Donald Harrison

Review:

This is the one hundred forty-eighth in a series of special Jazz on the Tube reviews of live stream performances.

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A major alto-saxophonist ever since joining Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers in the early 1980s, the New Orleans-born Donald Harrison worked with Jack McDuff and Roy Haynes prior to Blakey, and afterwards he co-led a quintet with trumpeter Terence Blanchard for several years.

Since that time, Harrison has most frequently been heard as a leader (heading around 20 albums so far) although he also worked with Eddie Palmieri and in all-star groups including most notably The Cookers.

On his LiveStream of July 7, 2020, Donald Harris plays over a prerecorded rhythm section, performing three pieces including a boppish blues reminiscent of Charlie Parker and “Watermelon Man,” displaying a beautiful tone, superior technique, and creative ideas while swinging throughout.

– Scott Yanow