Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Tom Harrell: Paradise

Tom Harrell: Paradise

By David Adler
July 1, 2001
View read count

This is probably Tom Harrell’s most unusual work to date, and strictly speaking, the least "jazz"-oriented. Enlisting a string quintet and harp in addition to his regular jazz sextet, Harrell pushes his compositional and arranging chops to new levels, and continues to blow great trumpet. The sound of strings and jazz ensemble immediately calls to mind Ted Nash’s Double Quartet. But Harrell has his own approach to orchestration, and his own melodic trademarks. One could think of this album as a revisitation, in greater depth, of the chamber music vibe he first unveiled on 1996’s Labyrinth.

While some of these new compositions fall back on motives he’s used in the past, there are also new and bold elements. The agitated funk of "Wind Chant," for instance, is something of a departure for Harrell; the track is driven by wah-wah guitar from Freddie Bryant and features soaring improvisations by tenorist Jimmy Greene and pianist Xavier Davis. Another highlight is the impenetrably dark string chorale that constitutes part one of "Morning Prayer." Though he doesn’t strike gold with every tune ("Nighttime" and "Wishing Well" are a bit fluffy), Harrell often finds just the right orchestral color to illuminate the vision at hand. And the members of his sextet drive the best tracks ("Baroque Steps," "Sunrise") with bandstand-style energy.

Personnel

Tom Harrell

trumpet

Album information

Title: Paradise | Year Released: 2001 | Record Label: HighNote

About Tom Harrell

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Meet Duane Eubanks
< Previous

Mats Gustafsson / Paul Lovens Duo & ...
Next >

Become a Sustaining Member

Since 1995, All About Jazz has championed jazz as an art form and supported the musicians who create it. Over three decades, it has grown into one of the world's leading jazz resources, serving hundreds of thousands of readers, musicians, presenters and industry professionals each month.

Help Build the Future of All About Jazz

Your support helps us continue building All About Jazz for the next generation—expanding our editorial coverage, preserving jazz history, developing new community features and creating better ways to discover the music and the people behind it.

Become a sustaining member for as little as $20 per year and you'll immediately enjoy an ad-free experience along with access to subscriber features and future articles for a full year.

Together, we're not simply sustaining All About Jazz—we're building its future. Thank you for being part of the journey.