Chris Laurence

Chris Laurence (born 6 January 1949) is an English musician. Born in London, he studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and primarily works with jazz and classical music. In the classical world he was principal double bass with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields orchestra until 1995, playing on many of their recordings ranging from the film Amadeus to Benjamin Britten's Curlew River. He has recorded with many jazz artists, including trombonist J. J. Johnson, Tony Coe, Joe Williams, Sarah Vaughan, Clark Terry, Johnny Mathis, and Lena Horne. His most recent recordings include John Surman's The Spaces in Between (2007), Kenny Wheeler's The Long Waiting (2012) and Songs for Quintet on ECM Records, and Norma Winstone's Manhattan in the Rain (1998). He has also recorded music for television, film, and albums, most notably Leaving Las Vegas (1995), Ken Loach's Looking for Eric (2009), The Constant Gardener (2005), Howard Shore's score for Hugo (2011), and most recently was featured on the soundtrack of Mike Leigh's Mr. Turner (2014). In 2007, he recorded a CD with his own jazz quartet titled New View, released on the Basho label along with Frank Ricotti (vibes), John Parricelli (guitar), Martin France (drums), and featuring Norma Winstone (vocals).
As well as jazz and classical music, Laurence has also featured on albums with many stars including Elton John, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Joni Mitchell, David Gilmour, Michel Legrand, and guitarist John Williams.
Select discography
Chris Laurence Quartet (As leader)
New View (Basho) (2007)
Some Gnu Ones, Jazzin Britain (2021)
With David Gilmour
On an Island (Columbia)
Rattle That Lock (Columbia)
With Barry Guy/The London Jazz Composers' Orchestra
Ode (Incus, 1972)
With Michael Nyman
The Cook The Thief His Wife & Her Lover (Virgin Venture)
The End of the Affair (Sony Classical)
Six Celan Songs/The Ballad of Kastriot Rexhepi (MN)
Love Counts (MN)
À la folie (Virgin Venture)
With Emily Rose Laurence
Relativity (2022)
With Alan Skidmore
T.C.B. (Philips)
El Skid w/ Elton Dean
With John Surman
Morning Glory
The Brass Project (ECM, 1992)
Stranger than Fiction (ECM, 1995)
Coruscating (ECM, 1999)
The Spaces in Between (ECM, 2006)
With John Taylor
Pause, and Think Again (Turtle)
Decipher (MPS)
With Kenny Wheeler
Kayak (Ah Um, Ah Um )
Dream Sequence (Psi, 1995-2003 [2003])
Songs for Quintet (ECM, 2013 [2015])
Six for Six (Cam Jazz)
The Long Waiting
With Brian Miller
Whatever Next? (2015)
With John Horler
Not A Cloud In The Sky (2010)
With David Forman
Like A Rainbow (2022)
Fiachra Trench
Essential Classics (1989)
With Gareth Williams
Short Stories (2022)
With Stan Sultzman
On Loan With Gratitude (2023)
With Frank Ricotti Quartet
Our Point of View (CBS)
Frank Ricotti Stars (Beiderbecke Collection, 1988)
With Gordon Beck
Once Is Never Enough (FMR)
With John Williams
The Magic Box (Sony Classical)
With Elton Dean
They All Be on This Old Road (Ogun)
With the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Curlew River
Amadeus
Messiah, (Live In Dublin)
With Tony Coe
Nutty on Wilisa
Les Sources Bleues Camomil
Mainly Mancini
With Lena Horne
A New Album
With Sarah Vaughn
The Gold Collection: Sings the Poetry of Pope John Paul II
With Harry Beckett
Warm Smiles
Flare Up
With Maurice Andrea/ Michel Legrand
Windmills
With Geoff Eales
Master of the Game
Transience
With Debbie Wiseman, Locrian Ensemble
Wolf Hall
With Johnnie Mathis
In a Sentimental Mood
With Norma Winstone
Manhattan in the Rain
Edge of Time
With Mike de Albuquerque
We May Be Castle but We All Have Names
First Wind
With Peter Gabriel
Scratch My Back (New Blood Orchestra)
New Blood
With Gil Evans
Absolute Beginners
Having It All
Va Va Voom
Insignificance
With John Warren
Travellers Tale
With Mike Figgis
Leaving Las Vegas
With Anja Garbarek
Smiling and Waving
With Brigitte Baraha
Babelfish
Chasing Rainbows
Once Upon A Tide
With Helen Jane Long
Intervention
With Michel Legrand
Radio Days
With Robert Farnon
Carol Kidd, A Place in My Heart
Jose Careres, Love Is (1984)
Jane Pickles, Hey There (Vocalion)
JJ Johnson, Tangence
Joe Williams, Here's To Life
Eileen Farrell, Love Is Letting Go
With Elton John
Madman Across The Water
Tumbleweed Connection
With Joni Mitchell
Both Sides Now
Travelogue
With Clark Terry
Clark After Dark
With Guy Barker
Holly
With Joe Douglas Trio
Visage (Spotlight Records, 1979)
With Michael Garrick/ Don Weller
You've Changed (1978)
With The Mike Westbrook Concert Band
Metropolis (Citadel 315)
With Neil Ardley
Symphony of Amarantis
With Andy Sheppard
Dancing Man & Woman
Learning to Wave
With Alan Davie
Bird Through The Wall
With Alison Moyet
Voice
With Elvis Costello
Il Sogno (Ballet)
With Mark Hollis
Mark Hollis (Polydor)
With Zizi Possi
Per Amore
With Dick Walter
Capricorn Rising
With the London Trombone Quartet
Some of Our Best Friends
With Michael Civisca
Love is Like a Breeze
With Beryl Cook
Live From London
With Morrissey
He Knows I'd Love to See Him (His Master's Voice, 1990)
With Gerd Dudek
'Smatter (Psi, 1998 [2002])
Soundtracks
Amadeus – Peter Shaffer
Mr. Turner – Gary Yershon
Leaving Las Vegas – Anthony Marinelli and Mike Figgis
Hugo – Howard Shore
Looking for Eric – George Fenton
The Constant Gardener – Alberto Iglesias and Robert Church
Shaun the Sheep Movie – Ilan Eshkeri
The Man Who Cried – Kronos Quartet
Tim's Vermeer – Conrad Pope
The Duke- George Fenton''
References
1949 births
Living people
Musicians from London
British jazz double-bassists
Male double-bassists
British male jazz musicians
21st-century double-bassists
21st-century British male musicians
Penguin Cafe Orchestra members
Basho Records artists
Alumni of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama