joel harrison
Still Point: Turning World (Whirlwind Recordings)
Music for jazz quartet, sarod, percussion quartet
With Anupam Shobhakar, Dan Weiss, Selvaganesh, Ben Wendel, Talujon Percussion and more
My intention here is to find a meeting ground between notated western percussion, notated and improvised jazz, and the traditions of the North Indian sarode and South Indian kanjira. I tried to make each movement a world unto itself yet connected to the whole, highlighting different components of the ensemble. There are suggestions of South African mbira music in Mvt. 6, Toru Takemitsu in Mvt. 4, traditional ragas (mvt.1), invented ragas (mvt. 6), a stirring vocal improvisation over a bed of marimbas by the esteemed kanjira master Selvaganesh (mvt. 1). I even managed to get some rock n’ roll guitar in the mix as I backed up solos by Ben Wendel (mvts. 3 and 7). Mvt. 7 is where the piece climaxes in a roar of percussion and exciting solos by multiple members of the group (sarode, sax, percussion, drums.)
A new collaboration with three Telecasters! The Spellcasters, from my hometown, Wash. D.C., celebrating the legacy of Danny Gatton, Roy Buchanan, and other great players at the crossroads of jazz, country, rock, etc. It’s rip roaring fun music. With Joel Harrison, Anthony Pirog, Dave Chappell: Guitars, John Previti: Bass, Barry Hart: Drums
