Marshall Lawrence "Doctor of the Blues"

"It's still delta-style country blues, but new. In fact, I think Lawrence is following in the footsteps of some very important artists like Bernie Pearl and Corey Harris and Taj Mahal in the way that he is at once historical musicologist and contemporary interpreter"The Sunday Night Blues Project.............................Marshall Lawrence has the distinction of being a "Maple Blues Award Nominee" and an "Independent Music Award Nominee". As such, a driving force has emerged on the Canadian blues scene. Marshall Lawrence is taking traditional blues styles and infusing them with a raw, fiery energy. Marshall's adrenaline-driven sound is a fierce combination of funk, rock and soul, a wild ride he calls "acid blues".Marshall Lawrence is a dynamic and unique blues performer who has experienced many phases in his life and music.The Blues has long been recognized for its healing properties, but not a lot of Blues players are actual doctors. Marshall Lawrence is called ‘The Doctor of the Blues’ for good reason – he’s a bonafide Ph.D, holding a doctorate in psychology. “Ironically, a fan laid the nickname on me, but he didn’t know that I actually have a doctorate,” says Lawrence.His first album,‘Where’s the Party’, released in 2003, is a reflection of his journey through the Blues that culminates in those same healing properties. “My original reaction to the Blues was strictly visceral,” he explains. “I’d been through Hendrix and rock and funk, but the Blues is what grabbed me inside.”“And it took a while to settle on it, too. I went through a lot of performing styles before I thought it all through and decided on the Blues – almost like it was an intellectual process.”As a result, Marshall has matured into a performer who brings a variety of influences to his stage show. Energy is perhaps the most recognizable element, and one of his styles lays in his ‘speed guitar’ technique that includes influences derived from mandolin work. “I picked up a mandolin when I was at the University of California and couldn’t find any blues players, so, I hooked into bluegrass. The technique has had an influence on my blues playing,” he says.Marshall includes that same technique in his acoustic playing, which is prominent on his new album ‘The Morning After’, released in 2008. “I put ‘Where’s the Party’ together as the first of a blues duo,” he says. “The Morning After" is all acoustic material, and features more original material.”Both approaches work for Marshall Lawrence as he summons up the Blues to fix whatever ails you.See his personal web page: www.doctorblues.com