AN ONLINE QUARTERLY MUSIC MAGAZINE
EDITOR: KOFI NATAMBU
SPRING, 2022
VOLUME ELEVEN NUMBER TWO
ROSCOE MITCHELL
MORGAN GUERIN
(March 18-24)
KENNY KIRKLAND
(March 26-APRIL 1)
STACEY DILLARD
(April 2-8)
CHARENÉE WADE
(April 9-15)
JAMAEL DEAN
(April 16-22)
BRUCE HARRIS
April 23-29)
JONTAVIOUS WILLIS
(April 30-May 7)
UNA MAE CARLISLE
(May 8-14)
JUSTIN BROWN
(May 15-21)
TYLER MITCHELL
(May 22-28)
BENJAMIN BOOKER
(May 29-June 4)
CHRIS BECK
Bruce Harris
Born and raised in the Bronx, NY, trumpeter Bruce Harris has earned a reputation as one of the most important and emerging voices in jazz today. Harris’s love for music began in his home where the sounds of his grandfather’s alto saxophone and New York's storied music traditions of bebop and hip-hop consumed him. Inspired by acclaimed director Spike Lee’s “Mo Better Blues,” Harris became enamored with the trumpet and at the age of 13 his musical journey started. Heavily influenced by Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Clifford Brown and Dizzy Gillespie, Harris performed in the “Essentially Ellington” jazz band competition as a high school junior, earning the opportunity to play alongside famed trumpeter and jazz historian, Wynton Marsalis. Harris went on to earn a Bachelors Degree and Masters Degree in Jazz Performance at the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College, where he was mentored by trumpet virtuoso, Jon Faddis.
Bruce Harris’s professional career as a performer has been defined by his infectious joy, undeniable passion and youthful energy. His chops were honed in many of New York's premier music venues and jazz clubs such as Smalls, Smoke Jazz Club, Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, Ginny’s Supper Club, Minton’s, Rockwood Music Hall, among others. Harris has made appearances on CBS’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. In addition, he has appeared alongside a long list of legendary performers, including Wynton Marsalis & the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Dave Brubeck, Billy Taylor, The Count Basie Orchestra, Michael Feinstein, Barry Harris, Roy Hargrove, and Tony Bennett. In 2013, for Ebony Magazine, Wynton Marsalis highlighted Bruce as one of the five important young jazz musicians you should know.
In addition to well established reputation on the international jazz scene, Bruce Harris has made a name for himself in various musical worlds. Harris has been featured in two Broadway shows; After Midnight (2013) and Shuffle Along (2016), performing with the likes of Fantasia Barrino, Patti Labelle, KD Lang, Tony Braxton, and Audra McDonald. Harris has also compiled an eclectic list of collaborations with notable artists including Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Steve Martin, Seth MacFarlane, Prairie Home Companion, Harry Connick Jr, and hip-hop artist DJ Premiere. Harris’s career spans the globe, having completed multiple international tours as a performer and educator across Europe and Asia.
Harris’s highly anticipated debut recording as a bandleader entitled “Beginnings” is set to release in August 2017, on the Positone Label. The album features Harris in the front line with a rotating cast of top-notch saxophonists, including Jerry Weldon, Andy Farber, Grant Stewart, Frank Basile, and Dmitry Baevsky. The rhythm section features pianist Michael Weiss, bassist Clovis Nicolas, and drummer Pete Van Nostrand
BruceHarris
Bruce Harris (born September 5, 1979 in The Bronx , New York City ) is an American jazz musician ( trumpet , composition ) playing in the hard bop tradition. [1] [2]
Harris' interest in music began after watching Spike Lee's childhood film Mo' Better Blues . He began learning the trumpet at age 13, influenced by the music of Charlie Parker , Miles Davis, Clifford Brown and Dizzy Gillespie . He first appeared in the Essentially Ellington competition during his junior high school days; which led to a guest performance with Wynton Marsalis . He attended the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College , where he studied with Jon Faddis . After earning the Bachelor of Fine ArtsIn 2004 he worked in the New York jazz scene with musicians such as Marcus Strickland, Dave Brubeck and with big bands (ghost bands) such as the Artie Shaw Orchestra and the Glenn Miller Orchestra .
In 2008, as a member of Formation Interplay , Harris won the annual ICA/SF State International Competition. In the following years he also led his own quartet, with which he performed in New York venues. He has also worked with Winard Harper 's sextet and Kendrick Oliver's New Life Jazz Orchestra . In 2009 he received his master's degree in jazz performance from the Conservatory of Music (Purchase College) . [2] In 2016 Harris recorded his debut album Beginnings (Posi-Tone) which featured Dmitry Baevsky , Andy Farber , Grant Stewart , Jerry Weldon ,Frank Basile as a guest musician and Michael Weiss (p), Clovis Nicolas (kb) and Pete Van Nostrand (dr) participated. In the field of jazz he was involved in twelve recording sessions between 2008 and 2018, e.g. with Matt Garrison , Hinton Battle / Count Basie Orchestra , Nick Hempton , Aaron Diehl and Herlin Riley ( New Direction ). [3] In the late 2010s, Harris led a quintet that included Grant Stewart (tenor saxophone), Ehud Asherie (piano), Paul Sikivie (bass) and Jason Brown (drums).[2] In 2021 he presented the album Soundview , on which Sullivan Fortner , David Wong and Aaron Kimmel had contributed.
The jazz trumpeter is not to be confused with jazz bassist Kevin Bruce Harris
Web links
- web presence
- Bruce Harris at AllMusic
- Bruce Harris at Discogs
https://www.lastrowmusic.com/trumpeter-bruce-harris-to-release-new-quartet-album-in-june/
Trumpeter Bruce Harris to Release New Quartet Album in June
Celebrated Trumpeter Bruce Harris Announces the Release of His Latest Quartet Album, Soundview. Due Out June 4, 2021 on Cellar Music Group
Soundview, the latest studio album from trumpeter, composer and educator Bruce Harris and his A-list quartet of masterful musicians, strikes a personal note for the artist, speaking to his upbringing in the Bronx neighborhood of Soundview, New York. This Jeremy Pelt-produced masterwork via Cellar Music Group celebrates Harris’ ancestors and the architects of the Black American Songbook to which he is so fervently and passionately devoted. Joining Harris is Sullivan Fortner on piano, David Wong on bass, Aaron Kimmel on drums and rising star vocalist Samara Joy, who guests on two tracks. This release marks the first of several collaborative efforts between Cellar Music and Pelt; an initiative which is geared toward showcasing the voices of Black artists. Keeping in line with Soundview’s theme, a donation has been made on behalf of Bruce Harris to the Bronx Charter School of the Arts in conjunction with this release.
The bandleader remarks that “during the pandemic I looked further and got more into the history of Black people in America. It was a time to learn and reflect. In gratitude, I wanted to pay tribute to all of the African American creators of this music.” All but one of the nine tunes on Soundview were written by Black architects of this music, who all happened to live and thrive in Harris’ birthplace of NYC. A testament to the longevity and vivacity of the artform, Harris’ music harkens back to the spirit of his musical ancestors while remaining an innovative and captivating new work.
This iteration of the Bruce Harris Quartet sees its recording debut with Soundview, however, the deep personal connections within this outfit are made evident in the group’s stellar interplay. Harris first met fellow New Yorker David Wong in the late 1990s when the two players were in the same All City and All State jazz bands. From there, a fruitful collaboration took shape. Since, Wong has gone on to play with the likes of Roy Haynes and Jimmy Heath. Harris has worked extensively with drummer Aaron Kimmel for the past decade, who he dubs “one of the greats here in New York; a young master,” and one of his “top five” in the city. Soundview marks the first collaboration between Harris and pianist Sullivan Fortner whom Harris has long admired.
Harris reflects that his relationship with Soundview’s famed album producer Jeremy Pelt began many years ago when Harris was a college student. Pelt’s words of encouragement for Harris left an impact on him. “We’re all in the rat race here. There’s something for you – just get in,” he said. Over the years, Pelt has become a sort of big brother to Harris.
Upon producing this message-driven release, Pelt remarks that “…contrary to opinion, Jazz has always reflected the times. Sadly again, we are bearing witness to the racial injustice in the United States, wherein Black people’s lives are constantly at risk, particularly by those sworn to protect its citizens. As harrowing as this is, there seems to be a dialog in which Black voices are finally being heard. The Cellar Music Group recognizes that Jazz is not only a music native to America, but that the progenitors of this music are the very lives that are being threatened daily.” Pelt is pleased to bring this conversation to the fore with Harris’ release.
Soundview is full of several bright moments. As Harris began writing the title track, he visualized scenes of where he was from. “I almost feel like the chords tell the story of my upbringing; a little dark in the beginning, some conflict worked through in bridge, and a new height harmonically resolving in a beautiful major chord,” he says. It is no mistake that the rhythm of the piece is a mambo rhythm, which Harris dubbed ‘the underlying clave of the Bronx’. ”Although it was not a place filled with privilege and opportunity, Soundview was and is rich in artistic excellence and indomitable spirit.” The piece begins with an ostinato from Wong followed by some rhythmic vamping by the rhythmic section, stating the clave of the composition. This sets the stage for Harris to take it by storm with fiery, soulful melodic musings. The recording features masterful improvisations from Harris and Wong.
Another highlight, “Bird of Red and Gold”, features the gifted Samara Joy on vocals. A fellow Bronx native and former student of Harris’, Samara lends her rich dulcet tones to this composition written by jazz luminary and renowned educator Barry Harris. The bandleader notes that Barry Harris was instrumental in his own musical upbringing and that of pianist Sullivan Fortner’s, and Samara is a current student of his. The powerful musical connection between these players is informed by the fact that all of the players are subscribers to Barry Harris’s unique and powerful conceptions of jazz harmony.
“Saucer Eyes” is a composition by the late jazz luminary Randy Weston who Harris fondly remembers spending a short time with while on tour in Oman. The track has become a live performance staple for Harris. In the spirit of lineage, Harris is thrilled to now see younger generations of musicians performing this Weston piece more frequently. The melody is delivered here with a gleeful energy. Harris and Fortner soar over the changes in their solos conjuring Weston’s immense spirit.
With the release of Soundview, Bruce Harris has surely earned his reputation as one of the most important and emerging voices in jazz today. Soundview will be available everywhere on June 4, 2021.
More About Bruce Harris:
Bronx-born trumpeter and composer Bruce Harris’ love for music began in his home where the sounds of his grandfather’s alto saxophone and New York’s storied musical traditions of bebop and hip-hop consumed him. Inspired by acclaimed director Spike Lee’s “Mo Better Blues,” Harris became enamored with the trumpet and kicked off a lifelong musical journey. Heavily influenced by Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Clifford Brown and Dizzy Gillespie, Harris performed in the “Essentially Ellington” jazz band competition as a high school junior, earning the opportunity to play alongside Wynton Marsalis. Harris went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree and Masters Degree in Jazz Performance at the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College, where he was mentored by trumpet virtuoso, Jon Faddis.
Bruce Harris’s professional career as a performer has been defined by his infectious joy, undeniable passion and youthful energy. His chops were honed in many of New York’s premier music venues and jazz clubs such as Smalls, Smoke Jazz Club, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Ginny’s Supper Club, Minton’s, Rockwood Music Hall, among others. Harris has made appearances on CBS’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. In addition, he has appeared alongside a long list of legendary performers, including Wynton Marsalis & the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Dave Brubeck, Billy Taylor, The Count Basie Orchestra, Michael Feinstein, Barry Harris, Roy Hargrove, and Tony Bennett. In 2013, for Ebony Magazine, Wynton Marsalis highlighted Bruce as one of the five important young jazz musicians you should know.
Tracklist:
Soundview – Bruce Harris
Satellite – G.Gryce / SECOND FLOOR MUSIC
Maybe It’s Hazy – Bruce Harris
If You Were Mine – J. Mercer, M Malneck / BOURNE CO.
Hank’s Prank – H. Mobley / EMI UNART CATALOG INC.
You’re Lucky To Me – E. Blake, A. Razaf / SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO INC./RAZAF MUSIC
Ellington Suite – arr. Andy Farber
Bird Of Red and Gold – Barry Harris
Saucer Eyes – R. Weston / MAYFLOWER MUSIC CORP.
Source: Lydia Liebman Promotions
Photos: Gulnara Khamatova / Matt Ellis
Click here to learn more about Bruce Harris.
Click here to pre-order the album Soundview.
The Bruce Harris Quintet – Featuring Samara Joy
Friday, August 13th at 7:30PM at The United Theatre in Westerly, RI
On Sale Now!
Tickets: $25
***This is a General Admission show with no assigned seating***
Bruce Harris returns to Westerly with a new Quintet featuring vocalist Samara Joy. Bruce has been coming up to Westerly from New York City every year since 2014, when he was brought up by Jazz at Lincoln Center to play the first ever show of The United Theatre revival. During his time in Westerly Bruce has hosted masterclasses with local Jazz students and has consistently brought along some of the most talented up-and-coming jazz musicians, including: Jazzmeia Horn; Julius Rodriguez; Camila Meza; Clovis Nicolas; Russell Hall; and others.
Born and raised in the Bronx, NY, trumpeter Bruce Harris has earned a reputation as one of the most important and emerging voices in jazz today. Harris’s love for music began in his home where the sounds of his grandfather’s alto saxophone and New York’s storied music traditions of bebop and hip-hop consumed him. Inspired by acclaimed director Spike Lee’s “Mo Better Blues,” Harris became enamored with the trumpet and at the age of 13 his musical journey started. Heavily influenced by Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Clifford Brown and Dizzy Gillespie, Harris performed in the “Essentially Ellington” jazz band competition as a high school junior, earning the opportunity to play alongside famed trumpeter and jazz historian, Wynton Marsalis. Harris went on to earn a Bachelors Degree and Masters Degree in Jazz Performance at the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College, where he was mentored by trumpet virtuoso, Jon Faddis, and where he himself is a lecturer today.
Bruce Harris’s professional career as a performer has been defined by his infectious joy, undeniable passion and youthful energy. His chops were honed in many of New York’s premier music venues and jazz clubs such as Smalls, Smoke Jazz Club, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Ginny’s Supper Club, Minton’s, Rockwood Music Hall, among others. Harris has made appearances on CBS’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. In addition, he has appeared alongside a long list of legendary performers, including Wynton Marsalis & the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Dave Brubeck, Billy Taylor, The Count Basie Orchestra, Michael Feinstein, Barry Harris, Roy Hargrove, and Tony Bennett. In 2013, for Ebony Magazine, Wynton Marsalis highlighted Bruce as one of the five important young jazz musicians you should know.
In addition to well established reputation on the international jazz scene, Bruce Harris has made a name for himself in various musical worlds. Harris has been featured in two Broadway shows; After Midnight (2013) and Shuffle Along (2016), performing with the likes of Fantasia Barrino, Patti Labelle, KD Lang, Tony Braxton, and Audra McDonald. Harris has also compiled an eclectic list of collaborations with notable artists including Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Steve Martin, Seth MacFarlane, Prairie Home Companion, Harry Connick Jr, and hip-hop artist DJ Premiere. Harris’s career spans the globe, having completed multiple international tours as a performer and educator across Europe and Asia.
ABOUT SAMARA JOY
With a voice as smooth as velvet, SAMARA JOY’s star seems to rise with each performance. Following her winning the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, she is currently recording her debut recording, which will feature Samara backed by the Pasquale Grasso Trio.
Growing up in New York, music was a pervasive presence, due to the inspiration of her paternal grandparents, Elder Goldwire and Ruth McLendon, who led the well-known Philadelphia-based gospel group, The Savettes. Her father toured with the renowned Gospel artist Andrae Crouch, and her home was filled with the sounds of not only her father’s songs and songwriting process, but the inspiration of many Gospel and R&B artists, including Stevie Wonder, Lalah Hathaway, George Duke, Musiq Soulchild, Kim Burrell, Commissioned, and many others.
“Although I didn’t grow up singing in church,” explains Samara, “I constantly heard my family singing inspirational music together, which instilled in me an appreciation for my musical lineage. Through musicals in middle school, I loved exploring the range of my voice and applying the different colors to fit the characters I played. Finally, during high school, I joined the choir at my church, eventually becoming a worship leader, singing three services a week for nearly two years. That was my training.”
Samara’s first exposure to jazz was while attending Fordham High School for the Arts, where she performed regularly with the jazz band, eventually winning Best Vocalist at JALC’s Essentially Ellington competition. However, jazz wasn’t really her focus until the time came to choose a college. Wanting to attend a state school close to home, she picked SUNY Purchase, gaining acceptance into their acclaimed jazz program, with a faculty that includes many jazz masters (including Pasquale Grasso and drummer Kenny Washington, who both appear on her debut recording.)
“My friends were all into jazz and started sharing their favorite recordings with me to check out. The turning point was when I heard both Sarah Vaughan’s version of ‘Lover Man’ and Tadd Dameron’s recordings featuring trumpeter Fats Navarro. I was hooked.”
From this point, she began to pursue her jazz studies with an intense passion, eventually being named the Ella Fitzgerald Scholar and entering and winning the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition.
Although having only recently celebrated her 21st birthday, Samara has already performed in many of the great jazz venues in NYC, including Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, The Blue Note, and Mezzrow, in addition to working with jazz greats such as Christian McBride, Pasquale Grasso, Kirk Lightsey, Cyrus Chestnut, and NEA Jazz Master Dr. Barry Harris.
Samara’s self-titled debut recording is slated for release on July 9 through Whirlwind Recordings. It presents her backed by the trio of guitarist Pasquale Grasso, bassist Ari Roland, and drummer Kenny Washington. Within the album’s liner notes, veteran writer Will Friedwald comments that Samara Joy is “a fantastic collection of highly original new arrangements, beautifully sung by a rising talent, and a very impressive first album. People are forever using the word ‘timeless’ as if it were the greatest praise ever, but in a way, Samara’s voice and her music seem to belong to all time, like she’s connected to the entire history of jazz all at once – as if she were existing in every era simultaneously, she sounds both classic and contemporary.”
Winning the Vaughan award was transformational for Joy. “I was suddenly on the jazz radar. It’s still bizarre to think of how fast things have progressed.” Since then, Joy has dug deep to discover her jazz roots, without losing sight of the innate simplicity that makes her sound shine. Her first album announces the arrival of a young artist destined for greatness.
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/soundview-bruce-harris-cellar-live
Bruce Harris: Soundview
| |
| Play Bruce Harris on Amazon Music Unlimited (ad) | |
Accompanied by pianist Sullivan Fortner, bassist David Wong, drummer Aaron Kimmel as well as vocalist Samara Joy on two tracks, Harris takes the band through a set of compositions which were written by African American composers (save one), all of whom made New York City their home.
The disc's title track, a Harris original, leads off in a mambo beat that is established by Wong's ostinato bass line and is then picked up the rhythm section. Both Harris and Fortner follow along with thematic statements as the beat continues in an irresistible way. "Satellite" by Gigi Gryce, although not as well known as a couple of his other compositions such as "Minority" or " Nica's Tempo," still has some of those unusual harmonic structures as the previously noted compositions. Harris is adept at navigating his way through this richly configured music.
The one composition that falls outside of the coterie of African American composers is the Johnny Mercer ballad "If You Were Mine." Vocalist Samara McClendon covers this number along with the Barry Harris composition " Bird Of Red And Gold." In an economical, elegant and resourceful way, McClendon delivers the numbers in an engaging and lyrical style. Hank Mobley's composition "Hank's Prank" is a burner. Harris delivers the hard bop theme in dazzling and decisive style, which is picked up by pianist Fortner, showing that he has his own ideas that are delivered with clarity.There is a delightfully structured Duke Ellington medley featuring "Black Beauty," "Drop Me Off In Harlem" and "Echos Of Harlem." These evocative compositions, which were arranged by Andy Farber, gives the band a structure that allows them to settle into a recreated style without rigidity or sentimentality. The final track on this session is the Randy Weston number "Saucer Eyes." Offered at a brisk and spirited pace, Harris and Fortner show their energetic creativity and willingness to explore the boundaries of the composition.
Track Listing
Soundview; Satellite; Maybe It's Hazy; If You Were Mine; Hank's Plank; You're Lucky To Me; Ellington Suite; Bird Of Red And Gold; Saucer Eyes.
Personnel
Bruce Harris: trumpet; Sullivan Fortner: piano; David Wong: bass; Aaron Kimmel: drums; Samara Joy: voice / vocals.
https://www.jazziz.com/bruce-harris-beginnings/
Bruce Harris – Beginnings (Posi-Tone)
For his debut as a leader, Bronx-born trumpeter Bruce Harris comes charging out of the gate with a rippling riff that leads into the briskly swinging “Ask Questions.” Once in and out of the no-frills arrangement, Harris takes off on his solo, a smartly assembled set of speedy phrases, quick stabs and echoing passages, followed by Frank Basile’s gritty turn on baritone sax and Dmitry Baevsky’s sinewy expedition on alto.
The post-bop piece is the first of three Harris originals, along with the moody “The Step,” on which the trumpeter is joined by tenor saxophonists Andy Farber and Grant Stewart, and “So Near, So Far,” which closes the album with a well-turned, retro-tinged swinger. This last number is sparked by pianist Michael Weiss’ intro; the steady-beat rhythmic drive of bassist Clovis Nicolas and drummer Pete Van Nostrand; Farber’s big, brash tenor; and Harris’ dazzling muted-trumpet playing. That mute is used to good effect on Harold Arlen’s “Ill Wind,” as well, its warm tone echoed by Jerry Weldon’s slinky tenor sax.
Harris nods to two compositional influences with his read of Horace Silver’s “Mr. Blakey,” a showcase for tight little-big-band ensemble playing and for sprawling solo workouts by Harris, three of the session’s five saxophonists and Weiss. Bud Powell’s perky “Una Noche con Francis” provides another platform for a three-sax section, highlighted by Farber’s brassy, burnished tenor declarations.
The leader briefly nods to another genre, again working his muted-trumpet magic, with a spirited waltz-time version of Prince’s “Do U Lie?” Like the album’s other seven tracks, it feels like a fresh take on a decidedly mainstream acoustic sound. Beginnings attests to Harris’ dynamic, often surprising trumpet playing and his knack for crafting appealing compositions and arrangements. It’s a top-shelf start.
— Philip Booth
https://www.247tickets.com/t/bebop-era-charlie-parker-bruce-harris-quintet
The Bebop Era of Charlie Parker Bruce Harris Quintet
Event details
The Bruce Harris Trio - Knick Live
https://www.makingascene.org/bruce-harris-soundview/
Bruce Harris
Soundview
Cellar Music Group
Trumpeter Bruce Harris is a died-in-the-wool New Yorker, having grown up in the Soundview section of the Bronx (hence the title) and living now in the Sugar Hill section of Harlem. The album is a tribute to his community and family in both places and Black American Music. The album appears on Cory Weeds’ Cellar Music Group label, one that has delivered many outstanding albums totaling over 180 since 2001. The producer is fellow trumpeter Jeremy Pelt. This is the first in a series of releases led by Black artists that Pelt intends to produce for the label. The album draws a remarkable balance between contemporary jazz and tradition through this elite quartet comprised of pianist Sullivan Fortner, bassist David Wong, and drummer Aaron Kimmel. Joining them on two tracks is emerging star Samara Joy, listed as Samara McClendon on the jacket.
Harris states that all but one of the nine tunes were written by Black architects of this music, who all happened to live and thrive in NYC. This is a debut for this quartet although both Wong and Kimmel are long term collaborators. Harris is working with the Fortner here for the first time. In addition to his two originals, tunes come from Gigi Gryce, Johnny Mercer, Hank Mobley, Eubie Blake, Duke Ellington, Barry Harris, and Randy Weston.
The leader describes his opening title track as a depiction of scenes from his upbringing, starting out dark, resolving conflict in the bridge and resolution in a beautiful major chord. The mambo rhythm speaks to the underlying vibe of the Bronx. He delivers a passionate, exhilarating solo while Fong and Fortner improvise energetically in their spots too. Gryce’s “Satellite” has all the swagger of the original Gryce-Brown sextet with Harris, unlike Brown, playing more in lower registers. “Maybe It’s Hazy,” Harris’ other original, is a moving contemporary piece spiced with nice turns from both the leader and Fortner across some intricate rhythm patterns. Mercer’s “If You Were mine” is pure tradition as Harris welcomes Samara Joy for the vocal after an extended intro. Joy is a fellow Bronx native and has a smooth, lovely alto.
She returns for Barry Harris’ ballad “Bird of Red and Gold,” appropriately since she is currently a student of the veteran pianist who also influenced Fortner’s development. In between we have the hard bop of Hank Mobley’s “Hank’s Prank,” a return to old school jazz in Eubie Blake’s “You’re Lucky to Me,” a showcase of sensitive ballad playing by both Harris and Fortner, and an impressive quartet rendering of “Ellington Suite” which nods to Harlem with some interesting chords from Fortner in “Black Beauty,” “Drop Me Off in Harlem,” and “Echoes of Harlem.” Harris’ use of mutes and plungers is particularly skillful as he navigates his way through the more traditional material. They close with Randy Weston’s “Saucer Eyes,” a live performance staple for Harris, and, as such, has Harris and Fortner in full light, soaring over the changes and invoking the spirt of the late pianist and composer.
Wynton Marsalis hailed Harris as one of five important young jazz musicians you should know. So, if you got this far, you’ve got a start. Go ahead and listen – there’s practically a century worth of jazz styles contained within these nine selections.
- Jim Hynes
Satellite
Composition by Gigi Gryce (1925-1983)
Bruce Harris
When he was a kid, trumpeter Bruce Harris loved to listen to his grandfather play the alto sax. He went on to earn a BFA in jazz performance from the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College. In a 2013 Ebony magazine article, Wynton Marsalis named Bruce as one of the "five important young jazz musicians you should know." He's a key player at Dizzy's Club-Coca Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center -- and a fan favorite at clubs the world over.
THE MUSIC OF BRUCE HARRIS: AN EXTENSIVE VIDEO OVERVIEW, A CROSS SECTION OF RECORDINGS, MUSICAL ANALYSIS AND COMMENTARY, PLUS VARIOUS INTERVIEWS WITH BRUCE HARRIS:
Bruce Harris Sextet - Live at Smalls - 6/13/2021
Bruce Harris - Youre Lucky To Me
Bruce Harris Quintet Live at Dizzy's 2017 Have Trumpet, Will
Bruce Harris Quartet 10/22/2020
Bruce Harris Quintet - Live at Smalls Jazz Club - 11/21/21
Emmet Cohen w/ Bruce Harris | This Can't Be Love
Bruce Harris Quintet - Ill Wind (2017 Posi-Tone)
Bruce Harris Quartet
Bruce Harris - Ask Questions
Bruce Harris Solo Transcription | Live at Emmet's Place Vol. 52
The Bruce Harris Trio - Knick Live
Emmet Cohen w/ Bruce Harris | Moody's Mood for Love
Bruce Harris & Patrick Bartley | After You've Gone
Bruce Harris — So Near, So Far
