Monday, January 13, 2014

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Tom Harrell

Artist:Tom Harrell
Song:Otra
Album:The Time Of The Sun





Trumpeter Tom Harrell started out as a sideman in the 70s and 80s with guys like Horace Silver, Lee Konitz and Phil Woods. He started recording as a leader in the 90s and has recorded and toured with the band on the 2011 CD The Time Of The Sun for the last ten years. He was born June 16, 1946 in Urbana, IL and he grew up in San Francisco. He started playing trumpet at age eight and played local gigs as a teen. Harrell graduated from Stamford University in 1969 with a music composition degree and joined Stan Kenton's band. In the 70s, he played with Woody Herman, Pete and Coke Escovedo's band Azteca, he recorded and toured with Horace Silver from 1973-77 and then with Lee Konitz from 1979-81. He was also in big bands led by George Russell and Mel Lewis. From 1983-89, Harrell recorded and toured with legendary sax player Phil Woods. Harrell also worked with Vince Guaraldi on the music for the Peanuts TV specials. And he has recorded with Bill Evans, Dizzy Gillespie, Ronnie Cuber, Joe Lovano, Art Farmer, Jane Monheit and many others. While still in the Woods band, Harrell started recording as a leader for labels like Steeplechase, Contemporary and Chesky. Then he signed with RCA Records in 1996 and recorded several acclaimed albums. He has recorded for HighNote since 2007 and has had the same band for all his recordings including the 2011 CD The Time Of The Sun. Musicians are Wayne Escoffery on tenor sax, Danny Grissett on piano, Ugonna Okegwo on bass and Jonathan Blake on drums. Highly recommended to jazz fans. Harrell has also worked on the classical group Tom Harrell Chamber Ensemble. His latest CD Colors of A Dream was released Oct. 2013 and features Escoffery and Okegwo along with Esperanza Spalding on bass and vocal and Jaleel Shaw on alto sax. Here's Tom Harrell with Wayne Escoffery, Danny Grissett, Ugonna Okegwo and Jonathan Blake performing Otra at the 2011 Junas Jazz Festival in France.

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