Azar Lawrence - People Moving (1976) [2014 Rare Groove Funk Best Collection 1000]

Stellar reed work from Azar Lawrence – a player who's best known for his acoustic revival in recent years, but who could play with some excellent electric backings during the 70s! The set's less an electric funk outing than it is a spiritual jazz set, with keyboards and guitar in the mix – beautifully put together by the young Skip Scarborough, with a feel that's very similar to Gary Bartz's work with Larry Mizell!

Azar's reeds are wonderful – soaring, searching, in a style that's inspired by Coltrane, but with a more direct focus – again like Bartz, or maybe a bit like Hadley Caliman too – and the record features strong work from a lineup that includes Patrice Rushen on keyboards, Lee Ritenour on guitar, Paul Jackson on bass, and Harvey Mason on drums. The whole thing's got a great Fantasy Records funk groove – and includes many nice titles like "Theme For A New Day", "Kickin Back", "Canticle For The Universe", "Gratitude", and a great take on Scarborough's "Can't Hide Love".


Tracks:

01 - Theme For A New Day
02 - The Awakening
03 - Kickin' Back
04 - People Moving
05 - Can't Hide Love
06 - Canticle For The Universe
07 - Gratitude

Personnel:

Alto Saxophone – Ernie Watts (tracks: 1, 3 to 5)
Drums – Harvey Mason
Electric Bass – Paul Jackson (2)
Electric Piano – Michael Stanton (tracks: 1, 4, 6), Patrice Rushen (tracks: 3, 5)
Guitar – Lee Ritenour (tracks: 1 to 5, 7)
Guitar, Programmed By [Synthesizer Programming] – John Rowin
Percussion – Mtume* (tracks: 1 to 6)
Piano – Jerry Peters (tracks: 2, 4, 6), Michael Stanton (tracks: 5, 7)
Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Azar Lawrence
Synthesizer [ARP 2601] – Skip Scarborough (tracks: 1, 5, 6)
Synthesizer [ARP Odyssey] – Michael Stanton (tracks: 2, 4)
Tenor Saxophone – Buddy Collette (tracks: 1, 3 to 5)
Trombone – George Bohanon (tracks: 1, 3 to 5)
Trumpet – Chuck Findley (tracks: 1, 3 to 5), Oscar Brashear (tracks: 1, 3 to 5)
Vocals – Cheryl Barnes (tracks: 3, 5, 7), Josie James (tracks: 3, 5, 7), Michael Wright (2) (tracks: 3, 5), Patrice Rushen (tracks: 3, 5)