Jarrod Lawson is a composer, keyboardist, and singer who is heavily inspired by the likes of Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway. Like those legends, he incorporates social and spiritual messages into his uplifting sound. His chops suggest a broad range of musical knowledge, including artists with a deeper connection to jazz; as a vocalist alone, he has been favorably compared to Al Jarreau and Mark Murphy.
Lawson grew up surrounded by music, due in large part to his father, who operated a recording studio in the family's Redwood City, California home. First attracted to the drums as a toddler, his interest in music continued to develop throughout his childhood, which included a move north to Oregon, and lessons from his father. In college, he studied music and participated in a chamber choir and jazz ensemble.
His reputation as a solo performer was built through numerous gigs in Portland, opening dates for a number of highly regarded R&B and jazz artists, and some international tours. His harmonically rich self-titled debut album was issued in 2014 (on Dome in the U.K., and self-released in the U.S.). It was a favorite of the BBC's Gilles Peterson, among other DJs and R&B fans who dug beneath the surface of commercial radio.
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