artist info

Donald Harrison was born in New Orleans in 1960 and grew up in a home environment saturated with the city’s traditional brass bands, afro-new Orleans culture, R&B, funk, world and dance music. His connection to New Orleans’ roots was deepened by his father, a Big Chief, in a new American style of African culture developed in New Orleans. The culture is an offshoot culture of Congo Square, one of the only known places in North America where Africans openly participated in their culture in the 18th and 19th centuries and still participate in it throughout the city. Donald became the Big Chief of The Congo Square Nation Afro-New Orleans cultural group in 1999 and coined the term Afro-New Orleans to describe his culture.

Harrison created “Nouveau Swing,” a style of jazz that merges with modern dance music; R&B, Hip-Hop, soul and rock. Over twenty years ago, he combined jazz with Afro-New Orleans traditional music on his critically acclaimed album “Indian Blues” in 1991 and “Spirits of Congo Square” in 2000. These records deepened his commitment to maintaining the offshoot rituals, call and response chants and drumming as well as his determination to keep traditional to modern jazz music alive for the next generation.

Throughout his career, Harrison has received numerous accolades. Some of his awards include: two of France’s “Grand Prix du Disque”, Switzerland’s “The Ascona Award”, Japan’s Swing Journal “Alto Saxophonist of the Year,” The Jazz Journalist Association’s “A List Award,” 2012 New Orleans Civic Award, 2007 Jazziz Magazine’s “Person of the Year,” the Big Easy Music Awards “Ambassador of Music” and a Down Beat Magazine’s Alto Saxophone Poll Winner. He was also a 2006 Resident at William and Mary College, a 1995 “Meet The Composer” recipient and a 2012 Grammy nominee.

Over three decades playing as a professional artist has placed Harrison on stage and on recordings with some of the most influential artists of the 21st century. He has performed and recorded with an illustrious list of distinguished musicians including: Art Blakey, Roy Haynes, The Cookers, McCoy Tyner, Miles Davis, Lena Horne, Ron Carter, Billy Cobham, Eddie Palmieri, Jennifer Holiday, Dr. John, Guru’s Jazzmatazz, McCoy Tyner, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Digable Planets, Notorious BIG, The Chicago Symphony Orchestra and The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra to name a few.

Harrison recorded “Quantum Leap” in 2012, which musicians and critics agree is a next step for real jazz and is an amalgamation of his life’s experiences and years playing with jazz masters. The recording has another component where it melds cutting edge jazz with New Orleans funk, connecting the past with the present with jazz music that transcends boundaries. His upcoming jazz recording will feature, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Christian Scott, Max Moran, Detroit Brooks, Joe Dyson and others. The recording has Donald Harrison playing sax, singing, rapping, chanting, playing percussion, piano, keyboards, drumming and producing.