LAUWRENCE FIELDS

A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Lawrence started on the snare drum in high school, but quickly gravitated toward the piano. Unable to get more than a few lessons, he began to study on his own with as many books and recordings as he could find, following an intense passion for the study of music, which is a driving force in his life to this day. He came to Berklee almost entirely self-taught. Now a second-semester student, Lawrence is the first-ever recipient of the college's James Williams Award, named after the late, former Berklee faculty member and beloved star jazz pianist/educator.

Lawrence has already worked or played with several nationally known figures, including Jeff "Tain" Watts '80, drummer Rodney Green, Gregory Tardy, and the late songwriter and recording artist Oscar Brown Jr. He works frequently in New York and Boston with some of the best young players on the scene.