Lauren Wood-Photos Bex Wade-16Born and raised in Chicago, LUCY (born Lauren ‘Lo’ Wood) picked up the saxophone at the age of 13 and hasn’t put it down since. During her youth, she attended the prestigious Merit School of Music and was given the opportunity to perform at places such as Wayne and Joe Segal’s Jazz Showcase, Hackney’s, Millenium Park’s Pritzker Pavillion, Trump Towers, the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago’s Symphony Center, and more while being a part of Merit’s Honors Jazz Combo and other musical groups.

Since moving to the Big Apple in 2010 to attend New York University as a Jazz Studies major on scholarship, she has studied with Saturday Night Live’s Lenny Pickett and Alex Foster, Joe Lovano, Ron McClure, Ralph Lalama, Brian Lynch, Ronnie Cuber and more. LUCY has also performed alongside the likes of Wayne Krantz, Chris Potter, Mike Richmond, Brad Shepik, Billy Drewes, John Hadfield, Terrell Stafford while with the NYUJO and during her time in Chicago. Her musical endeavors have taken her to Carnegie Hall, the Blue Note Jazz Club, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Symphony Space, Tutuma Social Club, The Bitter End, Somethin’ Jazz Club and many other landmarks of live music. Internationally, LUCY most recently went to Peru on a 10-day tour with “Chilcano,” a band led by Gabriel Alegria. Because of her work in Chilcano, for the years of 2010-2012, LUCY was also named an “Ella Fitzgerald Scholar.”

Besides playing the saxophone in general, LUCY’s own, personal music is reminiscent of her greatest influences: Miles Davis, Jaco Pastorius, Erykah Badu, Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell, Joe Cocker, John Coltrane, Frank “Kuumba” Lacy, Chaka Khan, James Brown, Michael Jackson, Charles Mingus, Alex Foster, Common, and many more. Besides working on her own project, her upcoming self-titled debut album “LUCY”- LUCY can be heard with various other groups throughout New York City- she has most recently been seen playing with Wycliffe Gordon and his large ensemble. She believes in good grooves as well as mastery of one’s instrument, and melodies deeply rooted in the blues.

 

SET UP:

  • Low Bb 1944 Silver Naked Lady Conn
  • François Louis Custom Mouthpiece for Ronnie Cuber
  • Vandoren Optimum Ligature
  • BG Ladies Harness
  • La Voz Medium Strength Reeds

 

Website: http://www.whatislucy.com