Jazz Articles about Donald Harrison

Art Blakey and the Young Lions - The Marsalis Bros., Donald Harrison Jr, Bobby Watson (1981 - 1991)

by Russell Perry
May 19, 2020

As the 1970s came to a close, many musicians searching for alternatives to jazz-rock fusion or free jazz found a home in straight-ahead acoustic jazz. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, whose Blue Note contract was not renewed in 1964, had spent a decade in relative obscurity, when he came roaring back with a series of legendary ensembles that fueled this return to jazz classicism. The alumni of this revived band became the core of The Young Lions, as they ...

Donald Harrison, Ron Carter & Billy Cobham Trio: New York, NY, January 8, 2013

by Dan Bilawsky
January 16, 2013

Donald Harrison, Ron Carter & Billy Cobham TrioBlue NoteNew York, NYJanuary 8, 2013All-Star groupings are often dreamed up by promoters looking to capitalize on one-off, big name combinations that never really have the opportunity to gel; that's not the case with saxophonist Donald Harrison, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Billy Cobham's trio. A New Orleans modernist who comes from the university of drummer Art Blakey, jazz's preeminent acoustic bassist and a fusion kingpin may seem ...

Donald Harrison & Quantum Leap: New York City, NY, September 20, 2012

by Ernest Barteldes
October 6, 2012

Donald Harrison & Quantum LeapThe Jazz StandardNew York City, New YorkSeptember 20, 2012New Orleans-based saxophonist Donald Harrison kicked off the evening's first set with a shuffle-based groove, immediately starting with an improvised solo. The quintet, rounded out by pianist Zaccai Curtis, bassist Max Moran, drummer Joe Dyson and electric guitarist Detroit Brooks, sounded very tight, even though Brooks was not very audible at first. As the band members took their own individual moments, Harrison took ...

Donald Harrison: This Is Jazz

by Greg Simmons
August 28, 2011

Saxophonist Donald Harrison's name is writ large on the cover of This Is Jazz, but the album is a collaborative trio in every sense. After all, playing with legendary bassist Ron Carter and drummer extraordinaire Billy Cobham could never be equated with simply hiring sidemen. Recorded live at New York's Blue Note, the six tracks on this album take post- bop expansion to exemplary heights and keep it there for the duration. Harrison has a tight but wandering ...

Donald Harrison: The Chosen

by Francis Lo Kee
February 22, 2009

Donald Harrison's The Chosen is dedicated to the people who do their “best, no matter what circumstances come" their way. If you know anything about Harrison, you know that he's from New Orleans and suffered significantly after Hurricane Katrina so he knows what he is talking about. This collection of originals and standards displays Harrison as a saxophonist who prefers the honest, direct route to musical expression. Though there are some intricate approaches to the material, all the pieces display ...

Donald Harrison, Jr. Quartet in Denver

by Geoff Anderson
January 25, 2008

Donald Harrison, Jr. Quartet Dazzle Nightclub Denver, Colorado January 17, 2008

Genetics has a concept called “hybrid vigor," which means that you get much healthier and more vital offspring when the parents are not closely related. Basically, that's why you shouldn't marry your sister. Donald Harrison, Jr. is a master at marrying diverse musical varieties which, in turn, yields vigorous, even vivacious musical progeny. Thursday night at Dazzle, Harrison displayed the results of ...

Donald Harrison: The Survivor

by John Barron
June 5, 2007

Donald Harrison has earned premiere status in the jazz world as an inventive improviser with a highly personalized voice. His command of the alto saxophone is second to none and his contributions as a genre-hopping composer are compelling to discerning and casual listeners alike. On The Survivor, recorded for the German Nagel Hayer label, the Art Blakey alumnus takes a brazen leap into the world of modern funk with the support of venerable piano giant Mulgrew Miller and open-minded youngsters ...