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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZHARRELL, Tom(b 16 June 1946, Urbana IL) Trumpet, flugelhorn, composer, leader. Grew up in San Francisco, started on trumpet at 8 and within a few years was playing in public. He played with Woody Herman, Horace Silver, Mel Lewis; made Phil Woods's quartet a quintet '83 and toured the world with him till '89. Diagnosed a schizophrenic '67, for some years he had to take drugs to enable him to concentrate, making his complete success all the more remarkable. His playing includes the whole history of jazz trumpet, technical ability with understated lyricism; vocalist Helen Merrill said, 'He plays from such a wonderfully deep place ... When he plays a ballad, he can bring tears.' Fresh from the Woods quintet Harrell made a duo album Moon And Sand '91 on Jazz aux Remparts in France with Jackie Terrasson, an impressive outing for both, followed by albums with George Robert, John McNeil, Bob Berg and Joe Lovano; with Merrill '94 and again '96; Berg and Lovano pop up on Harrell's own Contemporary albums Stories, Sail Away, Forms and Visions; Upswing '93 on Chesky included Lovano, Woods and Woods's drummer Bill Goodwin; Open Air '94 on Steeplechase included Goodwin and Woods's bassist Steve Gilmore; Labyrinth '96 on RCA variously features Lovano, Leon Parker, Billy Hart and others. There was a big band album '99. Vocalists he has backed in addition to Merrill include Mark Murphy, Madeline Eastman, Sheila Jordan and Jane Monheit. An incredibly prolific and sought-after leader and sideman, Harrell has played on over 250 albums, far too many to list here. A discography can be downloaded from his website, here. (George Robert, Swiss alto saxophonist and educator, b 15 September 1960, Geneva; d 14 March 2016 of leukemia.) |