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Heroes [Donald Harrison]

Donald Harrison
1 disc

1. Heroes
2. Blues For the New Millennium
3. My Funny Valentine
4. One of a Kind
5. Double Trouble
6. Receipt Please
7. Candlelight
8. Solar
9. Free Style
10. Iko Iko
11. Straight No Chaser
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Additional Info

Manufacturer Part Number (MPN): 2041
Credits

Producer
Engineer
Personnel: Donald Harrison (alto saxophone); Glenn Patscha (piano); Vicente Archer (bass instrument); Ron Carter (double bass); Billy Cobham, John Lamkin (drums).
Donald Harrison, who gained his initial recognition in the 1980s when he was with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and co-led a band with Terence Blanchard, has continued growing and evolving ever since that time. Though underrated, he is currently at the peak of his powers. Harrison worked with bassist Ron Carter, drummer Billy Cobham, and pianist James Williams in a 2002 quartet called the Art of Four. He reunites with Carter and Cobham for five selections on Heroes and also engages in three duets with the bassist. Whether it is a minor blues ("One of a Kind"), the "I Got Rhythm" chords of "Double Trouble," "Solar," or the melancholy "Candlelight," Harrison shows that he is a superior post-bop improviser with a sound of his own. The final three selections, listed as "bonus tracks," have Harrison performing a funk piece, a calypso, and a mistitled Thelonious Monk tune ("Well, You Needn't" is listed as "Straight, No Chaser") in spirited fashion with bassist Vicente Archer and drummer John Lamkin. This CD is one of Donald Harrison's most rewarding showcases to date and is highly recommended. ~ Scott Yanow
Critic Reviews

JazzTimes (p.144) - "Those who know Cobham primarily as a '70s-era jazz-funkster are in for a surprise; he's a tasty, reactive, hard swinging straightahead drummer on HEROES."
Mojo (Publisher) (p.90) - 3 stars out of 5 - "[T]he inspiring nature of the music ultimately draws you in."