ZAR MAN: RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL SON @ L.A.C.M.A.

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Azar Lawrence eclectic and powerful saxophonist brings his very hot music into his hometown LA on Friday 6pm at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Fresh off his African Tour, taking only a few hours to sleep and jump back into the frying pan making his large fan base and growing, happy. Angelenos will be happy to see some familiar faces inside Zar’s Band which includes, an all-star lineup.

Yayo Morales after spending many years of international acclaim, living and working in Europe, performing with top Jazz, Latin Jazz and Flamenco stars, moved and is now situated in L.A. Drummer, Composer, Producer, Arranger and Educator, Yayo has played with an array of talent, such as:, Jerry González, Chano Domínguez, “Tomatito”, Jorge Pardo, Carles Benavent, and many other artists including Rita Marley, La Barbería del Sur, Henry “The Skipper” Franklin, Azar Lawrence, Bobby Bradford, Steve Cotter, Theo Saunders, Benn Clatworthy and Ron Stout to mention a few.  His own project entitled “Los Andes Jazz Project” parts one and two, based on rhythms and folkloric styles from Bolivia and the Andes fused with jazz was awarded a diploma from the Honorable Alcaldía Municipal de La Paz (Bolivia) and the Oficialía Mayor de Culturas for his work, in recognition for his contribution to the development of Bolivian contemporary music.

Dale Williams was born and raised in Hyde Park, on the south side of Chicago. While still in Chicago, Williams performed with many other well-known acts such as the the AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians), Phil Coran, as well as the Pharaohs/aka Sky (just to name a few). From there, Williams toured the US with Little Milton, Oscar Brown Jr., the Sun-Ra Arkestra, and Jean Carn.

Williams eventually made his way to Los Angeles, where he would go on to tour with artists such as Watt’s 103rd st. Band, Rebbie Jackson, Otis Day & the Knights, Solomon Burke’s, Mighty Mo Rodgers, Tito Jackson, Dorothy Moore, LL Cool J, Ronnie Laws, Elosie Laws, and Tom Browne. Dale Williams began performing in the local blues, jazz, and R&B scene, where he played with Howard Hewitt, Al B Sure, Faith Evans, Eric Bennet, The Mary Jane Girls, Doug E Fresh, Brian McKnight, and Brandy.

Theo Saunders’ musical odyssey has taken him to Five continents and more than twenty-Five countries. He has performed in many of the world’s most prestigious jazz festivals, concert halls and night clubs, with distinguished jazz artists including: Freddie Hubbard, Carla Bley, Charles Lloyd, Bob Brookmeyer, Sonny Fortune, Buddy Collette, Eddie Harris,Ted Curson, James Moody, Bobby Hutcherson, Teddy Edwards, Jack Dejohnette, Joe Lovano, Jimmy Garrison, Pharoah Sanders, Harold Land, John Scofield, Slam Stewart, Al Cohn, Zoot Sims ,Reggie Workman, Curtis Fuller, Rashied Ali, Mike Stern, Benny Powell, Chris Conners, Morgana King & Roseanna Vitro,David “Fathead” Newman, J.R. Montrose, Brew Moore,Sonny Greenwich, John Klemmer, and Azar Lawrence, just to name a few.

 

Windy Barnes multi-octaves voice moves effortlessly from Jazz to Pop, to R&B and Gospel. It’s easy to see why she’s one of the most sought after singer around the globe. Windy has been featured extensively on tour with the highest grossing balladeers in world, Julio Iglesias. She has traveled the world many times over with one of the most imitated,  respected and endearing singer/songwriter/musician of the 21st century, Stevie Wonder. She has also performed with  Michael Bolton.  It stands to reason why the unique vocal styling’s of Windy is recognized all over the world.

Despite his youthful appearance, Munyungo is no newcomer: in his over thirty years of playing, he has developed an awesome versatility & became a well-respected & much requested session, concert & tour player. He has performed with Miles Davis, Stevie Wonder, Sting, Kenny Loggins, Herbie Hancock, Dianne Reeves, the Zawinul Syndicate, George Howard, Ronnie Laws, The Temptations, Four Tops, The Supremes, Bennie Maupin, Bill Summers, Marcus Miller, & dozens of others, including numerous ethnic music & dance troupes. 

 

 

Trumpeter Brian Swartz  has appeared on multiple Grammy nominated and winning recordings with artists including The Dixie Chicks, John Beasley’s Monk’estra , and Kim Richmond’s Concert Jazz Orchestra. He has also performed or recorded with Michael Bublé, Saint Motel, Patti Labelle, Natalie Cole,  Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, The Luckman Jazz Orchestra, Jose Rizo’s Jazz on the Latin Side All Stars and many more. 

 

 

 

 

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SAXOPHONIST TEODROSS AVERY QUARTET EXPLORES MONK & COLTRANE

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In a recently held concert on the campus of my Alma Mater, California State University Dominguez Hills, Dr. Teodross Avery addressed a SRO audience on the rare compositions of Jazz icons John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk.  Avery , a professor of music at the university, curated an eclectic list of compositions by the two masters. Several of the tunes , rarely played on bandstands today, offered as proof of the complexity and challenges of playing compositions by Monk or Trane. a couple of favorites of mine were presented in their full, regal splendor, Trinkle Tinkle by Monk and The Promise by Coltrane.

As a musician, Dr. Teodross Avery stands as one who defines live music—best experienced in front row, and full throttle. His commanding presence, on stage and off, reflects his musical ingenuity and skill. With an outstanding pedigree, both professionally and academically, Teodross is a saxophonist to watch, as evidenced by many of today’s biggest names in music relying on his wide musical reach.

While growing up in Oakland and Vacaville, California, Teodross’ parents exposed him to a wide range of music including traditional Eastern and Western African music, Soul, Rock, and Jazz.  Dr. Avery put together a very solid jazz unit for the Thursday night crowd at the school.

In the band with Teodross was, veteran bassist, Henry “Skipper” Franklin, former drummer for Jay Leno’s TV show, Marvin “Smitty” Smith, journeyman pianist, Theo Saunders. Saunders was on fire on several tunes by Monk.    (https://www.teodrossavery.com) the rare composition “The Promise” was opened with a Franklin pizzicato solo for a great introduction to this spiritual composition.

 

 

 

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipNYy0Lnml3w_fJ7ngHkXSRNrucUZg5r3r07GKub

 

 

 

BLACK MUSIC MONTH:50 YEARS BOLD SOUL SISTER ARETHA FRANKLIN

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Hipster Sanctuary

posted by Robert J. Carmack    #@blue2jazzguy

aretha-franklin-harvard-degree-2014-billboard-650 photo by associated press

Congratulations!! Aretha Franklin receives an honorary degree from Harvard University  May 29 2014.  There are Divas and there are DIVAS, Aretha Franklin isn’t just the Queen of Soul, she’s THE Voice of  All Ages. Gospel, Soul, Pop, and dare I say it, Opera?? Yes, Opera as the late Italian tenor Pavarotti once requested Aretha’s presence to stand in for him at a TV show singing two Arias. Ms Franklin shocking most people, as she easily handled the  difficult music with grace and panache’.  I first heard Aretha  as a teenager on a TV show ,Steve Allen Show in 1964. a moving jazzy-blues song entitled, It Wont Be Long.

In those days She was on the Columbia records label , and they thought they could market her as a jazz singer ,since she played piano  they would just add some…

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ARETHA FRANKLIN QUEEN OF SOUL ~ THE END OF AN ERA ~1942 – 2018

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As a baby boomer, I grew up 1950s-60s, being only 8 years behind Aretha. I was digging on all that good music from those people my parents liked, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, Brook Benton, Dinah Washington, BB King, Bobby Blue Bland, Lloyd Price. Then the Motown thing hit L.A. starting with a group from Detroit named the Miracles (Shop Around 1960).

but, I also begun to get into jazz as I got older and started playing an instrument. From early 1961 to 1963, this Motown sound was picking up steam and other entertainers from Detroit, Chicago and New York were spawning new and younger acts. A couple more years passed with no acts “jumping out” there like Motown was producing at the time. Hits from Mary Wells, The Marvelettes and The Temptations really shot out there with My Girl (1964), that was followed by the Supremes and Martha & the Vandellas, “Dancing in the Streets” & “Heat Wave”. This was the phenoms from Motown that was eating up all the airwaves on the radio back then.  But, by 1966, other “Acts” started to come into sharp focus.

The Impressions, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett and even Soul Brother #1, James Brown was sounding different. One evening, I was watching a local TV dance show, and this young spunky, bouncy  singer came on with this big bellowing voice.. WoW!! Who is that?? I never heard again from her until 1967, when she came on the radio with “Respect”… Man-o-Man!  I immediately recognized that voice from only a year past , this was different. She sounded like she was speaking truth, had pain from her experiences and I was relating big time.

Before  I could get to school that morning,  I heard that song about 5 times in less than an hour, by 3:pm  after school, it was all over the radio. It was on the lips of older and young people..R_E_S_P_E_C_T, Take care , TCB!! It was on like popcorn then . Her song made it to #1 in the US in 1967. This song charted to number 2 in Canada, number 10 in the UK, number 11 in the Netherlands, and number 15 in Australia. This was the beginning of a musical legend. As far as I was concern , and many of my peers agreed with me, she was as big as James Brown.. Finally we had a Queen of soul go with the King of Soul ,JB. The consistency and relentless  energy and ability to take you to church whether you wanted to go or not.

She had all that stuff inside her playing and singing you would hear in Church coming up in the black community. She had that extra gear. Her signature “hollers” was like saying “Amen to what she was putting down on the record”. That even transferred over to her live shows on TV’s Ed Sullivan, Merv Griffith and the Johnny Carson shows.

Rolling like a runaway train with hit after hit, leaving high water marks everywhere she appeared…as part of the black political and social experience, we adopted Aretha’s phrases from her songs, TCB, RESPECT, a Do Right Woman or Man. 1968 rolled into place with a plethora of hits like Dr. Feel Good, Think, Chain of Fools, and Ain’t No Way. Included in that was a song she sung at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral.

I know I will never forget about Aretha Franklin. I just can’t wrap my head around the fact that, she will never grace a stage on earth again. I feel like I’m the lucky one, because I saw the Queen “blow-away” all comers, top shelf entertainers and anybody, male or female from that perch multiple times, over decades. 40+ Grammy nominations with 18 Awards in her quiver. Masterful achievements.

As I get ready for my 50th high School reunion, I know we will be playing lots of Ree-Ree from her debut hit, “RESPECT” to her last recordings unreleased yet. There are only a handful of miracles, not the Motown kind, but could include them also on another level. But, artists like Billie Holiday, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder..well there’s your handful. ha ha ha!! The mold was broken and never again will there be another.  Good bye Queen, I salute you with my favorite “Retha” cut…ENJOY!