Azar Lawrence Sextet The Azar Lawrence Sextet came about when Furthermore Recordings requested that Azar produce a CD with some of his East Coast colleagues. Azar had met Benito Gonzalez when they played together with Kenny Garret at an appearance in Los Angeles. A few months later Azar and Benito began playing together and have been ever since. Azar and Eddie Henderson met during the time when he was with McCoy Tyner, and Eddie was with Herbie Hancock. Azar and Billy Hart also came to know each other while Azar was a member of McCoy Tyner's band. Long time friend Billy Hart played drums on Azar's second LP Summer Solstice. And Gerald Hayes also performs on Azar's sophomore album Summer Solstice and they have enjoyed a long friendship, as well. Essiet Essiet was recommended by Benito to Azar for an engagement at Lincoln Center and afterward that same night was asked to join his quartet. Azar's new recording; Azar Lawrence Sextet Mystic Journey is a stellar production by the saxophonist as his evolution continues. New works written by Azar, Benito Gonzalez, and the dearly departed Rashied Ali are featured, as well as well as one of Azar's seminal breakthrough works as a leader Summer Solstice, 1974 and McCoy Tyner's Walk Spirit Talk Spirit, a recording where Azar partnered with the great pianist on the live recording, Enlightenment Suite Live at Montreaux, Switzerland 1974. The Azar Lawrence Septet is an impressive group of musicians who will continue working and creating American music. Azar Lawrence's eclectic career speaks volumes about his musical virtuosity and stylistic versatility.
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Azar Lawrence - Bio Saxophonist, Azar Lawrence's musical studies began at age five. A classically trained violinist and pianist his formal instruction were under the direction of his late mother, music teacher and educator, Ima Lawrence. Born in 1952 at home on Los Angeles' famed Central Avenue, (Southern California's Jazz Mecca during the 1920's - 40's) the vibe of that scene clearly seeped into his musical consciousness. A member of the USC Jr. Orchestra (University of Southern California), from age five to eleven, he turned to Alto sax by age twelve. He was a member of the famed Dorsey High Jazz Band under the direction of Herbert Baker. While in high-school he would meet the late Reggie Golson, and become an extended member of Benny Golson's family. And thanks to Reggie,Azar's professional music life began in his late teens when he was asked to join Elvin Jones' band, Jazz Machine, (after being introduced to Elvin by friend, Reggie) and immediately his stature in the jazz world placed him amongst the elder statesmen of post-bop. |
Azar Lawrence Bio - cont. While performing for years with Elvin Jones he headed up Fantasy/Prestidge Records, and several years he a member of McCoy's Quartet, during the (Enlightenment period) and also at that time he began doing studio work for Capitol Records as a songwriter, and was Executive Assitant for Stan Neufeld at Orion Pictures for Hollywood Squares and Outside Productions. As a leader his seminal work, Bridge Into The New Age, 1974 lauded as a classic, was re-released twice over the past two years. He worked with Skip Scarborough on the first instrumental version of Can't Hide Love, for his People Moving album and wrote three songs for Earth Wind & Fire's Powerlight album performing on keys. His discography is diverse with names like Frank Zappa, Busta Rhymes and impressive where he performs on titles such as Woody Shaw's Moontrane, and Miles Davis', Dark Magus, recorded live at Carnegie Hall in 1974. Within the past three years, he's performed, written, and produced two CD's Speak The Word and Prayer For My Ancestors, (Prayer was given honorable mention for Best of 2009, AllAboutJazz/New York, January 2010) and also lead and co-produced a live tribute album, Legacy and Music of John Coltrane, 2006. Azar's latest production Mystic Journey, on Furthermore Recordings, will without a doubt again place him amongst jazz's elder statesmen.
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Eddie Henderson - Bio Eddie Henderson was blessed with knowing many famous musicians growing up. His stepfather was a doctor to people like Miles and Coltrane and Duke Ellington. His first informal lesson on the instrument at the age of nine was from Louis Armstrong. The family moved from Eddie's birth place, New York city, to San Francisco in 1954. From 1954 to 1957, Eddie studied trumpet, flugelhorn, and music theory at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and performed with the San Francisco Conservatory Symphony Orchestra. He would be influenced greatly by family friend Mile's Davis who stayed in his parents' house when he had performance dates in San Francisco during the late 1950's. At that time Eddie attended the conservatory studying classical music. |
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Eddie Henderson - Bio cont. He learned from Miles (who would stay at the Henderson home while on tour in the Bay Area), "You should emulate, not imitate,” never having a formal lesson from Mile's he learned from him without words. He would attend medical school and during that time he was to be highly influenced by Freddie Hubbard and Lee Morgan. After medical school he began touring with Herbie Hancock, and later he would join Art Blakey's band and also played with Dexter Gordon, Roy Haynes, Jackie McLean, Joe Henderson, and McCoy Tyner. Playing with all of these greats opened the door for everything else that he would become. Still in demand in the U.S., and internationally he plays Jazz festivals and venues throughout the world. Dr. Henderson became a faculty member in 2007 of the Music Division - Jazz Studies at the Julliard School in New York. |
Billy Hart - Bio Born in Washington D.C. Billy Hart's first steady gigs of note were with Shirley Horn and Buck Hill. In the 1960’s he toured with Jimmy Smith, Wes Montgomery, Eddie Harris, and Pharoah Sanders. In 1970 he joined Herbie Hancock’s Sextet, and after that band broke up in 1973 he joined first McCoy Tyner for two years and then StanGetz for four years. In the 1980’s Hart was a regular with many bands and leaders: Gerry Mulligan, Billy Harper, Clark Terry, The New York Jazz Quartet, the Jazztet, Mingus Dynasty and most extensively with Quest (with David Liebman, Ritchie Beirach, and Ron Mc Clure). In the 1990’s Hart was a member of the Charles Lloyd, Joe Lovano, and Tom Harrell groups, and in 1999 he began performing with the Three Tenors (Liebman, Lovano, and Michael Brecker). He is on about 500 hundred records as a sideman. He spends considerable time at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and is also adjunct faculty at the New England Conservatory of Music and Western Michigan University. Also, he is a regular contributor to the Stokes Forest Music Camp and the Dworp Summer Jazz Clinic in Belgium.
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Click inside image for sound clip Benito Gonzalez - Bio A native of Maracaibo, Venezuela, Pianist Benito Gonzalez's musical life began in church. There he would play piano and organ for four years. Because traditional Venezuelan music possess many contemporary harmonies, by the time Benito
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Benito Gonzalez - cont. heard jazz for the first time, "the colors were already in his head." The fusion of world rhythms and straight-ahead jazz make him a passionate performer and audience favorite all over the world. Benito Gonzalez is being recognized as an exciting pianist and composer for his well-received debut album, “Starting Point” (Christian McBride, Antonio Sanchez, Rene McLean, Ron Blake) and as winner of the 2005 Great American Jazz Piano Competition. Presently, Benito is creating a very personal body of work for his sophomore album as a leader that will feature him as an improviser. After two years touring with jazz master, Kenny Garrett, he added numerous festivals and international jazz club dates to his credit. Benito has shared the stage with Curtis Fuller, Pharaoh Sanders, Bobby Hutcherson, Azar Lawrence, Christian McBride, Ignacio Berroa, Roy Hargrove, Rene McLean, Steve Turre, Hamiet Bluiett, Antonio Sanchez, T.K. Blue, Nicholas Payton and Jackie Mclean. His multi-cultural talents have led to frequent recording dates; from American jazz masters to West African musicians to Latin bands. He has also served as musical director for several Venezuelan recording artists.
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Gerald Hayes - Bio Alto saxophonist, Gerald Hayes was born in Detroit Michigan to a family with strong musical genes. His father and uncle played drums, and Gerald's older brother is Louis Hayes, the renowned jazz drummer. As a child, Gerald's idea of fun was listening to the records of the jazz artists of the forties and fifties, Charlie Parker, Clifford Brown, Sonny Rollins, Max Roach, Art Tatum, Miles---the giants of the Golden Age of Jazz. This was the "school" in which he received his most important education. In addition to his formal education, Gerald had mentors such as Barry Harris and Yusef Lateef who were key to his development. At nineteen, Gerald headed to New York to embark on his musical odyssey. |
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Essiet Okon Essiet - Bio Born in Nebraska to Nigerian parents, and raised around the world Essiet Okon Essiet began his musical studies on violin at the age of ten. His father worked both for the Nigerian and
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Essiet Okon Essiet - Bio American governments making him a global traveler during his formative years. Around age 14 the family settled in Oregon and by then Essiet had switched to bass. Taking up permanent residence in New York in 1983, he became one of New York's premiere bassist. In 1988 he became a member of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers until the famed drummer's passing. During the mid 90's he was invited to join an incarnation of the Blue Note Allstars which included Greg Osby Javon Jackson, Tim Hagens, Kevin Hays, and Bill Stewart. The Blue Note Allstars tours included Canadian Festivals, US tours, Europe and Japan. In 2000 he joined Danilo Perez's Motherland project for two years touring the US, Europe and Central America. |
