THE AZAR LAWRENCE EXPERIENCE Tickets

Azar Lawrence was a young music prodigy, lovingly tutored by his mother, who taught music and led their church choir. At age five, 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 began his jazz career at the renowned Dorsey High School Jazz Workshop. After high school he played in Horace Tapscott's Pan Afrikan Arkestra and played weekly with George Cables, Candy Finch, Larry Gales, and Woody Shaw in Los Angeles at a local club, L.B. West on 54th Street. Before long, he performed with the Ike & Tina Turner band, the Watts 103rd Street Band and War. The 19-year-old musical genius – he’d blush at the description – then joined John Coltrane drummer, Elvin Jones for three-and-a-half years. Azar went on to record/write for luminaries such as Freddie Hubbard, Busta Rhymes, Roberta Flack, and Phyllis Hyman. 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.