.joncrosse.com - google for credits, reviews
    • sax player (tenor or alto)
    • trumpet (Jeff Elliott - jazz, latin, all styles - google for credits, video)
    • electric or acoustic guitar (jazz, rock, blues, latin)
    • flute (jazz, New Age, classical)
    • violin (classical, jazz) www.tomtally.com
    • bass/flute (Ruben Martinez - jazz, latin jazz, Salsa - acoustic, electric bass)
    • bass (Brenden Statom - stand up acoustic, electric)
    • drums
    • harmonica - for a more blues and rock feel, or jazz/blues
    • hand percussion - congas, latin percussion  (Benito - toured with War, Tower Of Power)
    • or combine myself with real sounding backing tracks (drums, bass - acoustic or electric, guitar - acoustic, electric), styles including jazz, smooth jazz, rock, pop, country, etc., and other musicians (sax, guitar, flute, violin, percussion - congas, etc.)
                                

    For dancing usually a live drummer is best, but I also perform with back up tracks that sound like a real jazz ensemble, rock band, or other     styles, mostly recorded by real pro musicians and sound great through my dual Bose sound systems. A sax player, guitarist or other instrumentalist(s) can be added. 
    If you prefer a traditional jazz sound I can stay with a traditional older style sound ('Standards' - left menu), or mix it up with more contemporary beats and sounds ('Contemporary' - left menu).
                                      

    I can provide DJ services between sets if desired.


    For live performance I use two new Bose L1 sound systems (with their innovative advanced technology) that provide what is widely considered by far the clearest, cleanest live stereo sound available, and are unlike anything you've heard. They sound great in a small room, large hall, or outdoors. My sound system can also be used for your event announcements, etc.

    I play a late model Yamaha keyboard which I chose especially for it's great acoustic grand piano sounds, as well as other great sounds which you can hear on these recordings. The sounds you hear in the music samples: piano, electric piano, organ, strings, solo instruments: flute, soprano sax, electric guitar, acoustic and electric basses, drums and percussion were played from my keyboard (with a few exceptions: some drums in 'Standards', acoustic guitar and alto sax).

                                      

    I am also able to perform for an outdoor ceremony (wedding, memorial, or other) without electrical power (on the beach, etc.), either unamplified vocals with acoustic guitar or with battery powered amplification for vocals and acoustic guitar    .
                                 
    If you want me to learn a special song, or songs not in my repertoire, I can usually do that, given enough advance notice.

     
    • Weddings, Parties, Anniversaries, Corporate Events, Fundraisers
    • Piano, vocal, guitar lessons
    • Accompanist for singers, instrumental soloists
    • House Concerts
    • Film Score
    • Commercial, Industrial, PSA Music
    • CDs (coming)


    Performances (partial list):

    (upcoming public events highlighted in blue - check date)

    (daytime retirement community gigs not listed)

    If you would like to be notified of upcoming public performances contact me on the 'contact' page and leave your email address

    I have been sitting in regularly     with some great singers and musicians at the Monday night Soho Jazz Jams, MCd by Jeff Elliott. Please check the calendar at www.sohosb.com to see next jam (irregular Monday nights), or check below. The usual time is 7:30 to 10:30 (I usually get there around 8:30 or 9)

    Here's some video of myself on piano, and the Martinez brothers backing up singer Lauriekim Castro on the classic 'Route 66':

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3tvGWsUcZI&feature=related

    Here's video of Jeff Elliott and I believe, the Martinez brothers, performing a latin jazz standard (don't know the title). Some amazing playing:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZK4CSNMtLU&feature=related
     

    2012

    Saturday, April 28
    wedding ceremony, cocktail hour
    Montecito Country Club
    Montecito, Ca.

    Friday, April 13
    jazz trio
    La Cumbre Country Club
    Santa Barbara, Ca.

    Tuesday,  April 10
    club event - singing all Broadway songs
    Ridgecrest, Ca.

    Mondays,  Jan. 2, 16, 30
    Soho jazz jam (see above)

    2011

    Monday, Dec. 19
    Soho jazz jam (see above)

    Friday, Dec. 16
    birthday party
    Carpineria, Ca.

    Sunday, January 11
    SB Jazz Society  Holiday party/jazz jam   1- 4 p.m.

    BUTLER EVENT CENTER

    3744 State Street, Santa Barbara, Ca


    I'll be joining other talented singers and instrumentalists singing and playing a few tunes. MC'd by Jeff Elliott, trumpet/keyboard. 


    Saturday, Nov. 19
    Fundraiser
    Oxnard Marriott
    Oxnard, Ca

    Monday, Oct. 17
    Soho jazz jam (see above)

    Saturday, Oct. 8
    wedding ceremony (acoustic guitar, keyboard)
    Santa Barbara Courthouse
    Santa Barbara, Ca.

    Wednesday October 5
    Santa Barbara Women's Club - concert
    Santa Barbara, Ca.

    Monday, Sept. 19
    Soho jazz jam (see above)

    Thursday, Sept. 1
    birthday party - guitar and vocal (country/western songs)
    Montecito, Ca.

    Saturday Aug. 29
    birthday party
    Ventura, Ca.

    Monday, Aug. 1, Aug. 29
    Soho jazz jam (see above)

    Saturday, July 9
    private party
    Santa Barbara

    Sunday, July 3
    private party
    Tarzana, Ca

    Monday, June 20
    Soho jazz jam (see above)