Donald Harrison Jr. will be presented in Buenos Aires this Friday the 14th and Saturday the 15th (at Bebop Club with a double function, at 8 and 10:45 p.m.) and will be accompanied by Argentine musicians Mariano Loiacono on trumpet, Ramiro Penovi on guitar, Pablo Raposo on piano, Gabriel Baldo on double bass and Marco Scaravaglione on battery. Before getting on the plane that takes him to Buenos Aires, he spoke with Infobae Cultura about New Orleans (his city, the cradle of jazz), the style that he patented, his experiences with great musicians and of course, about Miles Daviswith whom he shared hours of rehearsal and stage in 1986. “From the beginning, he taught me to believe in myself,” he says with admiration.
Donald Harrison Jr. He is widely recognized for his mastery of diverse musical genres spanning jazz, soul, funk and classical orchestral music. His career includes collaborations with renowned figures such as Art Blakey, Terence Blanchard, Roy Haynes and Eddie Palmieri among others. In the 1980s, he developed the New Swing, a style that combines the swing of modern jazz with rhythms such as hip-hop, funk and soul. He later ventured into smooth jazz, and since the early years of this century he has explored concepts of quantum physics applied to music, generating what he calls Quantum Jazz.
In addition to his musical career, Harrison occupies a significant place in Afro-Neolean culture recognized as Big Chief from Congo Square (one of the key points of the city for that tradition). The same title was awarded to him by the Queen Diambi Kabatusuila in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the land of their ancestors. As if that were not enough, Harrison has appeared as an actor/musician in 9 episodes of the praised series Tremecreated by David Simon (the author of The Wireno less), and more importantly than that, it inspired two central characters in a fascinating story about social and racial issues in the city considered “the birthplace of jazz.”
—You were born in New Orleans, the cradle of jazz. What would you say to an Argentinian about what the city is like, what the music scene is like in the city? Who is your favorite New Orleans musician?
—What I would like to tell my Argentine family is that the culture and music of New Orleans are influenced by many diverse global cultures. One of the most important areas is Congo Square, where enslaved Africans gathered every Sunday to practice the culture of their land. This tribal idea influenced early jazz and all other musical styles of New Orleans, and later world music. I feel honored to be the current one Big Chief from Congo Square. I would have to say that Sidney Bechet He is my quintessential favorite New Orleans musician.
—He is recognized as the creator of the style New Swing. Could you explain to us what it is and what type of music it combines?
-The concept New Swing mixes modern acoustic jazz with current dance music, such as hip-hop, soul, funk and New Orleans music.
—Recorded an album with Ron Carter and Billy Cobham. How was that experience? Did you learn anything from them?
—I had a great time with Ron Carter and Billy Cobham. They are two of the best musicians in the world right now. Both gentlemen taught me a lot about their innovative concepts and how they plan to advance music.
—He participated as a musician and actor in the series “Treme.” Did you like him? Can you share any anecdotes from filming the series?
—I had the honor of having a television series based two characters on how I came up with new musical styles. It was an incredible journey consulting and acting on a television series that had authentic stories and authentic music in every episode. I’m still pinching myself.
—He played with Miles Davis. What is the first thing he remembers from that moment?
—I remember that from the beginning Miles taught me to believe in myself. He told me about Charlie Parker, Coltrane, Cannonball (by Cannonball Adderley) and other great musicians. He gave me many beautiful ideas to work on. He helped me move forward by telling important people about myself.
—And what was Miles Davis like?
—Miles was like family to me, who took care of me at all times, both musically and life teacher. He was one of the hardest working artists he had ever seen. He was always probing and constantly looking for the next logical step.
—Do you remember any anecdotes with him?
—I always think about how Miles could work on many projects at the same time and find solutions to all of them. Thousands working at home was truly a sight to behold.
*Donald Harrison Jr. It will be presented on Friday, June 14 and Saturday, June 15, with performances at 8 and 10:45 p.m. at Bebop Club (Uriarte 1658, CABA). Tickets can be purchased on site or through the Passline system.
[Fotos: C Flanigan/FilmMagic; Erika Goldring/Getty Images; Douglas Mason/WireImage]
