About This Album: With unique vocals, screamin’ trumpet and mellow flugelhorn, Chris Lawson honors many of the great trumpet masters and much more, from The Beatles to Michael Jackson. This compilation boasts over an hour of music, consisting of 21 tunes, including 2 medleys, incorporating all the genres of modern popular music and all displaying flawless musicianship. Multiple recording sessions, spanning several years, went into this project and many of the arrangements were written specifically for Chris, often for solo performances with symphony orchestras. Chris's Take On The Tunes: RHAPSODY FOR THEN This is a medley of great old pop tunes arranged for Doc Severinson. It is my favorite off his album, Rhapsody For Now. I wore out two vinyl LPs when it came out in 1973 and have been thrilled to have had the opportunities to emulate Doc on this tune with several different orchestras and now on this recording. Yes, that’s a double-high written Eb on the end. Jus sayin. GET IT ON The late, great, Billy Chase is still a trumpet-god to many of us trumpet pickers and Get It On was his big hit off yet another LP I wore out (along with an 8-track!) IN THE MOOD A great arrangement written for Doc & the NBC orchestra -- with a twist of my own thrown in. Don’t let this oldie run you off. Trust me, you’re gonna love it. VEHICLE The one fun hit from the one-hit-wonder horn-band, The Ides of March. CAN YOU READ MY MIND? Better known as the theme song for the first Superman movie, this Maynard-esque beauty will get you flying. HOUSE IS a’ROCKIN' & HOODOO VOODOO DOLL So, how do a couple of great Brian Setzer tunes fit in with a ‘trumpet legends‘ theme? Well.....they don’t. But I’ve always wanted to play in Brian’s band & maybe even sing a tune with him -- so, it’s time you discovered me, Brian! BIRDLAND One of the iconic Maynard Ferguson arrangements, doing Josef Zawinul proud, keeping it in the original flavor. Listen for the Alto Flute lick. Very cool. FEELS SO GOOD & CHILDREN OF SANCHEZ Two of Chuck Mangione’s biggies and everyone’s favorites. GIGOLO/NOBODY Since I couldn’t improve on the perfection of this iconic, happy tune, it remains in the original style of the late, great, Louis Prima. EASE ON DOWN THE ROAD Another one that doesn’t exactly fit the theme -- a great arrangement with some cool trumpet licks. Besides, didn’t you know Michael Jackson was a trumpet player? MACARTHUR PARK Of the many arrangements of this wonderful melody, this one, written for the late, great, Maynard Ferguson, is by far the very best of them all. (In my very humble opinion.) I was also pleased to discover my vocal range just fits the original key -- and who could resist singing the silly lyrics, “Someone left the cake out in the rain....!” IT DON'T MEAN A THING...... A very talented musician/arranger by the name of Matt Harris turned this great old swinger into a hot salsa! There might even be some Hip Hop groove in there. Thanks, Matt! Note: I truly mix metaphors by singing it ala-Satchmo. RHAPSODY IN (FAB) 4 I am eternally grateful to Thomas Wilson, Associate Conductor of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic & Associate Principal Trumpet of same, for his brilliant arrangement of this medley of Beatles tunes, specifically for me to perform with the CSPO. With a huge, classical-style intro, trumpet cadenzas throughout, piccolo trumpet on Penny Lane and finishing off with a Maynard-esque Hey Jude, it never fails to bring the house down. How do the Beatles fit into the theme? Didn’t you know Paul McCarntey played trumpet with the Liverpool Brass Band when he was a boy? Besides, who doesn’t love the Beatles? WONDERFUL WORLD Again, perfection cannot be improved. The best anyone can do is emulate the great, Louie Armstrong. About The Artist: World class trumpet artist, vocalist and dynamic entertainer, Chris “Hotlips” Lawson stays constantly on the go, performing on cruise ships all over the world, soloing with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic Orchestra, (CSPO) doing clinician and guest-soloist work – or getting’ down and dirty in a jazz club. In addition to playing lead trumpet with nearly 100 different cruise ship show-bands, Chris performs his own “headliner” show regularly on land and sea. Inspired personally by Doc Severinsen when he was a boy, Lawson’s professional career began touring/soloing all over Europe with the 33rd U.S. Army Band out of Hiedelburg, Germany. He has been performing and soloing with the CSPO and freelancing ever since from his home in Colorado Springs.   Chris has enjoyed the privilege of performing and soloing with some of the biggest names in entertainment, including:      Bob Hope, Tony Bennett, Doc Severinsen, Arturo Sandoval, The Temptations, The 4 Tops, The Colorado (Denver) Symphony, The Glenn Miller Orchestra and many, many more.  Please see a more complete list below. An accomplished improviser, Chris has been very fortunate to perform with many jazz bands and jazz festivals over the years.  Again, please check below for a list of “jazzers” he has performed & soloed with. Highlights of Chris’ career include soloing twice with Arturo Sandoval and the CSPO, plus performing with Arturo’s band at the Aspen Jazz Festival.  Lawson has been a featured soloist with the Sun River Music Festival Orchestra in Oregon, served as principal trumpet with Central City Opera and has performed and soloed numerous times with the CSPO.  Freelance work has included many musicals, numerous big bands (usually lead), jazz combos, many different rock, funk & Latin dance bands in clubs & private functions, numerous military funerals, lots of church work and solo/clinician work in schools & universities, as well as keeping his calendar full with short cruise ship contracts.   Chris is especially well known for his high-note mastery of the trumpet but is as comfortable playing for a religious service as he is screamin’ with a Big Band. Artists & Entertainers Chris Lawson Has Performed With: Bob Hope Tony Bennett Doc Severinsen Arturo Sandoval Mel Torme Natalie Cole Frankie Valli Ray Charles Lou Rawls BB King John Denver Wayne Newton Linda Ronstadt Sarah Vaughan John Tesh Roy Clark Martha & The Vandella’s Mary Wilson Rita Moreno Maureen McGovern Judy Collins Nell Carter Manhattan Transfer The Temptations The 4 Tops The Four Freshmen The Platters The OJ’s The Smothers Brothers Yes War Heatwave Symphony Orchestras: The Colorado Springs Philharmonic Orchestra The Colorado Springs Chamber Orchestra The Colorado (Denver) Symphony The Boulder Symphony Orchestra The Sun River Music Festival Orchestra The Central City Opera Orchestra The Cuchara Music Festival Orchestra Jazz artists & Bands: James Morrison Bobby Shew Bill Watrous Carl Fontana Clark Terry Slide Hampton Chuck Findlay Frank Mantooth The Glenn Miller Orchestra The Woody Herman Orchestra The Jimmy & Tommy Dorsey Bands Arturo Sandoval’s Big Band The Neophonic Jazz Orchestra (Joel Kay’s) The Colorado Springs Contemporary Jazz Big Band and many, many more. Thanks for Listening!