Laurence Elder has swiftly established a strong musical presence in the wake of his sold-out CD release concert at the Van Dyke Cafe, in Miami Beach. His fresh, inspired blend of jazz, pop, blues and rock, along with his “triple threat” talents as a singer-songwriter-pianist, truly set his music apart as an important new original sound. Michael Fagien of JAZZIZ magazine raves “From Donald Fagen (Steely Dan) to Bruce Hornsby and Sting…Joni Mitchell to Norah Jones, there was that special something that each had... a constant striving for the nuances that made them artists and not just musicians, connecting with listeners in an indescribable way. Add Laurence Elder to that list.”

In the April 2006 issue of JAZZIZ magazine, Laurence joins the ranks of Dizzy Gillespie and Spyro Gyra as a featured artist in the "On Disc" section. His critically acclaimed debut album, Surrounded," features Grammy winning saxophonist Paquito D'Rivera and drumming legend Peter Erskine.

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Laurence Elder has swiftly established a strong musical presence in the wake of his sold-out CD release concert at the Van Dyke Cafe, in Miami Beach. His fresh, inspired blend of jazz, pop, blues and rock, along with his “triple threat” talents as a singer-songwriter-pianist, truly set his music apart as an important new original sound. Michael Fagien of JAZZIZ magazine raves “From Donald Fagen (Steely Dan) to Bruce Hornsby and Sting…Joni Mitchell to Norah Jones, there was that special something that each had; an education, an appreciation and a constant striving for the nuances that made them artists and not just musicians, connecting with listeners in an indescribable way. Add Laurence Elder to that list.”

Laurence's critically acclaimed debut album,
"Surrounded," is being featured in the April 2006 issue of JAZZIZ magazine, and includes performances from multiple-Grammy winning saxophonist Paquito D'Rivera and drumming legend Peter Erskine. Beside his appearances at the Van Dyke Cafe and JAZZIZ Bistro, he recently opened a concert at the Carefree Theatre for Grammy winner Al Dimeola, who has Laurence on his short list of favorite musicians.

Elder's foundation as a seasoned jazz pianist has served him well as he has evolved into a singer-songwriter, and can be traced back to his New York City roots, where by his early teens he was sitting in at local blues clubs. His interest in music grew steadily, and he enrolled in Shenandoah Conservatory at age 21, earning his undergraduate degree in Jazz studies. During this time he became a fixture on the Washington DC jazz scene - a well known bandleader and coveted sideman - before eventually moving south to pursue his Masters degree in jazz piano from the University of Miami's prestigious performing arts program.

Since completing his Masters at UM, Laurence has devoted his musical energy to his current project, where he teams up on the album "Surrounded," with drummer and co-producer Carlomagno Araya (Ruben Blades, Nestor Torres), and utilizes his own gifts as a singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, and producer. His band consists of some of the industry's most sought after musicians, whose collective performing credits include Tito Puente, Ruben Blades, Chayenne, Juan Luis Guerra, and Nestor Torres, among many others.

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