Philadelphia Jazz Project, in collaboration with WRTI Media Temple University Libraries, Ars Nova Workshop, WRTI, PhillyCAM, Jazz Near You and other partners are working on a plan to celebrate John Coltrane's 90th Birthday with 9 days of events. These events will take place between September 17th to 25th, 2016.
John Coltrane 90th Birthday Solo Saxophone Tribute & Celebration – A free concert and key component of the John Coltrane At 90 Celebration. This presentation will consist of virtuoso, solo performances by national, regional and local saxophonists paying tribute to John Coltrane and his enduring influence on Jazz music. The performance will run from 6:00pm until 12:00am with an average of 3 performers per hour. ...
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Philadelphia Jazz Project, in collaboration with WRTI Media Temple University Libraries, Ars Nova Workshop, WRTI, PhillyCAM, Jazz Near You and other partners are working on a plan to celebrate John Coltrane's 90th Birthday with 9 days of events. These events will take place between September 17th to 25th, 2016.
John Coltrane 90th Birthday Solo Saxophone Tribute & Celebration – A free concert and key component of the John Coltrane At 90 Celebration. This presentation will consist of virtuoso, solo performances by national, regional and local saxophonists paying tribute to John Coltrane and his enduring influence on Jazz music. The performance will run from 6:00pm until 12:00am with an average of 3 performers per hour.
Participating venues will include: East Park Reservoir/Fairmount Park, New Barber’s Hall, Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection, Free Library of Phila - Parkway Central Branch, Conwell Dance Theater & The Bell Tower - Temple University, Ritz Theater, Church of the Advocate, The Fire, The Piazza at Schmidt’s Commons, and more.
While still an adolescent; Azar Lawrence was spirited off to New York by the late drummer Elvin Jones at the tender age of nineteen. That year, 1971; Azar became a member of Jones' Jazz Machine. While Azar was a member of Elvin's group; McCoy Tyner frequently attended Azar's performances. And, accordingly seven years after Trane's passing; at the request of the pianist; in 1973 at age 21 Azar Lawrence joined McCoy Tyner's band. Azar collaborated, recorded, and performed on several of Jones’ and Tyner’s productions. He also performed and recorded live with Miles Davis on the album Dark Magus.
Azar then would go on to produce his own albums and also delved into R&B. He wrote for Stanley Turrentine, collaborated with the late Maurice White of Earth Wind & Fire and wrote three songs on Earth, Wind & Fire’s Powerlight album. In his hometown of Los Angeles, Ca.; Azar also worked with the band War and Charles Wright’s Watt’s 103rd (Express Yourself) Street Band. Moreover, among many musical luminaries such as Woody Shaw, Freddie Hubbard, Marvin Gaye, Nicholas Payton, Roy Ayers, Phyllis Hyman and Denise Williams are just some of the names with whom Lawrence has performed and recorded.
About Azar Lawrence; Ben Ratliff of the New York Times said, “He seems in possession of a great, almost ecstatic power, but he cares about songs, and their shape and melody always pulled him back to earth. He controlled several mixtures of things that could seem like opposites: easy, melodic swing and bottom-line seriousness; short-line form and long-line expressiveness.” New York Times, June 2014
Blowing stronger than ever, and still on the circuit; Child prodigy Azar Lawrence has confirmed his longstanding reputation as one of the 21st century’s greatest exponents of the John Coltrane legacy. As one of the best to blend the elements of earth and the spirit through music; Azar Lawrence stands out as a distinctive instrumentalist with his searing, passionate saxophone sound and brilliant compositional style.
Press: nytimes.com/2014/06/28/arts/music/azar-lawrence-quintet-focuses-on-the-seeker.html?_r=0
Hi res photo: azarlawrence.com/photos/Zar8-pk.jpg
Websites:
azarlawrence.com
philajazzproject.org
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