Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Joel Harrison: Harrison on Harrison: Jazz Explorations o...

311

Joel Harrison: Harrison on Harrison: Jazz Explorations of George Harrison

By

Sign in to view read count
Joel Harrison: Harrison on Harrison: Jazz Explorations of George Harrison
You have every right to be suspicious of anything that claims to interpret the music of a Beatle. Like symphonic Stones, extra-genre covers of the Beatles are most often a mixture of reverence and awkwardness. I've choked down enough Breakfasts with the Beatles to last a lifetime. But on Harrison on Harrison, guitarist Joel Harrison (no relation) wisely doesn't limit his song choices only to George Harrison's Beatle years.

Half the songs come from George's solo efforts and emphasize his gentle melodies and rich source material, including British folk, skiffle, Indian ragas, and other worldly influences. And since it takes some nerve to tackle classic rock icons like "Here Comes the Sun and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps, it doesn't hurt that Harrison has some powerhouse friends in action, including altoist David Binney, pianist Uri Caine, and saxophonist Dave Liebman.

"Sun is tense and aggressive, with only the barest similarity to the original as Liebman sharply bleats the lyrics on soprano. "Weeps is given a slowed-down, rolling beat and Liebman's rough-and-tumble tenor wrestles the track away from Harrison's guitar. Liebman elevates the quality of anything he plays on, and his arrangement of "Within You Without You (from Sgt. Pepper's) begins with a wood flute prelude, substitutes Stephan Crump's bass for tabla, and inserts guitar in place of sitar.

The farther these arrangements part from their familiar melodies, the more they gain in interest, and "Love You To pulses with Pat Metheny Group-style bass and shimmering cymbals. Guest vocalist Jen Chapin delivers a moving version of "All Things Must Pass that Binney uses as a launching pad for a solo that mounts in exhilarating intensity. Usually Joel Harrison distinguishes himself as a talented arranger and judicious soloist. For instance, his playing on "Beware of Darkness is his purest lead guitar on the recording, leaving the beauty of the original melody starkly in the foreground. But while Joel Harrison's National Steel resonates, even Robert Johnson himself with a slide couldn't overcome "My Sweet Lord.

Track Listing

Here Comes the Sun; Within You Without You; While My Guitar Gently Weeps; The Art of Dying; My Father's House; All Things Must Pass; Taxman; My Sweet Lord; Love to You; Beware of Darkness; Isn't It a Pity.

Personnel

Joel Harrison
guitar, electric

Joel Harrison: electric, National Steel and fretless guitars, voice; David Liebman: soprano and tenor saxophones, wood flute; David Binney: alto saxophone; Uri Caine: piano, Fender Rhodes; Stephan Crump: bass; Dan Weiss: drums; Todd Isler: percussion; Gary Versace: piano (9); Rob Burger: B3 organ (11); Jen Chapin: voice (6).

Album information

Title: Harrison on Harrison: Jazz Explorations of George Harrison | Year Released: 2005 | Record Label: HighNote Records

Comments

Tags

Concerts


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.
View events near New York City
Jazz Near New York City
Events Guide | Venue Guide | Local Businesses | More...

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.