Pianist, composer and arranger, Larry has long been a noted sideman: performing, touring, and recording with many great jazz artists. Now he is gaining recognition as a band leader, with the recent release of his piano trio CD "Carousel" featuring his compositions and arrangements, and a new solo piano release from Arbors Records called "Just Me, Just You..." Both are available on the "CDs" page. Larry began his professional career in the Lionel Hampton Orchestra in 1986-87. He was pianist in the Illinois Jacquet Big Band 1990-95 and has worked extensively with countless other jazz legends, including the late Junior Cook and Dakota Staton. He has appeared at jazz festivals, concerts and nightclubs throughout the United States, Europe, West Africa, and Japan. His recent New York appearances include Jazz at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Iridium, The Village Vanguard, Small's, The Kitano Hotel, Smalls Jazz Club and Harlem's historic Lenox Lounge. His jazz festival performances include the Grande Parade du Jazz in Nice, France, the North Sea Festival in The Hague, Holland, the Pori Jazz Festival in Finland, Jazz Yatra in Bombay, India, The Charlie Parker Festival in New York, the Ottawa Jazz Festival, and at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. He also performed at the White House for President Reagan and for President Clinton's 1992 Inaugural Ball. Larry appeared in the jazz film "Texas Tenor" and has been a guest on TV programs including "The Today Show" (NBC) "Breakfast Time" (FX) and has been featured on NPR programs such as Jazz Set with Dee Dee Bridgewater and on Judy Carmichael's Jazz Inspired. As a United States Department of State Jazz Ambassador, Larry toured eleven West African nations in 2001-02 in a cultural exchange program, performing in concert, and conducting workshops on the art of playing jazz. From 2002-05 he was pianist and musical director for the New York Tapdance Festival, also touring the United States and Russia, Greece and Italy. He recently joined longtime colleagues Illinois Jacquet and Renee Fleming in a reunion performance for "Soundcheck" on WNYC-FM Public Radio, later broadcast on National Public Radio. In 2005-06, he toured extensively in the US, and performed in Japan, Germany and Poland. In early 2007, he appeared at the Kennedy Center and at Zankel Hall(Carnegie Hall) with Catherine Russell, and in Prague, in the Czech Republic. This year has also seen performances at The Montreal Jazz Festival, The Rochester Jazz Festival, The Cape Cod Jazz Festival, the New Jersey JazzFest, and a performance for The West Texas Jazz Society. Larry earned a BA in Musical Studies from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam, and an MA in Jazz Performance from the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College in New York City. Weblinks: www.larryham.com