Lawrence Marrero

Lawrence Marrero
Marrero on banjo. Photograph by Stanley Kubrick, for Look of June 6, 1950
Background information
Also known as	Laurence Marrero
Born	(1900-10-24)October 24, 1900 New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Died	June 6, 1959(1959-06-06) (aged 58)
Genres	Jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	Banjo
Years active	1919–1955
Associated acts	Camelia Brass Band, Young Tuxedo Brass Band, Bunk Johnson, George Lewis

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

Early life[]

Marrero was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on October 24, 1900.^[1] He grew up in a musical family: three brothers became musicians^[2] – Eddie (bass), John (banjo) and Simon (tuba and bass) – and their father Billy was also a bass player.^[1] Lawrence (who chose to spell his name "Laurence") was taught music by his father, and became a professional player around 1918.^[1]

Later life and career[]

In 1919 he got his first regular job on banjo with Wooden Joe Nicholas's Camelia Brass Band and from 1920 he joined on bass drum the Young Tuxedo Brass Band.^[3]

In 1942 Marrero was one of the musicians who part of the first recordings made by Bunk Johnson, and continued playing and recording in the New Orleans jazz revival.^[1] He was featured on many recordings and was a regular member of the George Lewis band from the late 1930s until ill health caused him to quit full-time performance in 1954.^[1] He occasionally played with his own band after that.^[2]

Marrero was considered to be a steady player with a good tone;^[1] he never recorded as a leader and rarely did he take solos.^[2] He died in New Orleans on June 6, 1959.^[1]

References[]