Wendell Harrison
Want to put an old time jazz guy in the spotlight, one whose probably not had the electricity dedicated to him that he deserves.
According to information I culled from his home page...
He's a Detroit guy. Sax and clarinet. His high school classmates included Lonnie Hillyard, Charles McPherson, and Roy Brooks, and he studied under Barry Harris. He then studied at the Detroit Conservatory, and wound up playing with acts like Marvin Gaye and Aretha Franklin. He moved to New York and performed with a wide range of musicians including Hank Crawford, Sun Ra, Eddie Henderson, and Grant Green (among others). After a recuperation period in California working some compositions with Art Pepper and Esther Phillips, he moved back to Detroit to perform and teach.
He's a co-founder of both the Tribe and WenHa record labels. He created the Rebirth, Inc. non-profit whose purpose was directed toward jazz education through artistic performance and which attracted members like James Carter, Woody Shaw, and Leon Thomas. He also, through the Tribe label, published a newsletter dedicated to musical and political revolutionaries and political issues. He teaches music at a multi arts complex for youth, Metro Arts founded by Dr. Amelita Mandingo.
Dusty Groove was savvy enough to start distribution of re-issues of his Tribe Records label.
Just seems like one of those guys who played the bigtime, but went back home and helped to create an environment for jazz to thrive where his roots were.
Here's the three albums I most recommend of his (I own a couple others, too)...
"Rush & Hustle", "Fly By Night", and "Live in Concert".
"Rush" is the strongest of the three, but all are very good ("Rush" I would call great). "Rush" has moments of dissonance and tension, but still with a swing and flow that keeps it cohesive. The song "Pamela's Holiday" reminds of Kenny Garrett's beautiful tune "Song of Songmy" in the way it's so lighthearted yet subtly ominous at the same time. The album features every member of the clarinet family imcluding, B flat, E flat soprano, Bass and contra bass clarinets. Personnel are Ken Hobenstreet, Greg Koltyck, Paul Onachuck (clarinet); Harold Orr (bass clarinet); James Carter (double-B-flat contra bass clarinet); Ernie Rogers (E-flat contra bass clarinet); Harold McKinney, Pamela Wise (piano); Marion Hayden (bass); Alex Brooks, Enix Buchanan (drums); Jerry Gonzales (timbales); Mahindi Masai (congas, percussion).
"Fly by Night" has more of a drive than "Rush", but doesn't lose any of that fluttering clarinet beauty in the rear view mirror. At times, listening to it, it made me recall the Bobby Hutcherson album "Night at the Vanguard", though this is only a thought I had; I'm barely comfortable posting it, but what the hell, it's my thread. Personnel are drummer Doug Hammond, pianist Kirk Lightstey and bassist Cecil McBee.
"Live in Concert" is a nice little performance. James Carter and an 18 piece ensemble accompany Wendell on the night. This is a real good album, but I'm not the person to describe it. I don't know why, but live albums never really seem to grab me (except in very rare circumstances). I do recommend getting "Live", though. And the sound is pretty decent compared to other live albums I've heard. The song "Reawakening" has a crafty guitar solo on it that I keep listening to.
Wendell has some other stuff out there I've still gotta get through. I know one of them is this fusion-y contemporary jazz sound, which my ears didn't take well to, but whatever. He's got a couple others, including a Duke Ellington tribute album, which I haven't spent a lot of time with yet. If anybody else is familiar with Wendell, please feel free to chime in.
His stuff is available both on Amie St. and emusic. I didn't check what Rush & Hustle was going for now, but it can't be much. It's one of those albums you should buy, even if it isn't working for you right now, it probably will one day.
According to information I culled from his home page...
He's a Detroit guy. Sax and clarinet. His high school classmates included Lonnie Hillyard, Charles McPherson, and Roy Brooks, and he studied under Barry Harris. He then studied at the Detroit Conservatory, and wound up playing with acts like Marvin Gaye and Aretha Franklin. He moved to New York and performed with a wide range of musicians including Hank Crawford, Sun Ra, Eddie Henderson, and Grant Green (among others). After a recuperation period in California working some compositions with Art Pepper and Esther Phillips, he moved back to Detroit to perform and teach.
He's a co-founder of both the Tribe and WenHa record labels. He created the Rebirth, Inc. non-profit whose purpose was directed toward jazz education through artistic performance and which attracted members like James Carter, Woody Shaw, and Leon Thomas. He also, through the Tribe label, published a newsletter dedicated to musical and political revolutionaries and political issues. He teaches music at a multi arts complex for youth, Metro Arts founded by Dr. Amelita Mandingo.
Dusty Groove was savvy enough to start distribution of re-issues of his Tribe Records label.
Just seems like one of those guys who played the bigtime, but went back home and helped to create an environment for jazz to thrive where his roots were.
Here's the three albums I most recommend of his (I own a couple others, too)...
"Rush & Hustle", "Fly By Night", and "Live in Concert".
"Rush" is the strongest of the three, but all are very good ("Rush" I would call great). "Rush" has moments of dissonance and tension, but still with a swing and flow that keeps it cohesive. The song "Pamela's Holiday" reminds of Kenny Garrett's beautiful tune "Song of Songmy" in the way it's so lighthearted yet subtly ominous at the same time. The album features every member of the clarinet family imcluding, B flat, E flat soprano, Bass and contra bass clarinets. Personnel are Ken Hobenstreet, Greg Koltyck, Paul Onachuck (clarinet); Harold Orr (bass clarinet); James Carter (double-B-flat contra bass clarinet); Ernie Rogers (E-flat contra bass clarinet); Harold McKinney, Pamela Wise (piano); Marion Hayden (bass); Alex Brooks, Enix Buchanan (drums); Jerry Gonzales (timbales); Mahindi Masai (congas, percussion).
"Fly by Night" has more of a drive than "Rush", but doesn't lose any of that fluttering clarinet beauty in the rear view mirror. At times, listening to it, it made me recall the Bobby Hutcherson album "Night at the Vanguard", though this is only a thought I had; I'm barely comfortable posting it, but what the hell, it's my thread. Personnel are drummer Doug Hammond, pianist Kirk Lightstey and bassist Cecil McBee.
"Live in Concert" is a nice little performance. James Carter and an 18 piece ensemble accompany Wendell on the night. This is a real good album, but I'm not the person to describe it. I don't know why, but live albums never really seem to grab me (except in very rare circumstances). I do recommend getting "Live", though. And the sound is pretty decent compared to other live albums I've heard. The song "Reawakening" has a crafty guitar solo on it that I keep listening to.
Wendell has some other stuff out there I've still gotta get through. I know one of them is this fusion-y contemporary jazz sound, which my ears didn't take well to, but whatever. He's got a couple others, including a Duke Ellington tribute album, which I haven't spent a lot of time with yet. If anybody else is familiar with Wendell, please feel free to chime in.
His stuff is available both on Amie St. and emusic. I didn't check what Rush & Hustle was going for now, but it can't be much. It's one of those albums you should buy, even if it isn't working for you right now, it probably will one day.
Comments
I see he is a Detroit guy...I'm up there periodically visiting the in-laws, will keep an eye open for performances. He also does jazz education things in schools, more power to him! http://www.wenhajazz.com/about.html