- Prince Lasha
William B. Lawsha, better known as Prince Lasha (pronounced "La-"shay") (born 1929 in
Fort Worth, Texas ), is an Americanjazz alto saxophonist, flutist, andclarinet ist. In Fort Worth he came of age studying and performing alongside fellowmusician s John Carter,Ornette Coleman ,King Curtis ,Charles Moffett , andDewey Redman .Biography
Lasha moved to
California during the 1950s. In the 1960s, Prince Lasha was active in the burgeoningfree jazz movement, of which his Fort Worth cohort Ornette Coleman was a pioneer. Lasha worked closely with saxophonistSonny Simmons , with whom he recorded two albums, "The Cry" and "Firebirds", forContemporary Records . Lasha also appeared on recordings byEric Dolphy ("Iron Man") and theElvin Jones /Jimmy Garrison Sextet ("Illumination!"). In the 1970s, Lasha and Simmons made additional recordings under the name Firebirds.Partial discography
As leader or co-leader
* "The Cry!" - Contemporary Records, 1962
* "Insight" - CBS (UK only), 1966
* "Firebirds" with Sonny Simmons - Contemporary Records, 1967
* "Firebirds, Live At The Berkeley Jazz Festival" - Birdseye Records, 1974
* "And Now Music" - Daagnim Records, 1983
* "The Mystery of Prince Lasha" with the Odean Pope Trio - CIMP, 2005As sideman
* "Iron Man" by Eric Dolphy - Douglas Records, 1963
* "Illuminations!" by the Elvin Jones/Jimmy Garrison Sextet -Impulse! Records , 1963References
* Cook, Richard and Brian Morton. "Prince Lasha." "The Penguin Guide to Jazz on Compact Disc." 3rd. ed. New York: Penguin Books USA, 1996. ISBN 0-14-051368-X
* Litweiler, John. " Ornette Coleman: A Harmolodic Life". 1992. New York: Da Capo Press, 1994. ISBN 0-306-80580-4
* Nastos, Michael G. and Ron Wynn. "Prince Lasha." "The All Music Guide to Jazz: the Best CDs, Albums, and Tapes". Ed. Ron Wynn, et al. San Francisco: Miller Freeman Books, 1994. ISBN 0-87930-308-5External links
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:rzamqj5bojta All Music Guide: Prince Lasha]
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