Live at Jazz Standard

With her recorded projects ranging from post-bop arrangements of Israeli songs from youth to commissioned new works for classical saxophone, Idit Shner has been a tireless advocate for 'making things happen' since receiving her DMA from the University of North Texas 15 years ago. On the faculty of the University of Oregon in Eugene, Idit continues to inspire others while using the city's central jazz gathering spot, The Jazz Station, to workshop ideas and perform regularly with her quartet. Recorded in June, 2019, Live at the Jazz Station captures the joy and exuberance heard each night there, with a high-energy group of friends exploring a favorite standard or their own compositions. From pianist/organist Torrey Newhart's hard-swinging, B-3 led "Shake it 'Til You Hear it Sizzle," to bassist Garrett Baxter's haunting ballad, "Present," or drummer Ken Mastrogiovanni's loose and swinging closer, "Artificial Flavors," Shner lights a fire, making the idea of presenting a live album more than just a good idea. "…confident and assured. (Shner's) bringing a welcome liveliness to post-bop jazz…"

Don't let the photos on some of Sara Gazarek's albums and promtional stuff–a barefoot young lady dressed more like a folk singer from the 60's–fool you. This lady is a jazz singer–and an up and coming jazz lion at that. Recording an album live–especially an acoustic jazz album–has to be somewhat schizophrenic for an artist. On one hand, there is the "electricity" that performing before a live audience can bring to a performance; on the other hand, any miscues or imperfections are likely to make it to the recording, too.

Azar Lawrence - The Seeker (2014) {Sunnyside SSC 1392}
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© 2014 Sunnyside Communications, Inc. | SSC 1392
Jazz / Post Bop / Modal Jazz / Spiritual Jazz / Saxophone

Jazz fans of a certain age who remember McCoy Tyner’s great 1973 album Enlightenment may have wondered what became of Azar Lawrence. He dropped off jazz radar for most of three decades, but he is back. The Seeker is his fifth record since 2007. He also plays in drummer-composer Franklin Kiermyer’s quartet on Further. Lawrence has been compared to John Coltrane his whole working life, but he is not a replica. He plays Coltrane’s instruments but not his licks and patterns. Even Lawrence’s sound is a variant. On soprano saxophone he is somewhat more rounded, and has slightly more vibrato on tenor. What he shares with Coltrane is an intensity of passion that overwhelms everything in its path.

In May 1990 Roy Ayers made his firsl appearance al Ronnie Scott's club in London's Frith Street, and a very sucessful debut it was. The sound of his band on that two week stay can be heard on JHCD 013 "Searchin", which was one of the first releases on the Ronnie Scott's Jazz House label in May 1991. At the beginning of the 90's Roy was, and indeed still is, a heavily featured artist in London's jazz dance clubs, where his own 'classics' from the 70's and 80's are constantly on the turntables as well as his earlier recordings being sampled on releases by a number of other artists.

Initially an inheritor of an abstract/expressionist improvising style originated in the '60s by such saxophonists as Albert Ayler and Archie Shepp, David Murray eventually evolved into something of a mainstream tenorist, playing standards with conventional rhythm sections. However, Murray's readings of the old chestnuts are vastly different from interpretations by bebop saxophonists of his generation. Murray's sound is deep, dark, and furry with a wide vibrato reminiscent of such swing-era tenorists as Ben Webster and Coleman Hawkins. And his approach to chord changes is unique. Although it's apparent that he's well-versed in harmony, Murray seldom adheres faithfully to the structure of a tune.