projects

Mvt. 4 Joel Harrison String Quartet #1

Mvt. 5 Joel Harrison String Quartet #1

FOJOTO TRIO

Arrangements of Country, African, and Jazz pieces. Ensemble Members: Foday Musa Suso (kora), Tony Trischka (banjo), and Joel Harrison (acoustic & electric guitar).

Fojoto Trio performs Hell Broke Loose in Georgia

WHIRRR

Arrangements of Jimmy Guiffre’s music co-led with drummer George Schuller. Featuring: George Schuller, Ohad Talmor, Jacob Garchik, Marty Ehrlich, Cameron Brown.

Whirrr performs Scootin’ About

FILM SCORING

Joel Harrison has worked on documentary film scores for HBO, History Channel, A&E, Court TV, TLC, and more. His most prominent films have been HBO’s “Southern Comfort”, which won top honors at Sundance in 2000 and went on to receive worldwide acclaim, and “Scopes: The Battle Over America’s Soul” from the History Channel’s series “10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America”, which was nominated for an Emmy in 2006. Harrison brings a unique perspective to his scoring, due to his incredibly eclectic background- American roots, rock n’ roll, classical, jazz, pop, electronic, urban contemporary, avant-garde…it is all part of his palette.

“Joel Harrison has been composing scores for our films for more than ten years. His work ranges from intimate to orchestral to electronic to moody and deep into the American folk vernacular. He’s a master instrumentalist with a sensitivity to the filmed image and written work that infuses his work with serious artistry and great heart.”
-David Heilbroner
Film Maker & Producer
HBO/PBS/Qball Productions

FILM SCORING EXAMPLES

Theme from American Babylon

Ballad

Scopes Trial

Bi-Polar Kids (HBO release early 2010)

Theme from Southern Comfort

Urban Voyager

COMMISSION A PIECE

The greatest gift anyone can give a composer is the chance to write a new piece! We can work together to establish guidelines and goals. It is always worth considering co-commissions. More than one person can, of course, create a commission together.

Here are some ideas for commissioning:

  • A piece for a special occasion, i.e. a solo violin piece for a wedding anniversary
  • A piece that combines a specific jazz artist with a classical music ensemble
  • An arrangement of a traditional song for non- traditional instrumentation
  • A big band piece
  • An orchestra piece
  • A string quartet, sax quartet, or even a tuba quartet!
  • A work that crosses disparate cultures i.e. India and Jazz, Appalachia and Cuba, Renaissance Choral with Africa

If you’re interested in commissioning a piece, get in touch today.