Miguel Zenón and Laurent Coq -][- RAYUELA – [Sunnyside, 2012] –

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Arts, Composer, Dan Weiss, Dana Leong, entertainment, Julio Cortázar, Laurent Coq, Miguel Zenón, Pianist, Saxophonist, Sunnyside

Miguel Zenón and Laurent Coq, RAYUELA

Miguel Zenón and Laurent Coq -][- RAYUELA –Mp3– [Sunnyside, 2012] –

The music on this recording was inspired by the book Rayuela, by the Argentine writer Julio Cortázar. This masterpiece has long provided me with an immense amount of inspiration and ideas, forging a possibility for what art could be: a medium of boundless freedom, both for the creator and for the audience. The narrative in Rayuela takes place both in Paris and Buenos Aires, and it was indeed this “”French-Latin American”” connection that ignited the idea for a collaboration between Laurent and myself. We have become close friends through the years but had never had the chance to collaborate on a musical project before (aside from the casual performance here and there). Working on Rayuela seemed like the perfect opportunity.

The Joel Harrison 7 Releases SEARCH March 27, 2012 on Sunnyside Records

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Christian Howes, Clarence Penn, Dana Leong, Donny McCaslin, Gary Versace, Guitar, Jazz, Joel Harrison, Stephan Crump

Composer/Guitarist Joel Harrison Negotiates Contrasting Textures and Genres on his Stunning New All-Star Septet Album

Featuring Donny McCaslin, Gary Versace, Christian Howes, Dana Leong, Stephan Crump & Clarence Penn

The Joel Harrison 7, Search

Joel Harrison’s latest CD, Search, finds the critically acclaimed composer/guitarist challenging himself compositionally, using extended forms and techniques borrowed from many of his favorite classical composers. The end result transcends style and genre – the writing is stunning, and cements Harrison as one of the most important contemporary composers of the day.

The compositions flow seamlessly, instantly immersing the listener in a coherent, rich, dynamic sound world. Pieces such as “Grass Valley and Beyond” and “The Beauty of Failure” have rich, memorable melodies that stick with the listener long after the album ends. Complex rhythmic motion is a hallmark of the multi-layered, emotionally wrenching “A Magnificent Death,” which Harrison describes as the centerpiece of the record. This 15-minute mini-epic tells the story of a close friend who died in 2009.