Anthem of Unity

ジャック・ディジョネット参加!!
ニューヨークを拠点に活躍するギタリスト、ジョエル・ハリソンの最新アルバム『Anthem of Unity』が登場
ジャズ・ミュージシャンとして最も尖鋭な作品を披露する一期一会のアンサンブル

NYを拠点に活躍するギタリスト、ジョエル・ハリソンによる3年ぶり25枚目の新作『Anthem of Unity』がリリース。
ジョエル・ハリソンは、1961年、アメリカ/ワシントンDC生まれのジャズギタリスト/歌手/作曲家/編曲家。ハリソンは、ビートルズ、ジミ・ヘンドリックス、オールマン・ブラザーズ・バンド、そしてダニー・ガットンに影響を受け、1980年代初頭にボストンで本格的にミュージシャン/ギタリストとしてのキャリアを開始。1999年以来、ニューヨーク市に拠点を置き、ノラ・ジョーンズやダニー・マッキャスリンなどの著名ミュージシャンと共演するなど積極的に音楽活動をしている。
今作『Anthem of Unity』では、ハリソンのオリジナル曲6曲に加え、数曲のカバー曲も収録されている。ハリソンが何十年も前に覚えた曲であるソニー・ロリンズの「Doxy」や、ボブ・ディランの「The Times They Are A-Changin'」をジャズ・アルバムに組み込んだ。
セッションプレイヤーには、B-3オルガンの名手"ゲイリー・ヴェルサーチ"、ジャズ界屈指の木管楽器奏者"グレッグ・ターディ"と、そして伝説のドラマー"ジャック・ディジョネット"を迎えた。時に優しく、時に激しく、そのインタープレイと有機的且つ直感的なパワーが、アルバム冒頭から掉尾までを貫く。

Anthem of Unity is guitarist Joel Harrisons 25th outing as a leader. His catalog reflects a kaleidoscopic approach to writing and arranging that employs variety in concept, genre, and harmonic and rhythmic invention. The three-volume Free Country series (that began in 2003) showcases covers and originals associated with country and Americana music. 2019s Still Point - Turning World offered a simultaneous exploration of spiritual jazz, Indian Carnatic music, free improv, and post-bop. 2020s America at War was a musical mediation on militarism and national identity that wed rock, jazz, funk, and improvisation. 2022s Joel Harrison & the Stardust Reunion Band contained a program of original rock and R&B songs delivered by various singers. While Anthem of Unity bears Harrisons unmistakable playing signature, the music is, in essence, a blowing session showcasing a stellar quartet working across post-bop, soul jazz, funk hard bop, and blues. Harrisons sidemen include drummer Jack DeJohnette, saxophonist/flutist Greg Tardy, and Gary Versace on Hammond B-3. The title track opener was inspired by a late mentor, guitarist Mick Goodrick (who also worked with DeJohnette). Composed the day before the session, the tunes architecture weds a NOLA second-line organ and drum groove that crisscrosses gospel. Tardy joins Harrison in melodic interplay and, chorus by chorus, it becomes joyfully, poignantly transcendent. "Survival Instinct" is noirish post-bop with a knotty, blue-tinged head and dazzling backbeat work from DeJohnette. There are two standards included in the track list: Bob Dylans "The Times They Are A-Changin" is rendered in skittering waltz time as Tardy and Harrison harmonize the melody with grace and subtlety. Sonny Rollins "Doxy" is delivered with a layer of easy, gritty NOLA jazz-funk, (think the Meters with Alvin "Red" Tyler joining on tenor sax). Harrisons solo is all lue funk, and his greasy interplay with Tardy and DeJohnette is as canny as it is welcoming. "Today Is Tomorrows Yesterday" is a fleet, knotty post-bop groover with killer solos from Tardy and Versace. The first minute and a half of "Parvati" is a furious drum solo before Harrisons composition weds Carnatic modalism to Americana and swinging post-bop. The interlocked engagement by Versace, Tardy, and Harrison is outlined and given heady rhythmic ballast by DeJohnettes frenetic playing. "Migratory Birds" features Tardy on flute hovering over wafting, proggish organ; sparse, nocturnal guitar lines; and propulsive, dynamically controlled beats. Closer "Mohawk Valley Peace Dance" is a funky, rock-based stroller that sounds like Booker T & the MGs meeting War as a riffing B-3s joins reverbed, psychedelic, wah-wah guitars atop Tardys souled-out, wildly exploratory saxophone and Harrisons bluesy, funky vamps. While "groove" and feel are central to all eight tunes on Anthem of Unity, rhythmic and harmonic invention in the groups interplay add heft, hooks, textual dimension, and balance. ~ Thom Jurek