Bankhead, Harrison Sextet

Morning Sun Harvest Moon

Label: Engine Country: USA

:Harrison Bankhead is a first call bass player for Chicago jazz heavyweights such as Roscoe Mitchell, Richard Muhal Abrams, and Fred Anderson (rest in peace), and Engine Studios is proud to put out his long overdue debut recording as a bandleader. Considered by more than a few to be one of the top five bass players on the planet, Morning Sun Harvest Moon reflects HarrisonÕs love of transcending genre and playing whatever unfolds when he gets with musicians.

Morning Sun Harvest Moon opens with the title track where wooden flutes commune before the onset of a mournful violin melody with slow clarinet long tones and bowed bass weaving it all together. Taking a Cheech and Chong groove and adding violin and percussion solos, BankheadÕs sextet moves into funkier territory with ÔChicago SenoritaÕ. There is a raucous intro and Caribbean bass lines in ÔEast VillageÕ and a classic free jazz wind up on ÔOver Inside and OutÕ. The last six tracks on the record were recorded as two 20+ minute spontaneous pieces where a musical idea came up, was explored, and then briefly paused before another idea busted out. Instruments rotate, the dynamics of the improvisation breathes and it is shot through with drums, Latin percussion and melody.

The theme is that there is no one theme but it all works together due to tight ensemble playing led by Harrison Bankhead who steps out of from being the sideman for some heavy cats towards establishing himself as a Chicago sound to be heard."-Engine

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