Guitarist, composer, arranger, lyricist, writer, educator, and vocalist Joel Harrison has “created a new blueprint for jazz” (New Orleans Times-Picayune). A Guggenheim Fellow (2010) whose compositions have been commissioned by Chamber Music America, Meet the Composer, New Music USA, Jerome Foundation, NYSCA, and the Mary Flagler Cary Trust, he has released 25 albums as a leader on seven different labels. Harrison’s music may be founded on jazz but veers into classical, rock, country, and all manner of American roots music. Succinctly described by the New York Times as “protean… brilliant,” he is also an active film composer, having worked on the Oscar-nominated Traffic Stop and the Sundance awardee Southern Comfort.

His latest release on Highnote Records,  "Anthem of Unity," features an all-star quartet of Gary Versace on organ, Greg Tardy on saxohpone, and special guest Jack DeJohnette on drums.

Harrison is the founder and director of the Alternative Guitar Summit, a yearly festival devoted to new and unusual guitar music, which Pat Metheny has called “one of the most interesting and distinguished forums for guitar on the planet."  Harrison is talso he author of “Guitar Talk: Conversations with Visionary Players” as well as “Modern Jazz Standards for Guitar.” 

Tonight, Joel Harrison presents music from Anthem of Unity, with his New Orleans trio, featuring: 
Joel Harrison - guitar 
Joe Ashlar - organ 
Ricky Sebastian - drums