Baby Laurence Legacy Project: Baby’s 103rd Birthday Celebration

Tap dancer and vocalist, Brinae Ali, and her bandmates of the Baltimore Jazz Collective celebrate the life and legacy of Baltimore’s greatest tap dancer: Baby Laurence (February 24, 1921-April 2, 1974). Baby Laurence was the first tap dancer to record a jazz album—Dancemaster (recorded in 1959, released in 1977). Brinae will be sharing works in progress that reimagine his music, as well as original compositions and choreography.

The Baby Laurence Legacy Project is supported by NEFA National Dance Project, Johns Hopkins University Billie Holiday Center for Liberation Arts, and Peabody Jazz & BFA Dance Departments.

Baltimore Jazz Collective
Brinae Ali | Vocals, Tap
Marc Cary | Keys
Kris Funn | Bass
Eric Kennedy | Drums
Todd Marcus | Bass Clarinet
Sean Jones | Trumpet

Performing Artist Collaborators
Wendel Patrick | Turntables, Beatbox, Effects
Gerson Lanza | Tap
Lisa LaTouche | Tap
PJ Pinkett | Tap
Folashade Forman-Bey | Dance
WombWork Productions Nu World Ensemble

Read more about Baby Laurence, the extraordinary jazz tap dancer who had a profound influence on rhythm dancers in the second half of the Twentieth Century, via the Library of Congress.