Over forty years ago, I met J. Lawrence Cook at the Imperial Industrial
factory which was located in a seedy part of New York City area.  The
factory was a bit shabby, and everything looked either old, patched, or
makeshift.  Mr. Cook was a pleasant fellow, and was more than happy to
explain what he was doing.

I heard him play -- but not as we expect a pianist to play.  The piano
he was playing on was an old upright piano, missing the upper and lower
panels and fall board.  The strings were rusty and the piano was
horribly out-of-tune.  It had a makeshift second keyboard, that sat
above a standard size keyboard of the piano.

His playing was not exactly what I call 'playing the piano', as he
would play a chord, and hold his hands in position, and wait for the
time to elapse, before proceeding to the next chord or notes.  He was
making a master roll.  A very slow process.  I had anticipated hearing
him sit down at the piano, play a nice tune, and then the roll was
done.

Not so!  At that time, it was a slow process.  Only Lawrence knew the
process, other than Max Kortlander, who either owned the company or was
president; I don't recall.  I don't believe that there were any others
who knew how to use that method of making a master roll (ca. 1955).

That is probably why so many rolls were "played by J. Lawrence Cook".

Bruce Clark