{"id":11142,"date":"2025-08-13T22:50:48","date_gmt":"2025-08-14T03:50:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/?p=11142"},"modified":"2025-08-13T22:50:48","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T03:50:48","slug":"review-josh-lawrence-still-we-dream","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/review-josh-lawrence-still-we-dream\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Josh Lawrence\u2019s \u2018Still We Dream\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>Still We Dream<\/em> (Posi-Tone, 2025) is trumpeter and composer Josh Lawrence\u2019s seventh release for the label that prides itself on revealing the \u201cNew Frontier of Jazz.\u201d With it, the four-time Grammy nominee and regular member of Orrin Evans\u2019 Captain Black Big Band delivers a rather unusual album for a trumpeter. The music mostly consists of interpretations of Thelonious Monk and Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Chopin compositions. One wouldn\u2019t necessarily expect a live audience to receive this mix well. However, the warm reception received by Lawrence at his recent performance of the music at the Spring Exit Zero Jazz Festival defies such a notion. The music is not only imaginative but has plenty of energy and fire. It also has some deeply introspective moments.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The overarching inspiration for the album is Monk\u2019s \u201cUgly Beauty,\u201d viewed by Lawrence as a portrait of Lady Liberty. In other words, the American ideal is equally beautiful and fractured; unresolved and still reaching. The latter part of that sentence has become vividly apparent in the last decade. So, take the theme of the record to be about imagination, resilience, and, although not stated directly by Lawrence, the will to hang on to that ever-elusive American Dream.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"100%\" height=\"120\" style=\"position: relative; display: block; width: 100%; height: 120px;\" src=\"\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/v=2\/track=1455200724\/album=2845848005\/size=large\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/tracklist=false\/artwork=small\/\" allowtransparency=\"true\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lawrence envisions a conversation between Monk and Chopin, each from vastly different worlds but whose music shares lyricism, clarity, and honesty. While studying with the late great Barry Harris, Lawrence learned that there are no real barriers between classical music and jazz. But <em>Still We Dream <\/em>does not attempt to fuse the two; instead, it aims for the two musical traditions to coexist openly. He creates a space between the past and present, one where we ask rhetorical questions, can listen deeply, and can dream in our individual ways. As stated before, the music leaves a lasting impact. Keep in mind that the album is intended as a conversation more than a presentation. As such, it\u2019s best not to focus on specific tracks but rather on the project as a whole.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Joining Lawrence are mostly stalwarts from the Posi-Tone label, tenorist Diego Rivera, pianist Art Hirahara, bassist Boris Kozlov, and drummer Rudy Royston. Two tracks also feature guitarist Mason Bryant.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"lyte-wrapper fourthree\" style=\"width:420px;max-width:100%;margin:5px;\"><div class=\"lyMe\" id=\"WYL_X61EFCzhm2A\"><div id=\"lyte_X61EFCzhm2A\" data-src=\"\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/X61EFCzhm2A\/hqdefault.jpg\" class=\"pL\"><div class=\"tC\"><div class=\"tT\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"play\"><\/div><div class=\"ctrl\"><div class=\"Lctrl\"><\/div><div class=\"Rctrl\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><noscript><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/X61EFCzhm2A\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/X61EFCzhm2A\/0.jpg?resize=420%2C295&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"YouTube video thumbnail\" width=\"420\" height=\"295\" \/><br \/>Watch this video on YouTube<\/a><\/noscript><\/div><\/div><div class=\"lL\" style=\"max-width:100%;width:420px;margin:5px;\"><\/div><figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Four of the pieces do not relate to either Monk or Chopin. The inclusion of the opener, \u201cLong As You\u2019re Living,\u201d by Julian Priester and Tommy Turrentine, was inspired by the 2024 Presidential election. On it, one hears some fiery lines from both Lawrence and Rivera. Another non-Monk non-Chopin tune is the more contemplative \u201cPure Imagination\u201d by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley, a well-known piece that offers hope and, as such, helped anchor the record. The lyricism from Lawrence and Hirahara is sublimely beautiful here. \u201cKradoudja\u201d is a traditional Algerian folk tune, where the ensemble is at its powerhouse best, especially Hirahara. Finally, the album closes appropriately with the anthem \u201c America,\u201d rendered in solemn hymn-like fashion but eventually brightened through Lawrence\u2019s commanding trumpet and Hirahara\u2019s emphatic piano.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"100%\" height=\"120\" style=\"position: relative; display: block; width: 100%; height: 120px;\" src=\"\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/v=2\/track=4248815315\/album=2845848005\/size=large\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/tracklist=false\/artwork=small\/\" allowtransparency=\"true\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Monk\u2019s title track is rendered gorgeously, a testament to the restraint of these players and Lawrence\u2019s emotive trumpet. By contrast, Chopin\u2019s \u201cOp. 29: Impromptu No. 1\u201d thrives on unison trumpet-saxophone lines, syncopation, and essentially a hard bop attack. The latter is more audible on Monk\u2019s tribute to Art Blakey, \u201cBoo Boo\u2019s Birthday.\u201d Listeners first feel Monk\u2019s striking angularity in the classic \u201cEvidence,\u201d the piece rife with liquid lines from Lawrence and Rivera, masterful drumming from the ever-reliable Royston, and Hirahara\u2019s superb comping. Similarly, we hear those elements on Monk\u2019s \u201cLight Blue,\u201d where both the two-horn unison lines and Rivera\u2019s hot solo are striking.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Naturally, a Chopin piece answers \u201cLight Blue.\u201d In this case, \u201cOp. 36 Impromptu No.2\u201d begins pensively before Rivera unleashes fire, inspiring Lawrence to do the same, with the rhythm section &#8211; joined by guitarist Mason &#8211; firing on all cylinders. Mason steps out with a declarative solo too before passing to Hirahara, making this one of the album\u2019s standouts.&nbsp; The final back-and-forth between the two iconic composers features a fiery take on Monk\u2019s eminently recognizable \u201cTrinkle, Tinkle,\u201d a terrific vehicle for this quintet and well-earned turn by Kozlov; and Chopin\u2019s \u201cOp. 35: Funeral March from Piano Sonata No. 2.\u201d Understandably, the initial chords for the latter ten-minute epic are dark, and the music is suitably dirge-like. Yet, shortly, Lawrence and Rivera display perhaps their most deeply emotive playing in yet another standout, encapsulating both beauty and poignancy.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s rare when an album breathes both class and compelling emotion. Lawrence has made the marriage work on <em>Still We Dream<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>\u2018Still We Dream\u2019 will be available on August 15, 2025. It can be purchased <a href=\"https:\/\/joshlawrence.bandcamp.com\/album\/still-we-dream\">on Bandcamp<\/a>. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Photo credit: Ola Baldych<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Still We Dream (Posi-Tone, 2025) is trumpeter and composer Josh Lawrence\u2019s seventh release for the label that prides itself on revealing the \u201cNew Frontier of Jazz.\u201d With it, the four-time Grammy nominee and regular member of Orrin Evans\u2019 Captain Black Big Band delivers a rather unusual album for a trumpeter. The music mostly consists of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":11141,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"iawp_total_views":132,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11142","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_0891.jpg?fit=750%2C499&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/peRkRR-2TI","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":11338,"url":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/review-staff-sounding-line\/","url_meta":{"origin":11142,"position":0},"title":"Review: Carmen Staaf\u2019s \u2018Sounding Line\u2019","author":"Jim Hynes","date":"September 22, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Carmen Staaf\u2019s Sounding Line (Sunnyside, 2025) is the second album recently covered on this site that envisions a conversation between Thelonious Monk and another pianist-composer. Just a few weeks ago, trumpeter Josh Lawrence positioned Chopin with Monk. Here, Staff has Monk conversing with a contemporary, Mary Lou Williams. Just about\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Album Reviews&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Album Reviews","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/category\/reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/img_1684.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/img_1684.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/img_1684.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/img_1684.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1621,"url":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/christian-scott-atunde-adjuah-axiom\/","url_meta":{"origin":11142,"position":1},"title":"Review: Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah&#8217;s &#8216;Axiom&#8217;","author":"Rob Shepherd","date":"August 27, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"In the field of philosophical logic, an axiom serves as a starting point from which other statements are derived. It is regarded as an essentially true foundation for further developments built off of it. Originating from the Greek word \u1f00\u03be\u03af\u03c9\u03bc\u03b1 (ax\u00ed\u014dma), the term suggests worthiness and equal balance as it\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Album Reviews&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Album Reviews","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/category\/reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/ERA_CHRISTIANSCOTT_DESERT_304-e1598512625624.jpg?fit=751%2C594&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/ERA_CHRISTIANSCOTT_DESERT_304-e1598512625624.jpg?fit=751%2C594&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/ERA_CHRISTIANSCOTT_DESERT_304-e1598512625624.jpg?fit=751%2C594&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/ERA_CHRISTIANSCOTT_DESERT_304-e1598512625624.jpg?fit=751%2C594&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":613,"url":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/miles-davis-bitches-brew-50th-anniversary-celebration-part-three-influence-on-jazz\/","url_meta":{"origin":11142,"position":2},"title":"Miles Davis\u2019 Bitches Brew 50th Anniversary Celebration- Part Three:  &#8220;Jazz&#8221;","author":"Rob Shepherd","date":"March 26, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"This is the penultimate chapter of our four-part series celebrating the legacy of the landmark Bitches Brew on its Fiftieth Anniversary. Our first piece focused on the album\u2019s compositions, the second on production techniques, and our forthcoming final feature will emphasize its influence on\u00a0 \u201cnon-jazz\u201d artists. 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Anthony is a longtime friend to the site, a Downbeat contributor, and the former Editor-in-Chief of Nextbop back when that site was both enjoyable and relevant. He's also a great broadcaster. After many years\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Best of Lists&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Best of Lists","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/category\/lists-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/img_0350-1.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/img_0350-1.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/img_0350-1.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/img_0350-1.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10838,"url":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/review-etienne-charles-gullah-roots\/","url_meta":{"origin":11142,"position":4},"title":"Review: Etienne Charles\u2019 \u2018Gullah Roots\u2019","author":"Jim Hynes","date":"July 3, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Trumpeter\/percussionist\/bandleader\/composer\/educator Etienne Charles is mostly known for his Creole Soul band and orchestrations. On Gullah Roots (Culture Shock, 2025), the Trinidadian explores another culture with a rich history in Africa and the Trans-Atlantic slave trade between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries. Gullah culture - also called Gullah Geechee - resides\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Album Reviews&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Album Reviews","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/category\/reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/img_2911-1.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/img_2911-1.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/img_2911-1.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/img_2911-1.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11142","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11142"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11142\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11144,"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11142\/revisions\/11144"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11141"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11142"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11142"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11142"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}