Kind Of New (CCD 79768)DONALD HARRISON
Candid Recording(s):
Spirits of Congo Square (CCD 79759)
Biography:
Donald "Duck" Harrison born June 23,1960. He studied at the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts (NOCCA). For the first time since jazz's earliest days, kids from New Orleans were setting the pace, most of them students from this arts-oriented high school, where Ellis Marsalis, Kidd Jordan and other members of the jazz faculty were grooming big-time players, like Wynton and Branford Marsalis, Marlon and Kent Jordan, Harry Connick, Jr., Donald Harrison, and Terence Blanchard. As a talented post-bop altoist with a personal angular style, Donald Harrison came to fame with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. He also worked with Roy Haynes and Jack McDuff and was with Blakey during 1982-84, sharing the frontline with Terence Blanchard. Harrison and Blanchard co-led a group for a few years. When Terence and Donald parted ways - after five impressive albums - Donald Harrison returned to the Jazz Messengers for a few brief occasions, led his own groups and recorded as a leader for Candid and later with Impulse. His CDs on Candid bring Donald back to his roots in New Orleans.
His first release on Candid –Indian Blues (CCD 79514) distills one of the world's greatest musical experiences: The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. The whole history of New Orleans music hits you at once. Mardi Gras Indian chants (via The Guardians Of The Flame) meets jazz (via Donald Harrison and his band) meets New Orleans R & B (via Dr. John). Indian Blues Combines all these elements. Indian Blues is a groundbreaking album, which ties it all together beautifully.
Donald Harrison Jr had something more up his sleeve with his second album- Spirits of Congo Square (CCD 79759), bringing the sounds of the tradition up to date, with modern twists on the old rhythms and inventive arrangements of familiar jazz tunes. This album puts the back beat into tunes by Freddie Hubbard and Thelonious Monk, Sonny Rollins, Roy Haynes & Steve Swallow and Donald Harrison himself. Casting their modern perspective alongside Donald are Delfeayo Marsalis, Louis Ford, Victor Goines, Peter Martin, Adonis Rose, Elton Heron and Joe Chambers as well as three great contemporary trumpeters (who go head to head to head) – Nicholas Payton, Marlon Jordan and Jamil Sharif.
