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Doug Lawrence: Doug Lawrence & Friends

By Jack Bowers
December 11, 2021
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If the name

Doug Lawrence

saxophone, tenor
b.1956

" data-original-title="" title="">Doug Lawrence doesn't sound familiar, the name

" data-original-title="" title="">Count Basie surely should. What is the Lawrence- Basie connection? Well, for more than two decades Lawrence has been the featured tenor saxophone soloist with the renowned and still- active Count Basie Orchestra, a chair once impressively occupied by the likes of

Lester Young

saxophone
1909 - 1959

" data-original-title="" title="">Lester Young,

Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis

saxophone, tenor
1922 - 1986

" data-original-title="" title="">Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis,

Lucky Thompson

saxophone
1924 - 2005

" data-original-title="" title="">Lucky Thompson,

Wardell Gray

saxophone, tenor
1921 - 1955

" data-original-title="" title="">Wardell Gray and

Frank Foster

saxophone
1928 - 2011

" data-original-title="" title="">Frank Foster, among others. When someone has been around as long as Lawrence, he or she makes a lot of friends, seven of whom Lawrence has enlisted to lend a hand or two on his latest CD, aptly titled Doug Lawrence & Friends.

While recording dates and sites are not given ("studio" and "location," the jacket says), there is clearly more than one session involved, as guitarist

John Webber

bass, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">John Webber and drummer

Joe Farnsworth

drums
b.1968

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Farnsworth appear on tracks 1 to 3, and are replaced by guitarist

Kyle Asche

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Kyle Asche and drummer

Xavier Breaker

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Xavier Breaker on tracks 4 to 6. Organist

Dan Trudell

organ, Hammond B3

" data-original-title="" title="">Dan Trudell is the lone constant, performing on every track, while trumpeter

Freddie Hendrix

trumpet
b.1976

" data-original-title="" title="">Freddie Hendrix and baritone saxophonist

Frank Basile

saxophone, baritone
b.1978

" data-original-title="" title="">Frank Basile make it a sextet on the first two numbers, Lawrence's freewheeling "Night Flight" and

Jimmy Forrest

saxophone, tenor
1920 - 1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Jimmy Forrest's graphically paved "Soul Street." Lawrence, backed by the rhythm section, plays flute on Track 3, Big John Patton's rhythmically robust "Latona."

Lawrence, an outspoken and self-assured soloist from the Foster/

Dexter Gordon

saxophone, tenor
1923 - 1990

" data-original-title="" title="">Dexter Gordon/

Gene Ammons

saxophone, tenor
1925 - 1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Gene Ammons/

Johnny Griffin

saxophone, tenor
1928 - 2008

" data-original-title="" title="">Johnny Griffin school of audacious boppers, is quite generous when it comes to giving his friends a chance to shine. Hendrix and Basile make the most of that, soloing earnestly on "Night Flight" and "Soul Street," while Lawrence "takes flight" on his own opener and delivers the goods again on "Soul Street" before crafting an ardent flute solo on "Latona." Even though Lawrence leads a quartet the rest of the way, he makes sure that Trudell, Asche, Webber, Farnsworth and Breaker have their say as well, taking care to assure that his firm and powerful voice never overshadows anyone.

Lawrence is loose and swinging on

Hank Mobley

saxophone, tenor
1930 - 1986

" data-original-title="" title="">Hank Mobley's assertive "Early Morning Stroll," shows he is at ease with a ballad on "Tenderly," and closes the album with yet another gentle serenade, "I Want a Little Girl," which is altogether fitting, as the album is dedicated to Lawrence's teen-age daughter, Lyla. She should be pleased by the outcome, as should anyone who appreciates good- natured, straight-from-the-shoulder jazz.

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Track Listing

Night Flight; Soul Street; Latona; Tenderly; Early Morning Stroll; I Want a Little Girl.

Personnel

Doug Lawrence

saxophone, tenor

Freddie Hendrix

trumpet

Frank Basile

saxophone, baritone

Dan Trudell

organ, Hammond B3

Kyle Asche

guitar

John Webber

bass, acoustic

Xavier Breaker

drums

Joe Farnsworth

drums

Album information

Title: Doug Lawrence & Friends | Year Released: 2021 | Record Label: Self Produced

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