AZAR LAWRENCE
Saxophonist Azar Lawrence approaches music with spiritual reverence. Over the course of his career, which began in his teens, Lawrence has performed with such mainstays as McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Frank Zappa, Miles Davis, and Earth, Wind & Fire.
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

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.

NOLAN SHAHEED
Nolan Shaheed was musical director for Marvin Gaye, lead trumpet with Count Basie and has an extensive resume of other acts he has worked with including: Natalie Cole, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Phil Collins, Anita Baker, Carole King, Tom Waits, John Handy, David Byrne, Raymond Harry Brown, Freddie Hubbard and Niki Nana. As a lead player and soloist, Shaheed has been a recording session ace, and has played with the Count Basie Orchestra and the touring bands of Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder.

THEO SAUNDERS
A native New Yorker, Theo Saunders musical career remains international in scope. Saunders' musical odyssey has taken him to four continents and more than twenty countries.Growing up in NYC, he played with Pharoah Sanders in the 1960s, and in 1971 (at age 24), at the Village Vanguard with the likes of Jimmy Garrison and Jack DeJohnette in a group led by guitarist Sonny Greenwich. Appearing on more than 40 recordings as a sideman, he has accompanied everyone from Sonny Fortune and Charles Lloyd to Freddie Hubbard and Ray Mantilla, and has six recordings as a leader.

EDWIN LIVINGSTON
From Dallas, Texas, Edwin Livingston; in his various travels he has played and recorded with many notable artists and masters. Livingston has performed and/or recorded with: Elvin Jones, Ellis, Delfeayo, and Jason Marsalis, The Headhunters, Los Hombres Calientes (Grammy nominated Latin Jazz album), Bill Summers, Munyungo Jackson, Donald Harrison, Jr., Alvin Batiste, Ronnie Laws, Debra Laws Tootie Heath, Barbara Morrison, Queen Latifah, Orchestra(Raphael Saadiq, Justin Timberlake, Will.I.Am, Brian McKnight, Mary J Blige, Aretha Franklin), Bob Mintzer, Yellowjackets, Natalie Cole and many others.

ROY MCCURDY
Roy McCurdy will probably always be best-known for his important contributions to Cannonball Adderley's Quintet (1965-1975). In 1960 he joined the Art Farmer Benny Golson Jazztet and remained for two years. Early on, he worked with Chuck and Gap Mangione in the Jazz Brothers (1960-1961). McCurdy also gained recognition with Sonny Rollins before joining Adderley.

McCurdy counts among his influences Louie Bellson, Shelly Manne, Sam Woodyard, Buddy Rich, 'Papa' Jo Jones, Philly Joe Jones and the bands of Duke Ellington, Jimmy Lunceford and Lionel Hampton.  The list of greats that McCurdy has played with includes Count Basie, Wes Montgomery, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Carmen McRae, Joe Williams, Herbie Hancock, Art Pepper, John Heard, Ron McCurdy, Jackie Ryan, Blood, Sweat and Tears, etc.

Press: nytimes.com/2014/06/28/arts/music/azar-lawrence-quintet-focuses-on-the-seeker.html?_r=0

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Websites:
azarlawrence.com
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