Oregon Music News

When there was no more John Coltrane, a generation of saxophonists were so deeply influenced by his spirit and ideas that they carried on his tradition and his sound. Not many succeeded, and very few remain.

One who has endured, taking the ideas from that era, making them his own and bringing them into the current century is Azar Lawrence.

He will be appearing with a quartet at Jimmy Mak’s on Wednesday, March 10, 8pm, Tickets $20. Mel Brown Quartet also appearing.

He played in Elvin Jones and McCoy Tyner’s bands. That says it all. Since then he has played with everyone from Frank Zappa to Woody Shaw to Busta Rhymes. He did not record for many years, but has been active in the past three.

His latest album is called Prayer For My Ancestors which was released last year and features Los Angeles pianist, Nate Morgan, and Henry “the Skipper” Franklin on bass. Franklin and Lawrence played in Horace Tapscott’s Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra. On drums is  former McCoy Tyner band mate Alphonse Mouzon.

Listen to “Open Sesame”

Lawrence writes about his meetings with the masters:

It is said that music is of a pure nature all around us and within us as well. This music is from the tones produced by every vibration. Throughout the universe every atom everywhere produces a tone whether we can hear it or not. This is commonly referred to as the music of the spheres. When we as musicians dedicate our lives to a certain daily practice in order to try to produce the purest vibration tones we can often send those tones onto and into others like laser beams. Whether one on one or in groups music can and does cause an uplifting or healing effect. Our vibrations are lifted and we feel better and we are better.

I received this great understanding as inspiration in words of guidance and musical encouragement early on from legendary masters whom I have had the honor and privilege to humbly study,  learn from,  and perform with all along the way.  McCoy Tyner’s reply to me when I asked him how could he play with me just having turned 19 years old after being with the incomparable John Coltrane, was “I think you feel the same way about the music that John did.”

The great Elvin Jones told me that he thought that I had the “same kind of energy” that Mr. Coltrane had and “that was what was needed from me.”

Miles Davis told me when I was asked to join his band in the mid 70’s that the reason he wanted me to come aboard was because he “had not heard tenor sax since John Coltrane until me.”