Azar Lawrence - Shadow Dancing '1985/2021

Tracks list

Saxophonist Azar Lawrence (born 1952) needs little introduction, as a young
musical prodigy he was lovingly tutored by his mother, who taught music and led
their church choir. At age 5, he played violin in the Los Angeles Junior
Symphony, then viola, but his ears were turned to the saxophone at age 13. Azar
spent his teen years immersed in jazz at the home of his best friend, none other
than the late Reggie Golson, son of the great composer/arranger/saxophonist,
Bennie Golson. From then on it was jazz, jazz and more jazz!

Azar Lawrence began his jazz career at the renowned Dorsey High School Jazz
Workshop. After high school he played in Horace Tapscott’s ‘Pan
Afrikan Peoples Arkestra’ and started performing in the Los Angeles club
circuit. He soon found himself playing with the Ike & Tina Turner band, the
Watts 103rd Street Band and War. At the age of 19, Azar joined John
Coltrane’s drummer Elvin Jones for over 3 years before being invited by
McCoy Tyner to join his quartet (an alchemy that lasted for 5 exuberant years).
During his tenure with Tyner, he also recorded with Miles Davis on the album
Dark Magus at the famed Carnegie Hall.

Upon leaving Tyner, Azar Lawrence recorded his own projects on Prestige Records,
including Bridge Into The New Age (1974), Summer Solstice (1975) and People
Moving (1976). After these three albums it would take over a decade before Mr.
Lawrence would record another solo album (Shadow Dancing, released in 1985).
Azar went on to record/write and perform with luminaries such as Freddie
Hubbard, Busta Rhymes, Roberta Flack, The Headhunters and Mulatu Astatke. His
sensational collaborations of the period included writing and performing on
Earth Wind & Fire’s highly acclaimed platinum album, Powerlight, and on
Marvin Gaye’s Grammy award winning, Hear My Dear. Azar Lawrence’s
work was sampled by renowned artists/acts from the likes of Madlib, Cypress
Hill…and many others.

In the early 2000s, Lawrence surged back onto the jazz scene and continues to
electrify audiences with outstanding original compositions and chart hitting
albums. His band, The Azar Lawrence Experience (TALE) appears with as many as
eight musicians who sizzle to the sounds of Azar’s powerful compositions,
as well as songs from the Coltrane songbook. To this day TALE dedicates itself
to sharing a lifetime of Azar Lawrence’s music, art and spirituality with
global audiences.

On the album Shadow Dancing (released in 1985), which we are proudly presenting
you today, you can hear the musical versatility only an artist like Azar
Lawrence can deliver. Next to his trademark jazz sound, this album is filled
with funk, soul and boogie influences. If you’re looking for THE perfect
mix of synth filled boogie & jazz-funk where the Sax takes the center
stage…then this is a highly recommended gem for your record collection
(and a must-have for seekers of rare grooves).

Also featured on these recordings are some serious all-star guest musicians from
the likes of Oren Waters (Herbie Hancock, Curtis Mayfield), Roy Galloway (Jimmy
Cliff, Gladys Knight), Fred Johnson (The Temptations, George Clinton), James
Gadson (Bill Withers, Quincy Jones), Leo Nocentelli (The Meters, Maceo Parker),
Marlo Henderson (Gil Scott-Heron, Ahmad Jamal), Denzil Miller (Kurtis Blow,
Diana Ross) and Eddie Brown (Stevie Wonder, Dennis Coffey).


01 - Azar Lawrence - Magic in the Night (3:53)
02 - Azar Lawrence - Shadow Dancing (5:33)
03 - Azar Lawrence - Inside Stuff (2:48)
04 - Azar Lawrence - One More Time (7:41)
05 - Azar Lawrence - Your Love is Keeping Me Alive (3:39)
06 - Azar Lawrence - Keep It Hot (5:00)
07 - Azar Lawrence - Singapore Nights (5:11)
08 - Azar Lawrence - Interlude (2:54)

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