Mystic Journey

This album by Azar Lawrence, Mystic Journey, features his East Coast piano and bass players of choice, Benito Gonzalez and Essiet Essiet and reunites with Gerald Hayes, who played on Azar's 1975 album, Summer Solstice. They are joined by the great Eddie Henderson on trumpet and the late Rashied Ali on drums. While his previous album, Prayer For My Ancestors found Azar wandering the savannas of Africa in search of inspiration, Mystic Journey is pure New York City. Having played with Miles Davis, McCoy Tyner and Elvin Jones in the early 1970s, Azar recorded a string of albums for Prestige. He then left the jazz scene and pursued a career in pop and R&B music, working with Marvin Gaye and joining Earth, Wind and Fire. He then began working in Hollywood, scoring for film and television. A few years ago, he was inspired to pick up the horn again. The results have been staggering. Jazz fans agree he's playing better and harder than ever, evoking inevitable Coltrane comparisons. But if anyone has a right to wear that title, it is Azar Lawrence. His connection to Coltrane may have begun with McCoy Tyner and Elvin Jones, but on Mystic Journey, Azar is joined by yet another Coltrane acolyte and free jazz legend Rashied Ali. Ali died just 4 months after this recording, but his spirit lives on in the music. This band is powerful. From the opening of the title track to the last resonant note, Mystic Journey is a guaranteed thrill for fans and will convert the skeptics. The statement is simple: Azar Lawrence is back.

At an early age, Azar Lawrence left his mark on Jazz. Hired by drummer Elvin Jones when he was just 19, the prodigious young saxophonist would be tapped soon after by McCoy Tyner to fill the large shoes of collaborator John Coltrane. Throughout the '70's, Lawrence recorded with Tyner, Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard and Woody Shaw. Like his contemporaries Herbie Hancock and Charles Lloyd, Lawrence forayed into pop music, recording with Earth Wind & Fire, Frank Zappa and Marvin Gaye. Since the early 2000's, the consummate artist has returned full force to his post-Bob Jazz roots. Lawrence's distinctive sound embodies a deep spirituality, which can be heard on Tyner's 'Walk Spirit, Talk Spirit', and his own numerous recordings on Prestige. His current Oeuvre doesn't miss a beat, with frequent New York and Los Angeles shows that sparkle with virtuosity, and vivid ideas and textures. To the discerning listener, Lawrence's depth can only be attributed to one who has 'been there'. And 'there' he most definitely was. His latest production 'The Seeker, Live at the Jazz Standard' is set for release on Sunnyside Records July 2014. Lawrence appears to have hit his stride with Mystic Journey (Furthermore Recordings), a powerful statement that channels the fiery spirit of Coltrane's legacy. - Jay Trachtenberg, The Austin Chronicle - Mystic Journey is a great reminder of one of the most explosive eras in the history of jazz. But there is much more to it than just being a clinic on free music, the playing of the group is as tight as it gets, and there is a real stylistic variety present. It is one of the better jazz releases I have heard so far this year. Greg Barbric - Seattle pi Music Saxophonist Azar Lawrence has been favorably compared to John Coltrane by Miles Davis, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones and other great jazz musicians. He is also an accomplished songwriter who has written for Earth, Wind and Fire, and Skip Scarborough. I'm Talkin' Jazz - Azar Lawrence Ron Lee -Jazz91 KCSM NPR -San Mateo, Ca Azar's playing is 'a seamless concatenation of approaches that approximate, in a new context, Ali's [Rashied Ali] multi-directionality. Lawrence is another Coltrane disciple, but not just another one-an outstanding one.' - Gordon Marshall, AllAboutJazz - 'Like 'Trane's later religious years, Lawrence's bold music takes on a spiritual quality as he and his combo create towers of sound that seem to propel the listener heavenward.' - Eric Feber, The Pilot - 'The passionate journey of 'Mystic Journey' is a manifest as never representative o