Tuesday, June 23, 2009


Saxofonista Donald Harrison nasceu no 23 de junho de 1960 e foi apontado como um dos mais importantes músicos do novo milênio. Também ficou conhecido nos meios jazzísticos como o “Rei do Novo Swing” por suas experiências de fusão do jazz clássico com o swing acústico, R&B, Hip-Hop, reggae e a musica típica do Carnaval de Nova Orleans (Mardi Gras) conhecida como Musica Indígena.

O registro emblemático de “Indian Blues”, na qual Harrison captura toda essência da cultura do Carnaval Mardi Gras através de um contexto jazzístico, tornou-se um divisor de águas. Seu mais recente trabalho intitulado “The New Sounds of New Orleans” eleva para patamar superior a categoria da musica de Nova Orleans. Harrison habilmente mescla os sons do Mardi Gras com o Hip-Hop, R&B e o Funk.

A clássica gravação em jazz no CD “Heroes” já está disponível e envolve um trio que tem a participação dos inovadores do jazz o veterano baixista Ron Carter e baterista Billy Cobham.

Apesar de toda projeção, o saxofonista continua intrinsecamente ligado às suas raízes musicais de Nova Orleans e se firma cada vez mais como um artista de versatilidade impar que passeia por todos os estilos, com originalidade.

Clique para ouvir Donald Harrison executando uma de suas muitas composições.

(The King of Nouveau Swing)
Jazzman Donald Harrison was born June 23,1960 in New Orleans, and is called one of the most important musicians of the new millennium.
A list of his accomplishments shows that he has developed into a musical category unto himself. In the classic jazz genre, he is the originator of the “Nouveau Swing” style which merges acoustic swing with modern R&B, second-line, hip-hop, Mardi Gras Indian music (New Orleans African American roots culture), and reggae rhythms.
His ground-breaking recording, “Indian Blues” captured the essence of Mardi Gras Indian culture within a jazz context. His latest New Orleans recording, “The New Sounds of Mardi Gras,” updates New Orleans music. It puts the sounds of Mardi Gras into Hip-hop, R&B, and Funk. Harrison’s newest Classic Jazz recording, “Heroes,” is now available. The CD is a trio recording with the great bass innovator Ron Carter and drum innovator Billy Cobham.
Today the saxophonist is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of these times, yet he remains inextricably tied to his New Orleans roots. The son of late great Mardi Gras Indian Chief Donald Harrison, Sr. began working with Roy Haynes at age 19 and Jack McDuff at age 20.
He also worked throughout the 90's with a wide variety of world-class talents. Such notables include Lena Horne, Spike Lee, Latin jazz giant Eddie Palmieri, and the smash hip-hop groups, Jazzmatazz, The Notorius BIG, and Digable Planets. All of this diverse experience fuels Harrison's dynamic sound.
He is one of the few musicians who can play it all - from traditional New Orleans, to swing, bop, post-bop, modern, smooth, avant-garde, and beyond. Yet, Harrison has developed his own personal style that traverses and synthesizes all these mediums with great success. Through talent and perseverance, Harrison has developed into one of the most significant artist to emerge in the last twenty years!

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