Arnie Lawrence

Despite a prolific recording career as both a leader and as a sideman, alto saxophonist Arnie Lawrence made his most lasting contributions to jazz as an educator, founding the jazz program at New York City's New School University and later launching the Jerusalem-based International Center for Creative Music, a program that welcomed musicians of both Jewish and Arab descent. Born in Brooklyn, NY, on July 10, 1938, Lawrence first studied clarinet. By age 12, he was playing professionally in Catskills clubs, and at 17 he was performing as part of the "Jazz Unlimited" series pres...