Considered to be a direct descendant (via his years with McCoy Tyner's band) of John Coltrane, Azar Lawrence began living up to that description in his Jazz life at an early age with Miles Davis, Elvin Jones, Billy Higgins, Muddy Waters and other legends. He also wrote for Irene Carr and Stanley Turrentine.
Azar has an admirable presence in popular music that includes writing three songs for Earth Wind & Fire, performing and recording with Marvin Gaye, playing with the Watts 103rd St Band, Phyliss Hyman, The Emotions, War and several more.
Hot off the presses October 16, 2013 Gilbert Castellanos was just awarded at the 23rd annual San Diego Music Awards (SDMA) as Artist of the Year, Best Jazz Album and Best Jazz. ...
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Considered to be a direct descendant (via his years with McCoy Tyner's band) of John Coltrane, Azar Lawrence began living up to that description in his Jazz life at an early age with Miles Davis, Elvin Jones, Billy Higgins, Muddy Waters and other legends. He also wrote for Irene Carr and Stanley Turrentine.
Azar has an admirable presence in popular music that includes writing three songs for Earth Wind & Fire, performing and recording with Marvin Gaye, playing with the Watts 103rd St Band, Phyliss Hyman, The Emotions, War and several more.
Hot off the presses October 16, 2013 Gilbert Castellanos was just awarded at the 23rd annual San Diego Music Awards (SDMA) as Artist of the Year, Best Jazz Album and Best Jazz.
Recognized by Downbeat Magazine as a 'New American Master', Castellanos Latino background via Cuba & Mexico City has given him the opportunity to work with world-reknown artists that incude Wynton Marsalis, Charlie Hayden, Les McCann, Poncho
Sanchez, Diana Krall, Willie Nelson, Michael Buble, Natalie Cole, Dizzy Gillespie and many others.
Marvin 'Smitty' Smith is featured on more than 45 albums with a veritable list of additional performances and recordings that are augmented with names like Terence Blanchard and Donald Harrison.
Marvin's playing credits include top notables in music like Sonny Rollins, Hank Jones, Frank Foster, Frank Wess, Art Farmer, Benny Golson Slide Hampton, and Milt Jackson. A member for many years of the Tonight Show Band Marvin has played with the Buddy Holland Band, Wallace Roney, Sting, Mulgrew Miller and a substantial list of others.
Pianist Gary Matsumoto studied at the University of California, Irvine. There, in addition to classical lessons with Dr. Lorna Grith, Matsumoto studied with Miles Davis pianist Kei Akagi.
Matsumoto has also worked with film composer Nathan Wang on various projects, including performing in concerts with international recording artists Coco Lee, JJ Lin, Vivian Hsu, and Jenny Tseng.
In 2008, SP records released The Matsumoto Trio - Days Ahead, his first as a leader. He has also been featured on over a dozen recordings by other artists, including recent releases by the Henry Franklin Quintet and the Martin Torres Sextet, Jules Day, Thisbe Vos, and Charlene Mignault.
One of the most versatile and in demand bassists on the West Coast, Jeff Littleton has performed with a virtual who's who of top jazz artist's including Nancy Wilson, Herbie Hancock, Freddie Hubbard, Hank Crawford, Pharoh Sanders, Charles Lloyd, Charles Mcpherson, James Newton, Harold Land, Tom Harrell, Billy Higgins and Bobby Hutchinson to name a few. He released The Littleton Brothers | Collage with Bobby Watson and has an upcoming production currently in the works.
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