Joel Harrison
As guitarist, composer and vocalist, Washington D.C. native Joel Harrison resists categorization: jazz, African and Indian, contemporary classical, blues and rock all have a place in his unique approach. Remarking on his eclectic approach All About Jazz concluded that “Harrison’s ability to integrate renders irrelevant the identification of his sources in compositions that range from edgy angularity to sheer beauty…he dispenses with boundaries and creates his own mélange that’s as timeless as it is thoroughly modern.
Harrison graduated from Bard College with a BA in composition and performance in 1980 studying with Joan Tower; in the ensuing years he worked privately with Allaudin Mathieu, Charlie Banacos, Ali Akbar Khan and others. While living in the San Francisco area in the 1990’s Harrison released two cd’s of original works for jazz octet and sextet, Range of Motion and Transience, as well as 3+3=7, works for three guitars and three percussionists featuring Nels Cline. After moving to New York City in 1999, he continued his headlong rush into ever-inventive bands and projects including: Free Country (radical renditions of old country and Appalachian music); Passing Train (pop/world/Americana songs); Harrison on Harrison (re-composed improvisations of the music of George Harrision featuring Dave Liebman), String Choir (string quartet and two guitars play music of Paul Motian), and The Wheel, an extended work for String quartet and jazz quartet plus guitar. He released a cd for Highnote Records entitled Harbor with renowned guitarist Nguyen Le, David Binney, and Jamey Haddad in 2007 and just released two new cds; The Wheel (jazz /classical) and Passing Train (songs)
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Album Review
- Angel Band: Free Country Vol. 3 by Peter J. Hoetjes
- Spirit House by Troy Collins
- Spirit House by Blaine Fallis
Take Five With...
Album Review
- Mother Stump by Dave Wayne
- Mother Stump by Glenn Astarita
- Leave the Door Open by Chris M. Slawecki
- Mother Stump by Troy Collins
- Leave the Door Open by John Kelman
Live Review
Read more articlesJanuary 30, 2015
The 5th Annual Alternative Guitar Summit: February 4, 2015 @...
December 09, 2014
Joel Harrison Announces The 5th Annual Alternative Guitar Summit
May 29, 2014
Guitarist Joel Harrison Revisits His Roots Growing Up In Washington,...
April 05, 2014
Multiplicity of Musical Idioms: Guitarist Joel Harrison & Sarode Master...
February 16, 2014
January 03, 2012
Alternative Guitar Summit brings together Nels Cline, Mary Halvorson,...
April 28, 2011
On May 11 Brooklyn Jazz Wide Open Presents The Joel Harrison Large...
July 27, 2009
Jazz Musician of the Day: Joel Harrison
April 27, 2009
Guitarist/Composer Joel Harrison Releases "Urban Myths" on Highnote...
November 09, 2007
The Chromatic Gauchos (Fri) Joel Harrison and Harbor (Sat) NYU...
“Guitarist, composer and occasional vocalist, Joel Harrison, never ceases to surprise me with the amount and diversity of projects that he is involved in
Primary Instrument
Guitar, electric
Willing to teach
Advanced only
Credentials/Background
I have taught for many years all over composition, guitar, arranging, songwriting $75 to $100 an hour
Clinic/Workshop Information
I enjoy doing clinics in jazz pedagogy, composition, overall musicianship, guitar, incorporating many different streams of music into a singular voice, etc.
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