Larry Nelson is a lecturer in Saxophone and Musicology at Eastern Kentucky University, teaching applied lessons and directing the EKU Saxophone Quartets and Saxophobia, the university's jazz saxophone ensemble. He also teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in symphonic literature, American popular music, jazz improvisation, and music appreciation.

An active performer on both saxophone and bass, Larry is a member of the EKU Faculty Jazz Quintet, the Osland Saxophone Quartet, the Kentucky Jazz Repertory Orchestra, the Dimartino-Osland Jazz Orchestra, and appears frequently with the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also performed with Ray Charles, Manhattan Transfer, the Temptations, the Four Tops, the Nelson Riddle Orchestra, Lou Rawls, the Jimmy Dorsey orchestra, Ben Vereen, and many others artists of note. Recent performances include:

• Artist in Residence with the Osland Saxophone Quartet in Dubuque, IA; March 7-19, 2005.
• Greg Abate with the EKU Faculty Jazz Ensemble, Richmond, KY; October 13, 2004.
• Lou Rawls, Danville, KY, October 2, 2004.
• Gene Krupa Orchestra; Ashland, KY, May 17, 2004.
• North American Saxophone Alliance Biennial Conference 2004, Greensboro, NC; World premiere performance of two works by by Mike Mower, commissioned by the Osland Saxophone Quartet.
• Performance by Eastern Kentucky University Saxophobia of two original pieces - "Eyes of a Child" and "New Kid in Town" - at the North American Saxophone Alliance Biennial Convention; University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
• Bob Mintzer at the Pittsburg State University Jazz Festival; Pittsburg, KS March 5, 2004.
• The Four Tops, Danville, KY, October 17, 2003.
• The 2003 World Saxophone Congress in Minneapolis with the Osland Saxophone Quartet; the concert included the world premiere of Diffusion for Saxophone Quartet by Gordon Goodwin.
• A Performance at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute which coincided with a week-long residency with the Osland Saxophone Quartet as part of Tanglewood's Young Artist program; the concert included the world premiere of "1000 Bars of Blue," a new piece by Walt Weiskopf.
• The 2000 World Saxophone Congress in Montreal with the Osland Saxophone Quartet; the concert included the world premiere of Bob Mintzer's Saxophone Quartet No. 2.

Recent recordings include:

• Baritone Saxophone and Acoustic Bass on In the Land of Ephesus by the Osland Saxophone Quartet.
• Acoustic and Electric Bass on Off the Charts by the Dimartino-Osland Jazz Orchestra.
• Baritone Saxophone on Kentucky Roastup by the Osland Saxophone Quartet; included on the recording is an original arrangement of "The Star-Spangled Banner".
• Electric Bass on My Old Kentucky Home by the Osland Saxophone Quartet.

Larry Nelson has also co-authored articles on music technology for the Bluegrass Music News and the Jazz Educators' Journal, and he has presented research papers at the annual convention of the International Association of Jazz Educators. His original compositions and arrangements are published by Walrus Music.

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