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Michael Garrick celebrates his own personal landmark this year with, among other ventures, the Year of the Harriott, musical events to commemorate the life of his erstwhile musical partner who died thirty years ago. Jamaican saxophonist Joe Harriott, a visionary force who helped propel British jazz to its creative heights in the 1960s and shaped the 1970s and beyond, is now gaining reverence and acclaim, with documentaries on Radio 3, discussion on Radio 4 and, to be published later this year, an in-depth biography. Yet Garrick, as is obvious to anyone who has seen him perform in the last decade, is not riding the crest of a marketing wave. He has featured Joe's compositions and lovingly introduced them at many of his concerts; and his own label has released in recent years a lost broadcast and recordings from the Harriott catalogue. Joe Harriott was a crucial factor in European jazz. A fearsomely gifted alto player, his vivid freeform pieces are unique in all music. Michael Garrick worked opposite him in London's Marquee Club, 1958-1959: originality was their common meeting ground, so he invited Joe and the superb flugelhornist Shake Keane to join him for the poetry and jazz concerts of the 1960s. Since Harriott's death in 1973 little has been done to celebrate his outstanding achievements. Close knowledge of Joe's music has enabled Garrick not only to expand it into a big band format but also to showcase its richness in small group contexts. 2003 marks the thirtieth anniversary of Joe's being overtaken by cancer at the age of forty-four. It sees the publication of the first in-depth biography, Joe Harriott: Fire In The Soul by Alan Robertson to be published by Northway Books, and its launch will take place with a gala concert in London featuring the Mike Garrick Jazz Orchestra and Quintet: 17th November at the Vortex Club, London. "Parker? He played a few aces, but there's them over here can play a
few aces, too!"
JOE HARRIOTT |
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Promoters' preferences are catered for - any or all of the following are available :- Joe Harriott's
freeform compositionsJoe Harriott's
mainstream chord-based compositionsGarrick's own
compositions which featured Joe as a soloistMIKE GARRICK QUARTET or QUINTET Martin Hathaway
alto saxSteve Waterman
trumpetPaul Moylan bassAlan Jackson
drumsMike Garrick
pianoMIKE GARRICK JAZZ ORCHESTRA alto
sax:Martin Hathaway, Matt Wates tenor
sax:Mick Foster, Jamie Anderson baritone
sax:Bob McKay trumpet:Steve Waterman, Mark Armstrong, Martin Shaw, Gabriel Garrick trombone:Mark d'Silva, James Adams, Andy Lester Paul Moylan bass Alan Jackson drums Dominic Ashworth guitar Mike Garrick piano "Our "rates" are your rates, i.e. realistic"
- Michael Garrick
tel : 01442 864989 or 01892 541464 for chat or demo |
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© Jazzscript 2002 Wendover Bookshop, 35 High Street, Wendover, Bucks, United Kingdom HP22 6DU tel / fax: +44 (0)1296 696204 | email |