Breaking News
Harrison’s latest projects are being released on Intuition Records in May 2008
The Wheel, an extended suite for string quartet and Jazz quartet plus guitar, and Passing Train, a collection of original songs produced by Ben Wittman.
Harbor:
New Release on Highnote Records:
Street Date: April 24, 2007
Sample MP3s:
 American Babylon
You Bring the Rain
Guitarist Joel Harrison's new Highnote recording was released in April 2007. This recording was commissioned by the French American Jazz Exchange and Chamber Music America and includes French/Vietnamese guitarist Nguyên Lê, and saxophonist David Binney. As with all Harrison’s music the compositions have a wide stylistic reach — the focus for this recording is the sonic world of two guitars: Harrison, Lê (as well as Binney) all share a passion for the crossroads of jazz, rock, Indian, and African music where lyricism meets noise, Indian raga meets jazz harmony, and the after effects of electric Miles meets Messiaen and the Middle East.
Read the review of Harbor from All About Jazz.
Chamber Music of America Grant
Joel just received a grant from Chamber Music of America to record and perform as part of a French-American jazz exchange program. He will collaborate with French Vietnamese guitarist Nguyên Lê, French bassist Gildas Bocle, as well as master percussionist Jamey Haddad and saxophonist David Binney in Fall 2006. The compositions will reference icons of French American music like Messiaen and Ives, the Temptations and Rennaissance troubadour songs. Stay tuned.
CMA Jazz Composition Grant for Vox Americana
Joel also recently received the prestigious CMA Jazz composition grant for his ensemble Free Country. He is composing a piece for sextet (violin, cello, sax, guitar, bass, drums) entitled Vox Americana. The music will include references to the wild, weird world of old American country and Appalachian music but will involve original composition not arrangements of existing songs. Part of it will focus on text that he is accumulating through interviews in which he asks the following questions:
- What's the oldest song you know?
- What does it mean to be American
- Who are you?
The answers will become part of the composition. If you would like to become PART OF THIS PIECE, simply email answers to these questions to Joel. No comedians please! (AT LEAST NOT RIGHT NOW
Download a free movement from the CMA commission Vox Americana for 7 musicians and text. Recorded live at Joe's Pub, 2006.
Island Unknown (MP3)
Premiere of Double Quartet Commissioned by New York State Council of the Arts
Joel Harrison just finished premiereing his 5 movement composition for Double Quartet (string quartet and jazz quartet (bass, drums, trumpet, sax) plus guitar. Featured performers in this New York State Council of the Arts commission included Todd Reynolds, Chris Howes, Wendy Sutter, Dave Binney and Russ Johnson. A monumental undertaking, a 50 minute piece with modern classical, African, Appalachian, and Jazz moments. We hope to perform this piece again fairly soon- but... well... anybody know where we can do that?
For a FREE copy of the live recording of this event, please e-mail Joel.
History Channel Film Score Project
Joel Harrison just finished a film score to a History Channel documentary by David Heilbroner and Kate Davis on the Scopes Trial. This will air sometime in April. Lots of Dobro, mandolin, banjo, guitar, synth, etc. Sweet and dark stuff. Are you a creationist?
New Percussion Composition Recordings
Joel Harrison recently had two percussion pieces recorded by extraordinarily gifted students at Boston Conservatory. One is for solo marimba and the other for 4 multi percussionists and piano. Free recordings and sheet music are available for the price of postage and copying. This is virtuoso (but still fun) stuff.
|
