Sam Lazar - Soul Merchant - Argo LP 714 - Argo Original Pressing, Grey Label, Mono [Updated version; I just acquired a better condition copy and here's a new much more acceptable lossless rip]
Sam Lazar - Organ
Miller Brisker - Tenor Sax
George Eskridge - Guitar
Phil Thomas - Drums
Recorded: November 21, 1962, Ter Mar Recording Studio, Chicago
Engineer: Ron Malo
Supervision: Esmond Edwards
Cover Photo: Don Bronstein
Released: October 12, 1963
This LP represents a raison detre/mission of this blog; a long lost forgotten and obscure Argo side, never been reissued in any format since its original issue, languishing forgotten in somebody's basement, waiting to be rediscovered and cherished for the first time in forty plus years!!
This is my personal Argo/Cadet rarity holy grail; I've been looking for this record for nearly a year, and finally acquired a reasonably priced copy last week. Sam Lazar is perhaps the ultimate forgotten jazz man on Argo; this is the third of his 3 sides (his two previous were reissued on CD in Japan - inevitably both OOP, but this side has not seen the light of day since 1963), originally from St Louis he is known if at all for 'discovering' the great Blue Note house guitarist Grant Green.
What documentation on Lazar that I have been able to locate speak of him attending a Jimmy Smith concert and being inspired to become a jazz musician/organist himself. On this side's six tracks (including 4 Lazar originals), he and his band really stretch out, as Lazar gives a virtuoso and 'groove performance'... this is truly some nice Chess/Argo soul jazz cookin' from a long forgotten winter night in Chicago, November 1962. After this session, Lazar literally disappeared from the jazz scene forever.
thanks for your unstoppable argo posting
ReplyDeletei'm enjoying it
sunbop
Holy grail for me too! I`ve got the 2 on 1 reissue and thought I`d never see this! Many thanks for sharing. It`s a great blog and a great idea.
ReplyDeleteA real rarity. Sam Lazar was a great organ player. Many thanks!
ReplyDeleteI have a Sam Lazar and Grant Green album and Lazar's playing is a bit frantic (only in my opinion of course)so I am keen to hear another album.Thanks for the chance to listen to something different.
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of Sam Lazar until looking here - Sam's Jams is a killer - thanks for posting this.
ReplyDeletemerci
ReplyDeleteonly heard his 1960 space flight, that is an amazing album, so... a BIG thank you in advance!
ReplyDeletepeace, E-mile
(oh btw, today is my first visit here, through a link on KingCake's blogroll, I'll be browsing around here some more for sure, thanks for all your hard work!
visit me back over at:
http://e-milesaysongsdothematter.blogspot.com/
Fantastic, we need more Sam Lazar! Both Miller Brisker on Tenor & George Eskridge on the really groovy Guitar are sensational. Thanks again, all the best from Pete in Melbourne Australia.
ReplyDeleteLove this! Thanks you!
ReplyDeleteVery Nice. Never heard of this artist.
ReplyDeletehttp://180upload.com/guwqd5wn8o3r
ReplyDelete