"The King of Nouveau Swing" - Donald Harrison - News

Donald Harrison - Ron Carter - Billy Cobham

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0700

On sale September 6

For their second Half Note issue, the power trio of Donald Harrison, Ron Carter, and Billy Cobham declare themselves spokesmen for a kind of exploratory improvisation and interplay known only to seasoned jazz professionals. Staunch individualists all, they come together with a unified voice of alto, bass and drums - at once steeped in jazz's richly variegated traditions yet forward-thinking in the cause of new creative expression. The group play here is all about a stylized call and response, featuring guys with excellent listening skills and the means to keep the conversation compelling. Recorded Live at the Blue Note.

Big Chief Donald Sr.

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700

My father, Big Chief Donald always talked about how great jazz musicians were. He never put them down which made me understand to respect them. He would have never talked bad about Louis Armstrong and never would have let me tallk bad about Louis Armstrong. My father also never put down any other Mardi Gras Indians which also taught me to respect other human beings. I think him for the wisdom he imparted that gave me humility and showed me to honor those who are great.

Composes piece for LPO

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Donald Harrison wrote his first piece for the LPO before Katrina. Now Harrison is begining an orchestral piece written from the inside perspectives of being a Big Chief in the culture of New Orleans, playing with modern jazz greats, playing in the brass bands of New Orleans as a youth. Donald Harrison is the only modern jazz musician that has participated in The Mardi Gras Indian culture of New Orleans. He started as the little Chief of the Creole Wild West in 1963 at the age of 2 years-old. Harrison promises the piece will be an inside view of New Orleans culture.

Donald Harrison transitions Mardi Gras Indian tradtion back to Congo Square with Afro New Orleans culture.

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Donald Harrison transitions Mardi Gras Indian tradtion back to Congo Square with Afro New Orleans culture. - October 11, 2010

Donald Harrison is The Big Chief of The Congo Square Nation and his mission is to keep alive secret aspects of Congo Square not known conciously by most Mardi Gras Indians. Harrison has named his faction Afro New Orleans Culture because now is the time to put the focus on the individuals that keep New Orleans root culture alive. The truth is there are many factions of Mardi Gras Indian culture and all are great components to the whole. For instance the faction that Chief Tootie Montana nurtured is the antithesis of Afro New Orleans culture and not part of the faction that Harrison is keeping alive. Harrison has put his focus on the secret elements Congo Square to insure well meaning and profit seeking outsiders won't destroy what is pristine and to keep alive a strong but hidden elements that many Mardi gras Indians are not privy to. Harrison says, "For New Orleans culture to surivive the most important parts of the culture must stay in exile until the world is ready to embrace them with respect."

Treme

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Donald Harrison wears many hats on David Simon's new HBO series Treme. Harrison was contacted early on before production began and asked to be a consultant. He helped in developing characters based on his life in modern jazz music and New Orleans culture. The show developed 2 characters based on Harrison being a jazz musician with a father that is a Big Chief in the culture of New Orleans. The father, Altert Lambreaux is played by Clark Peters. The son, Delmond Lambreaux is played by Rob Brown. Harrison gets to interact with both characters in episodes 1, 6, and 10. His interaction takes place as a musician playing his own compositions, as an actor delivering lines in scenes with them, or as a Big Chief leading his Congo Nation Mardi Gras Indian group. Check Harrison out on HBO and make sure you tell HBO you like Harrison on their website.

New Recording, "Quantum Leap," coming soon.

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800

Donald Harrison's just finished recording, "Quantum Leap," his most innovative classic jazz recording to date. The CD features a revolutionary update of the swing beat in addition to new composition installments to his signature, "Nouveau Swing," style of jazz. If you want to keep up with today's newest jazz sounds then, "Quantum Time," is a must have.

Congo Square

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800

"Congo Square" Jazz Saxophonist Donald Harrison is the Big Chief of The Congo Nation Afro-New Orleans Cultural group which represents Congo Square in New Orleans culture. His father, Donald Harrison, Sr. was the Big Chief of four tribes and passed down the secret rituals and drum patterns of Congo Square to him. Harrison says, "That our cuture is different than African culture but it has direct links to it. You have to start in New Orleans to understand it, not in Africa." His CD's, "Spirits of Congo Square," recorded in 2002 and, "Indian Blues," recorded in 1991 incorporate his concept of the swing beat merged with the Afro-New Orleans rhythms of Congo Square have influenced many jazz musicians.

My young daughter is a producer-singer.

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700

My 17 year-old daughter produced and sang this song all by herself. I new she could write some great radio friendly tracks because she produces tracks for me. When I need today's sound she is first call. Check her out here: http://www.myspace.com/vickcansing

I'm The Big Chief Congo Square

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Harrison begins Classical piece that chronicles his personal journey as the Big Chief of The Congo Nation, Afro-New Orleans Cultural Group. He say's This piece will put into sound my feeling of learning from my father Big Chief Donald Harrison, Sr. to the transition of becoming a Big Chief and everything I have to do each year."

Sacrilegus New Orleans Cultural Chants

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800

My father taught me that I had to go through the ranks to earn the right to sing New Orleans cultural chants. I was taught that if you have not paid the dues and earned your respect from masking you should not chant prayers like Oh-Nah-Nay and Tu-Way-Pockey-Way. Musicians and others that chant without knowing what they are talking about show the deepest disrespect to our culture. They can sing songs that are not part of our ritual like Hey Pockey-Way, but they should not chant our traditional songs. When they do chant is a form of sacrilege.