Joel Harrison (guitar) String Choir

November 30, 2012 - 8:00pm
  • Thursday, November 29, 2012
  • The Haven
  • 8:00pm
  • $20 General / $15 Members of Charlottesville Jazz Society / $10 Students

harrisonNew York City-based guitarist and composer Joel Harrison will perform with his String Choir at The Haven, 1st and Market, Thursday November 29th, in a special concert presented by The Charlottesville Jazz Society and WTJU-FM. Harrison’s String Choir, comprised of two guitars, violin, viola and cello, came together in 2011 to record a CD dedicated to the music of the late drummer and composer Paul Motian. The great saxophonist, and longtime Motian band member Joe Lovano said about this music, “What Joel has done with Paul’s music is amazing! Beautiful…creative." This program will be a meld of improvisational jazz and classical chamber music, largely the compositions of iconic jazz drummer Paul Motian, who was not only a legendary bandleader but also served as time keeper for, most famously, Bill Evans, as well as Thelonious Monk.

Guitarist, composer, arranger, vocalist, songwriter – Joel Harrison deftly juggles all of these roles while venturing across stylistic divides. Melding influences from jazz, classical, country, rock, and world music, his expansive sound fits equally well in jazz clubs and concert halls - and the occasional dive bar across town. Harrison sees no reason to sort his music into jazz, classical, or any such divisions. “Ultimately you’re just trying to arrive at great music,” he says. Harrison was named a Guggenheim Fellow in 2010, is a two-time winner of the Jazz Composer’s Alliance Composition Competition. He has received support from Chamber Music America and, Meet the Composer, and has released 14 CD's as a leader since 1995.

The band members for this show are all internationally acclaimed mavericks on their respective instruments. Of special note is the cellist Dave Eggar, no stranger to Virginia, as he has toured with great success over the past few years with everyone from Renee Fleming to Robin and Linda Williams. Dave is not only a wonderful  jazz improviser and classical technician, he is equally at home in a pop and rock n’ roll context. Jeremy Kittel is one of the most important young improvising violinists on the scene, having played with the famed Turtle Island String Quartet for the past few years. Like Eggar he is extremely diverse, as capable on fiddle tunes as on jazz standards. Second guitarist, Steve Cardenas, who won over audiences at the Haven recently with his beautiful playing as part of the Ben Allison Band, was a longtime member of Paul Motian's band. It will be very special, indeed, to hear Cardenas interpret this music with Harrison's group for the first time. Mat Maneri is one of the most dominant jazz violists in the world. He has played with everyone from Matthew Shipp to Paul Motian to Craig Taborn.

Tickets for this 7:30 p.m. concert at The Haven will be sold at the door only. General Admission is $20, $15 for members of The Charlottesville Jazz Society, and $10 for all students. For more information visit Cvillejazz.org and click on Events in Town, or call Gary Funston at (434) 249-6191.

 

Arts Box Office: (434) 924-3376

Address

UVA Department of Music
112 Old Cabell Hall
P.O. Box 400176 Charlottesville, VA 22904-4176

Email: music@virginia.edu