Azar Lawrence Quartet with Special Guest Juini Booth - Reunification with three fourths (Azar, Juini Booth and Alphonse Mouzon) of the McCoy Tyner Quartet for a double bass expression.
Sat. March 28 2015 @ Seabird Jazz Lounge, Long Beach, CA. - Free parking @ Roscoe's House of Chicken 'N Waffles
AZAR LAWRENCE
One of the most powerful and distinctive of all post–Coltrane tenorists, Azar Lawrence was born 1952 in Los Angeles and by the age of 21 had worked with Ike & Tina Turner, War, and Charles Wright’s Watts 103rd Street Band (“Express Yourself”).
An artist with an avant-garde spirit and style of his own, Azar spent many years with legendary Coltrane pianist McCoy Tyner’s Quartet where he recorded several impressive albums such as “The Enlightenment Suite” and “Atlantis”. He joined drummer Elvin Jones for two years, and for the next eight years moved between Jones’ group and that of McCoy Tyner.
Azar is known for his recordings with Miles Davis on the classic “Dark Magus: Live At Carnegie Hall”, Earth, Wind and Fire’s Grammy award nominated “Powerlight” and Marvin Gaye’s Grammy award winning “Here My Dear”. He released seven albums as a leader, and had his songs recorded by Stanley Turrentine among others.
At age five his first formal music lessons on violin and piano were under the direction of his late mother Ima Lawrence. Ima was a gifted classical pianist and teacher. Azar also began playing with the USC JR Orchestra at the age of five and by eleven years old he would become Second Chair. His musical foundation began in piano and violin but then he was introduced to alto sax by a friend of the family and began taking lessons.
In high school Azar played with the Dorsey High School Jazz Workshop where he became friends and shared many musical ideas with pianist and mentor Herbert Baker whom passed away untimely while Azar was in his late teens. He also performed in high school with the Horace Tapscott Arkestra where he met and became close friends with Reggie Golson; the late son of Benny Golson. Reggie and the Golson family became very instrumental in Azar's musical journey in Jazz. After high school at the age of 19, Azar played with George Cables, Candy Finch, Larry Gales, and Woody Shaw at a regular gig at a Los Angeles club on 54th St.
At age 20 Azar was introduced to Elvin Jones (at the 'Lighthouse') by his best friend Reggie. Within a week of meeting Elvin, Azar would leave Los Angeles for New York to become a member of Jones' band 'Jazz Machine.'
During the eighties Azar began melding his sound with what some have described as "psychedelic Jazz Funk" and began to write songs even more seriously than when preparing for his first three projects while recording for Fantasy records. He began working with Chuck Jackson who is known in part for his role as producer for many of Natalie Coles hit recordings. They co- wrote twenty songs all of which were placed on projects such as Stanley Turentine’s, Coming Home. He formed the band, Chameleon, which recorded for Electra Records. Patrice Banks, Chocolate, of Grande Central Station was a member of that team.
He released several albums of his own before the age of twenty-five; Bridge Into the New Age, People Moving People, Summer Solstice, Shadow Dancing and People Moving. And in recent years he released Legacy and Music of John Coltrane, Speak The Word, Prayer For My Ancestors and Mystic Journey. Like his contemporaries Herbie Hancock and Charles Lloyd, Lawrence forayed into pop music, recording with Earth Wind & Fire, Frank Zappa and Busta Rhymes. During the eighties he wrote and performed for Earth Wind Fire, on their highly acclaimed release Powerlight. He collaborated with Earth Wind & Fire’s leader Maurice White.
Recent productions Azar can be heard on are 'The Cookers, Cast The First Stone' - 2011 and 'Platinum' The Headhunters -2011. Hitting hard live and in recorded music these days Azar has written new compositions as a follow up to his 2010 release, (that received several Best of' 2010's) 'Mystic Journey.' His co-production of his latest CD with Seth Abramson, Grammy Winner and Artistic Director for the Jazz Standard in New York The Seeker was on the ballot for a 2014 Grammy nomination consideration. The track titles of Azar Lawrence 'The Seeker' reflect his sound equations as a part of a continuum of his musical philosophy to "seek knowledge, wisdom and truth."
Since the early 2000's, the consummate artist has returned full force to his post-Bob Jazz roots. Lawrence's distinctive sound embodies a deep spirituality, which can be heard on Tyner's "Walk Spirit, Talk Spirit", and his own numerous recordings on Prestige. His current Oeuvre doesn't miss a beat, with shows that sparkle with virtuosity, and vivid ideas and textures. To the discerning listener, Lawrence's depth can only be attributed to one who has 'been there'. And 'there' he most definitely was.
'To hear Mr. Lawrence upshift through his improvisations, honoring a song's rhythm and harmony and then breaking free of it, is one of jazz's current thrills, and he understands this music as well as anyone.' Ben Ratliff - New York Times
'Lawrence has been compared to John Coltrane his whole working life, but he is not a replica. He plays Coltrane's instruments but not his licks and patterns. Even Lawrence's sound is a variant. On soprano saxophone he is somewhat more rounded, and has slightly more vibrato on tenor. What he shares with Coltrane is an intensity of passion that overwhelms everything in its path.
The Seeker hits like a sledgehammer from the opening track, 'Gandhi.' Lawrence writes elemental declamatory anthems that serve as launch pads. Their titles convey his understanding of music as a spiritual quest: 'Spirit Night,' 'The Seeker,' 'Venus Rising.' For all his fervor, there is logic and clarity in his onslaught of ideas. When he reenters for a second solo, like on 'Gandhi,' he can jolt you out of your chair.'
Thomas Conrad, Jazz Times - September 2014
JUINI BOOTH
Playing professionally since age 16, Juini Booth has expanded the range of the contrabass into a refined personal language of intense acoustic awareness and spatiality of sound. Firmly rooted in the forefront of the American jazz tradition, which he has helped to shape, Booth's music also integrates influences from world music, emerging beyond the boundaries of categories to express the poetics of universal humanness. His compositions reflect a masterful use of simple melodic themes developed through unexpected harmonies, unusual tonal qualities and time relationships, inviting the listener to a new level of musical perception.
Booth has performed, recorded and toured for over 40 years with jazz musicians from Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers to Tony Williams Lifetime, including many others like Albert Ayler, Betty Carter, Coleman Hawkins, Chuck Mangione, Sun Ra, McCoy Tyner, and Randy Weston.
Juini often tours extensively in Western and Eastern Europe, performing solo bass concerts in the U.S., Canada and Japan. Some career highlights have been a concert with Randy Weston at the Tangiers Jazz Festival, Morocco, and with Sun Ra Arkestra in Tiblisi,Georgia (USSR) performing in a film of painter Larry Rivers entitled "Round Trip."
He received the Mingus-Zimmerman Award sponsored by ISB (International Society of Bassists) for Most Imaginative Performance in the Free Choice Category. He was Music Curator at Hallwalls in Buffalo, New York (1981-82) and at Niagara Arts Council (NAC) in St. Catherine's, Ontario (1991). An NEA composer grant (CAPS) and Meet the Composer have supported his compositional work. Booth is currently focusing on composing new works for contrabass, as well as working on collaborative projects with artists in other disciplines, in addition to teaching and recording.
Recording credits include: Shelley Mann, McCoy Tyner (3 albums), Freddie Hubbard, Elvin Jones, Sun Ra, Hamiet Bluiett, and many other artists.
Currently, Booth is Vice President of the nonprofit organization Wilbur Ware Institute, Inc.
Selected works:
New Work for Solo Bass, premiered at The Rivoli and The Music Gallery, Toronto, Ontario, 1992; followed by 4-city tour of Ontario, Canada.
“Suite for Solo Contrabass,” premiered at Ali's Alley, New York City, 1978. This is a set of five solo works from which many tangential compositions have been developed and performed.
ALPHONSE MOUZON
Alphonse Mouzon musical associations read like a veritable Who's Who of Modern Jazz and Pop Music. His talents cover a broad range of musical disciplines and philosophies. He was the rhythmic foundation for the far-reaching musical explorations of pianist McCoy Tyner. He was a charter member along with keyboardist Joe Zawinul and saxophonist Wayne Shorter, of the group Weather Report. Along with guitarist Larry Coryell, Mouzon was co-founder of The Eleventh House, the seminal fusion band of the seventies. Mouzon and Coryell still tour together in a trio and with the Eleventh House.
Alphonse Mouzon has also played and/or recorded with Gil Evans, Roy Ayers, George Benson, Herbie Hancock, Dizzy Gillespie, Stanley Clarke, Al DiMeola, Les McCann, Ronnie Laws, Klaus Doldinger's Passport, Jaco Pastorius, Ron Carter, Azar Lawrence, Joey DeFrancesco, MILES SMILES, Albert Mangelsdorff, Joachim Kuhn, Jasper van't Hof, Michel Legrand, Stanley Turrentine, Freddie Hubbard, Hubert Laws, Donald Bird, Chet Baker, Randy Brecker, Michael Brecker, Ernie Watts, Sonny Rollins, Wallace Roney, Arturo Sandoval, Christian McBride, Kenny Barron, Cedar Walton, George Coleman, John Klemmer, Billy Harper, Dave Grusin, Russ Freeman, George Howard, Kirk Whalum, Jeff Lorber, Kenny G., Joanne Brackeen, Horace Parlan, Robin Kenyatta, Kevin Toney, Sunnie Paxson, Ross Carnegie Orchestra, ex-girlfriend Roberta Flack, Sheila E., Celia Cruz, Gloria Lynn, Gloria Coleman, Denise Williams, Freda Payne, Shirley Scott, Anita O'Day, Betty Davis, and in 1991, he performed with Miles Davis on the movie soundtrack album entitled "Dingo". MILES DAVIS even spoke highly of Mouzon in his book entitled "Miles - The Autobiography".
Mouzon has also played and/or recorded with and helped the early careers of Tommy Bolin, Lee Ritenour, David Beniot, Gerald Albright, Sam Riney, Brandon Fields, Greg Karukas, Dave Koz, and Richard Elliot.
Mouzon's Rock/Pop Credentials include gigs with no less respectable a crew than Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Carlos Santana, Patrick Moraz, Tommy Bolin and Chubby Checker. Robert Plant, lead singer for the legendary Rock Group Led Zeppelin, named Alphonse Mouzon, during his acceptance speech for induction into the 1995 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, “One Of The Band's Major Influences.” Mouzon also appears on Deep Purple’s Family Album Along with Guitarist Tommy Bolin who replaced Guitarist Richie Blackmore in the band.
Besides Radio, Mouzon's Music Has Been Aired On European Tv, CBS, NBC and ABC's Daytime Television Soap Operas - "All My Children", "Another World", "As The World Turns", "Days Of Our Lives", "One Life To Live", "Loving", "General Hospital", "Generations", "Santa Barbara", "The Guiding Light", "Sunset Beach", "Passions", and Cbs Sports, "Life Styles Of The Rich And Famous", "Runaway With The Rich And Famous", "Leeza", "Hard Copy", "Entertainment Tonight", and Many More!
Alphonse Mouzon's name can be found in just about every Jazz Encyclopedia/ Dictionary, and is listed in the 2nd Edition Of Marquis Who's Who In Entertainment And Who's Who In The World. Mouzon was Voted the #2 Best Multi-Instrumentalist in the 1995 Jazziz Magazine Annual Readers Poll, and in 2010 he was voted the #4 Jazz Drummer in Modern Drummer Magazine.
HENRY FRANKLIN
Born October 1st, 1940, Henry Franklin is a native of Los Angeles whose earliest memories of jazz were through his father, Sammy Franklin, a renowned trumpeter and bandleader.
As a child, Henry was encouraged to take music seriously and with that he understood its emotional power. Though he would take to the clarinet, piano and tap dancing early, it wasn't until the day he picked up the bass that music began to define him. So began Henry's life-long love affair with music.
"It just felt natural," he said.
Soon there were lessons - arranged by Sammy - with some of the classical bass players that helped establish his foundational knowledge of the instrument. Later Henry studied with Al McKibbon and George Morrow and spent many hours pouring over the offerings of such bassist greats as Paul Chambers and Doug Watkins.
Henry was still attending the Manual Arts High School when he played with his first professional band - the Roy Ayers Latin Jazz Quintet. "Roy went to a different high school from me", he said, "but we played together along with Bill Henderson, Carl Burnett and Elmo Jones." Around that same time, Henry met and worked with Harold Land and Hampton Hawes. Years later he would tour Europe with Hawes and record five albums with him. "I was influenced very much by Hawes and Land - I still am," Henry said. "Those guys are great heroes to me."
Jazz continued to heat up the scene in Los Angeles, with scores of clubs packing the houses from Adams Boulevard to Sunset and Hollywood Boulevards to across Central Avenue. Jazz was king in L.A. and a young Henry Franklin held court with the likes of Ornette Coleman, Don Cherry, Billy Higgins and Scott LaFaro.
Henry continued to study, listen and hone his craft, but in 1968 received a call from Willie Bobo. The call led to a year-long tour of the East Coast, where on his off days, he worked gigs with Archie Shepp, Lamont Johnson, Beaver Harris and Roswell Rudd. Then one night, Hugh Masekela heard Henry play and made him an offer. Three and a half years later the two would collaborate on Grazing in the Grass and then part ways with a great friendship and a gold record.
Henry's touring continued over the next few years, working internationally with singer O.C. Smith, The Three Sounds, Freddie Hubbard and Count Basie. Henry collected another gold record with Stevie Wonder on The Secret Life of Plants.
Henry began experimenting outside of the bebop genre with John Carter and Bobby Bradford and produced two albums: Self-Determination Music and Secrets. His style was more avant-garde - but only for a short time.
"I always try to fit in - whatever the musical occasion, but it's not permanent," Henry said, referring to his affinity for tradition. "I guess I've been a bebopper all of my life."
The jazz world continued to embrace him and Henry's work continued to be elevated. He would team with Dennis Gonzales, John Purcell and William Richardson and perform with them on five albums that were critically acclaimed throughout Europe. Henry also played extensively with Pharoah Sanders, Joe Williams, Sonny Rollins, Bobby Hutcherson, Sonny Fortune and Milt Jackson.
There are more than 100 albums on which Henry appears, with many of them produced under his leadership. They include: The Skipper and The Skipper at Home (Black Jazz label), Three Card Molly, Bassic Instincts, The Hunter, Bass Encounters (Resurgent Music label), Colemanology, Ears Wide Open, Three Worlds, A Musical Tribute to Gene Harris featuring Three More Sounds, Summer Serenade (Beezwax Records), Shalabongo, We Came to Play (Jeru Records), Tribal Dance (Catalyst Records), Blue Lights (Ovation Records), Sakura (WJ3 Records), All God's Children (SP Records), Music to the 5th Power (SP Records), 3Bop (SP Records), If We Should Meet Again (SP Records), O, What a Beautiful Morning! (SP Records), Soul of the World (SP Records) and June Night (SP Records). Henry also published a method book for all bass players entitled, Bassically Yours.
The Skipper performed for about thirteen years with his group at The Mission Inn in Riverside, California. For many years, he played 5 nights a week. Difficult times reduced that to 2 nights on weekends. This long run of great jazz came to an end September 17, 2011. His presence there was greatly appreciated by the community.
He continues to produce artists on his SP Label - including his latest CD June Night - to keep his and the world's love of jazz alive.
"I strive and work hard to do the best for Jazz," Henry said. "It's America's only art form."
THEO SAUNDERS
A native New Yorker, Theo Saunders has lived in California since 1985, but his musical career remains international in scope. Saunders' musical odyssey has taken him to four continents and more than twenty countries. Growing up in NYC, he played with Pharoah Sanders in the 1960s, and in 1971 (at age 24), at the Village Vanguard with the likes of Jimmy Garrison and Jack DeJohnette in a group led by guitarist Sonny Greenwich. Appearing on more than 40 recordings as a sideman, he has accompanied everyone from Sonny Fortune and Charles Lloyd to Freddie Hubbard and Ray Mantilla, and has six recordings as a leader.
He has performed in many of the world's most prestigious jazz festivals, concert halls and night clubs, with distinguished jazz artists including:
Freddie Hubbard, Carla Bley, Charles Lloyd, Bob Brookmeyer, Harold Land, Buddy Collette, Eddie Harris,Ted Curson, James Moody, Bobby Hutcherson, Teddy Edwards, Jack DeJohnette, Joe Lovano, Jimmy Garrison, Pharoah Sanders, Sonny Fortune, Slam Stewart, Al Cohn, Zoot Sims, Reggie Workman, Curtis Fuller, Rashied Ali, Mike Stern, Benny Powell, Chris Conners, Morgana King, Roseanna Vitro, David "Fathead" Newman, J.R. Montrose, Brew Moore,Sonny Greenwich, John Klemmer, Mark Egan, , Jim Pepper, Jane Ira Bloom, Steve Khan, John Lucien, Henry Franklin, Azar Lawrence, Carl Burnett, Jack Wilkins, Steve Slagle, Dennis Irwin, Roy McCurdy, Eddie Gomez, Steve Berrios, Cecil McBee, Rick Laird, John Heard, Gene Perla,Barry Altschul, Elliott Zigmund, Al Grey, Barbara Morrison, Lanny Morgan, Horacee Arnold, Jerry Bergonzi, Harvey Wainapel, Dave Pike, Herbie Lewis, Sal Marquez, Hadley Caliman, Putter Smith, Gary Foster, Beaver Harris, Alphonse Mouzon, Benn Clatworthy, Dick Berk, Richie Cole, Garnett Brown, Justo Almario, Mike Richmond, Bob Sheppard, Bennie Maupin, Dave Binney, Bobby Bradford, Frank Morgan, Harvie Swartz, Tierney Sutton, Judi Silvano, Roberta Gambarini, Chip White, Phil Grenadier, Stacey Rowles, Tom Harrell, Rich Perry, Clifford Jarvis, Carl Allen, Phil Ranelin, Pat Britt, Tony Dumas, Steve Swallow, Victor Lewis, John Abercrombie, Joe Diorio, J.R. Mitchell, Calvin Hill, Charles Owens, Richard Reid, , Adam Rodgers, John B. Williams, Ed Neumeister, Terrell Stafford, Wycliffe Gordon, Larry Koonse, Darek Oles, Dave Stryker, Steve Marcus, Don Menza, Bill Watrous, Mon David, Dwight Trible, Carl Saunders, Don Rader, Mike Clark, David Weiss, Ernie Andrews, George Bohanon,
His diverse musical activities have included musical director for opera and dance productions, for cabaret singers, and international musical theatre. He has played with many well known Latin, R&B, and rock artists, including Claudio Roditi, Victor Brasil, Ray Mantilla, Willie Bobo, Bobby Matos, Raul De Souza, Ray Armando,Claudio Caribe, Guillerme Franco, Bobby Rodriguez, Gladys Knight, Four Tops, Elephants Memory, and is a former member (Piano) of the Jazz Tap Ensemble. He also has performed in collaboration with poet David Meltzer and assemblage artist George Herms.
As a composer, Theo has numerous jazz & rock compositions to his credit as well as original scores for dance, theatre, radio and multimedia production. His compositions have recently been recorded by Henry Franklin, Ray Armando, Benn Clatworthy, Bobby Matos, and Bruce Paulson. His biographical sketch appears, in "People in Jazz-Jazz keyboard improvisors of the 19th and 20th centuries" by Bill Lee.
HYPERLINK: Video - https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=azar+lawrence%2C+booth%2C+
HYPERLINK: Event Flyer http://azarlawrence.com/SB_3.28_15.jpg
HYPERLINK: Press - http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/28/arts/music/azar-lawrence-quintet-focuses-on-the-seeker.html?_r=0
HYPERLINK: Hi-Res Photo - http://azarlawrence.com/Azar_Blue.jpg
HYPERLINK: Websites
www.azarlawrence.com
www.juinibooth.com
www.tenaciousrecords.com
www.henryfranklin.com
www.theosaunders.com
www.seabirdjazzloungelbc.com
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