Azar Lawrence - Bridge into the New Age

Azar Lawrence grew up in L.A. as something of a musical prodigy. By 11 he played drums, violin and piano and he sang as well. A family friend brought a saxophone to the home right around the time Azar was ready to start viola and his musical focus was changed. By the time he graduated high school he had mastered the instrument well enough to begin a professional career.

At 19 he had a regular club gig with Woody Shaw and worked with R&B folk like Ike and Tina Turner and War. By the age of 22 he was playing with the likes of Elvin Jones, Miles Davis and McCoy Tyner. From 1972 to 1976 he was certainly one of the fastest rising stars in the jazz world. Then he kind of vanishes from the Jazz world for 20 + years.

What happened to this young man who was hailed by some as the next coming of Coltrane? Well he didn't leave music by any means. In fact, he participated in wild variety of projects from Earth, Wind and Fire, Marvin Gaye, Frank Zappa, and a funk band called Chameleon; he made some serious cash, discovered cocaine, had a down period, and has returned to jazz. (yeah, I know that is seriously condensed but I'm not his biographer now am I?)

This stunning album of what I think of as 'Spiritual Jazz' was done in 1974 and features a remarkable cast of major league players like Woody Shaw, Jean Carn, Clint Houston, John Heard, Hadley Caliman, Julian Priester, Ndugu, Mtume, Kenneth Nash... it sounds for all the world like something from Black Jazz or Strata East and yet it is a Orrin Keepnews produced Prestige/Fantasy release. It vanished from print within 5 years or so and saw one cd reissue for two or three minutes.

I picked up this copy from a long forgotten blog some three years ago or more, my original vinyl copy was long gone so I am deeply grateful to that original uploader. I really like this album and I'm very happy to pass on the share.