Azar Lawrence -

Azar Lawrence is an American jazz saxophonist who released three albums between 1974 and 1976 on Prestige.

Background

Lawrence was born on November 2, 1953, in Los Angeles. His mother, a music teacher, nurtured his musical interests from a young age. He first practiced violin as a tween, then switched to the saxophone at age thirteen. He spent his teens at the home of his best friend, Reggie Golson, son of composer Bennie Golson.

He launched his professional career at the Dorsey High School Jazz Workshop. He joined Horace Tapscott’s Pan Afrikan Arkestra and played in the local backing bands of George Cables and Woody Shaw. By age 19, he scored live work with Ike & Tina Turner, WAR, and the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band. He then joined drummer Elvin Jones’ band for three and a half years.

Lawrence earned his first recorded credits on the 1973/74 McCoy Tyner albums Enlightenment and Sama Layuca.

Bridge Into the New Age

Azar Lawrence released his first bandleader album, Bridge Into the New Age, in December 1974 on Prestige.

Bridge Into the New Age combines large ensemble textures with layered percussion and horn interplay. The album balances structured forms with expansive solos, anchored by complex rhythms from multiple drummers and percussionists.

Lawrence wrote everything apart from “Forces of Nature,” composed by Ernie Straughter. Key performers include trumpeter Woody Shaw and vibraphonist Woody Murray, anchored by bassist Clint Houston and drummer Billy Hart.

The opening title track features guest vocalist Jean Carn in counterpoint with Lawrence and Shaw, underpinned by vibes and Guilherme Franco’s percussion. “Fatisha” features a trio with pianist Joe Bonner at the fore. “Warriors of Peace” expands to a larger group with Latin touches by percussionist Mtume, and solos from Lawrence and Arthur Blythe.

On “Forces of Nature,” trombonist Julian Priester and flutist Hadley Caliman trade solos with Lawrence . “The Beautiful and Omnipresent Love” combines chanted vocals with interwoven horn lines and wordless passages, overlaid by percussionist Kenneth Nash and flutist Ray Straughter.

A1. “Bridge Into the New Age” (6:45) Jean Carn’s vocals and the intertwined horns of Lawrence and Woody Shaw propel this track forward, building an unstoppable momentum. A counter-current from bassist Clint Houston and percussive flares from Billy Hart give the song a churning rhythm.
A2. “Fatisha” (4:05) trio piece that features Joe Bonner’s rich piano work and a spacious, open rhythm. Lawrence’s saxophone explores the open spaces, creating a sound that is both focused and expansive.
A3. “Warriors of Peace” (7:59) energetic ensemble track with a dark, Latin-influenced rhythm driven by a nimble percussion team and John Heard’s bass. Alto saxophonist Arthur Blythe’s fiery solo pushes Lawrence to new heights.

B1. “Forces of Nature” (8:41) the large ensemble swells, led by Julian Priester’s trombone and Hadley Caliman’s flute, generating a unified sound. Lawrence’s soprano saxophone sails through the arrangement, anchored by a unique sense of sound that is both angular and soulful.
B2. “The Beautiful and Omnipresent Love” (10:07) deeply spiritual piece that builds slowly around the vocals of Jean Carn and the interweaving horns of Lawrence and Shaw. Woody Murray’s vibraphone provides a soft foundation for the vocal and instrumental lines to soar.

Sessions occurred May–September 1974 at Fantasy Recording Studios in Berkeley, California, with Orrin Keepnews and Jim Stern producing.

Summer Solstice

Azar Lawrence released his second album, Summer Solstice, in October 1975 on Prestige.

The album balances relaxed, sunlit passages with precise, flowing rhythms from a multi-percussion team and a supple rhythm section, foregrounding Lawrence’s soprano and tenor saxophones.

Lawrence wrote three of the five compositions; Amaury Tristao contributed “Novo Ano” and “Highway.” Key performers include saxophonist Azar Lawrence, bassist Ron Carter, drummer Billy Hart, and pianists Albert Dailey and Dom Salvador, with guitarist/vocalist Amaury Tristao and trombonist Raul de Souza appearing on select tracks.

The opener, “From the Point of Love,” features Lawrence on wood flute and saxophones dancing around Dailey’s piano, while Hart and Franco drive a subtly shifting rhythm. On “Novo Ano,” Tristao’s guitar and vocals converse with de Souza’s trombone and Hayes’ flute, forming a warm, sunlit dialogue. “From the Point of Light” highlights Lawrence’s soaring saxophones above Dailey, Hart, and Franco’s tightly interlocked pulse. The title track, “Summer Solstice,” rises with Lawrence’s saxophones over Hart’s drums and percussion textures. “Highway” blends Tristao’s guitar with Salvador’s piano and Hayes’ flute to create a spacious, relaxed soundscape that closes the album in calm radiance.

A1. “From the Point of Love” (7:58)
A2. “Novo Ano” (6:42)
A3. “From the Point of Light” (6:55)

B1. “Summer Solstice” (9:30)
B2. “Highway” (9:48)

Sessions for A1, A3, and B1 occurred April 29, 1975, at Generation Sound Studios, New York; A2 and B2 were recorded May 1, 1975, at the same studio. Additional recording and remix took place June 1975 at Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California, with Orrin Keepnews producing and Tony May engineering.

Lawrence also appeared on 1975 albums by Tyner (Atlantis), Shaw (The Moontrane), and Elvin Jones (New Agenda).

People Moving

Azar Lawrence released his third album, People Moving, in 1976 on Prestige.

People Moving blends jazz textures with electric and synth-inflected arrangements. The album balances structured forms with layered horns, keyboards, and percussion, providing a spacious backdrop for Lawrence’s soprano, alto, and tenor saxophones.

Lawrence performs all saxophones, with three compositions by producer Skip Scarborough and select songs by Patrice Rushen (“Kickin’ Back”), Earth Wind & Fire (“Gratitude”), and the Straughter brothers (“People Moving”). Key performers include guitarist Lee Ritenour, bassist Paul Jackson, drummer Harvey Mason, and percussionist Mtume.

The opening track, “Theme for a New Day,” layers Lawrence’s saxophones over Stanton’s electric piano and Jackson and Mason’s rhythm, with Mtume adding percussion textures. “The Awakening” foregrounds Scarborough’s composition with Peters’ piano and Stanton’s ARP synthesizer, punctuated by brass accents. “Kickin’ Back” spotlights Stanton’s clavinet and Rushen’s ARP alongside Lawrence’s soprano and tenor lines. The title track, “People Moving,” combines layered horns, rhythm arrangements by Scarborough, and strummed electric guitar over Lawrence’s saxophones, while “Can’t Hide Love” and “Canticle for the Universe” feature harmonized vocals and intertwined keyboards. The closer, “Gratitude,” blends electric piano, layered percussion, and vocals over Lawrence’s saxophones, rounding out the album’s textured soundscape.

A1. “Theme for a New Day” (5:19)
A2. “The Awakening” (6:45)
A3. “Kickin’ Back” (6:42)

B1. “People Moving” (5:48)
B2. “Can’t Hide Love” (4:12)
B3. “Canticle for the Universe” (4:53) is a composition by guest keyboardist Jerry Peters, also performed on Ritenour’s 1976 album First Course.
B4. “Gratitude” (4:39)

Sessions occurred March 1976 at Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, and Sound Factory West, Los Angeles. Skip Scarborough produced, with additional horn tracking and engineering by Steve Maslow at Sound Factory West, and recording engineering by Skip Shimmin at Fantasy. Eddie Bill Harris handled remixing, with Phil Kaffel assisting. Mastering took place at Kendun Recorders, Burbank.

Remaining personnel include trombonist George Bohanon, trumpeters Chuck Findley and Oscar Brashear, and saxophonists Ernie Watts and Buddy Collette, alongside vocalists Cheryl Barnes, Josie James, and Michael Wright.

Interim Years

Lawrence also played on 1976–78 albums by Gene Harris, Deniece Williams, Freddie Hubbard, Black Renaissance, Mtume, Phyllis Hyman, Rinder & Lewis, and 360 Degree Music Experience. In 1979, he surfaced in Chameleon, a jazz-funk trio that issued one album on Elektra. He also backed labelmates Shadow, an Ohio Players spinoff. Meanwhile, the Straughter brothers formed the core of Free Life.

Shadow Dancing

Azar Lawrence released his fourth album, Shadow Dancing, in 1985 on Riza Records.

Shadow Dancing blends contemporary jazz with programmed rhythms and layered keyboards. The album foregrounds Lawrence’s soprano and tenor saxophones, weaving them through electronic percussion, keyboards, and guitar textures.

Lawrence co-wrote the majority of tracks with Greg Cook, while B. Parrish, Fugino, and a Lawrence/Fugino collaboration contributed individual compositions. Key performers include saxophonist Azar Lawrence, guitarist Leo Nocentelli, drummer James Gadson, keyboardists Denzell Miller Jr., Joel Gaines, and Cook, with backing vocals from Coco Evans, Orin Waters, and Roy Galloway.

The opener, “Magic in the Night,” pairs Lawrence’s reeds with Coco Evans’ vocals over Cook’s keyboards and Lyndrum drum programming. The title track blends saxophone lines with layered electronic keyboards and percussion co-produced by Cook. “Inside Stuff” and “One More Time” spotlight Parrish and Fugino’s compositions, integrating rhythmic precision and harmonic depth. “Your Love Is Keeping Me Alive” reprises Evans’ vocals atop Lawrence’s saxophones and Cook’s synth textures. “Keep It Hot” and “Interlude” combine saxophones, programmed drums, and keyboards for a sleek, urban-jazz feel, while “Singapore Nights” merges Lawrence/Fugino composition with guitar and keyboard layers for atmospheric effect.

A1. “Magic in the Night” (3:53)
A2. “Shadow Dancing” (5:33)
A3. “Inside Stuff” (2:48)
A4. “One More Time” (7:41)
B1. “Your Love Is Keeping Me Alive” (3:39)
B2. “Keep It Hot” (5:00)
B3. “Singapore Nights” (5:12)
B4. “Interlude” (2:54)

Sessions occurred at Gatoons Recording Studios, with Lawrence producing and arranging. Greg Cook co-produced select tracks, with James Gadson on drums and Fred Johnson handling Lyndrum programming. Reggie Dozier engineered, assisted by Nikki Bowden. The album was mixed at Gatoons and mastered at KM Records.

Remaining personnel include percussionists Eddie Bongo and Eric McKain, guitarists Marlowe Henderson and Nocentelli, and backing vocalists Evans, Waters, and Galloway.

Discography: