Lawrence Henry Marrero (October 24, 1900 – June 6, 1959) was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

banjoist.

Early life

Marrero was born in

New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

, on October 24, 1900. He grew up in a musical family: three brothers became musicians – Eddie (bass), John (banjo) and Simon (tuba and bass) – and their father Billy was also a bass player. Lawrence (who chose to spell his name "Laurence") was taught music by his father, and became a professional player around 1918.

Later life and career

In 1919 he got his first regular job on banjo with

Wooden Joe Nicholas Wooden Joe Nicholas (September 23, 1883 – November 17, 1957) was an American jazz trumpeter and cornetist, active on the early New Orleans jazz scene. He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Nicholas began playing professionall ...

Camelia Brass Band The Camelia Brass Band (also in sit-down variation the Camelia Dance Orchestra) was a New Orleans-style brass band, founded by Wooden Joe Nicholas around 1917 or 1918 in New Orleans. The Camelia Brass Band was named after a steamboat, the ''S.S. C ...

and from 1920 he joined on bass drum the Young Tuxedo Brass Band. In 1942 Marrero was one of the musicians who part of the first recordings made by

Bunk Johnson Willie Gary "Bunk" Johnson (December 27, 1879 – July 7, 1949) was an American prominent jazz trumpeter in New Orleans. Johnson gave the year of his birth as 1879, although there is speculation that he may have been younger by as much as a dec ...

, and continued playing and recording in the New Orleans jazz revival. He was featured on many recordings and was a regular member of the

George Lewis George Lewis may refer to: Entertainment and art * George B. W. Lewis (1818–1906), circus rider and theatre manager in Australia * George E. Lewis (born 1952), American composer and free jazz trombonist * George J. Lewis (1903–1995), Mexica ...

band from the late 1930s until ill health caused him to quit full-time performance in 1954. He occasionally played with his own band after that. Marrero was considered to be a steady player with a good tone; he never recorded as a leader and rarely did he take solos. He died in New Orleans on June 6, 1959.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Marrero, Lawrence Jazz musicians from New Orleans American jazz banjoists 1900 births 1959 deaths 20th-century American musicians