Donald Harrison, Dr. John

Biography

Donald Harrison Jr., born June 23, 1960, in New Orleans, Louisiana, grew up immersed in the city's vibrant musical culture, influenced by traditional brass bands, Afro-New Orleans traditions, R&B, funk, and his father Donald Harrison Sr., who was a Big Chief of Mardi Gras Indian tribes including the Guardians of the Flame. He studied at the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts under Ellis Marsalis Jr. and later attended Berklee College of Music, beginning his professional career in high school with bands led by Roy Haynes and Jack McDuff before joining Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers alongside Terence Blanchard from 1982 to 1989.[1][2][4]

Harrison developed his career by pioneering innovative jazz styles, co-founding a quintet with Blanchard that released New York Second Line in 1982, blending New Orleans second-line rhythms with modern jazz. He created 'Nouveau Swing,' fusing jazz swing with R&B, hip-hop, soul, rock, and Caribbean influences, evident in albums like Indian Blues (1991) featuring Dr. John, Nouveau Swing (1997), and Spirits of Congo Square (2000). As Big Chief of the Congo Square Nation Afro-New Orleans Cultural Group, he preserved New Orleans heritage, especially post-Hurricane Katrina, through performances, recordings with his Electric Band and New Sounds of Mardi Gras, and media appearances in Spike Lee's When the Levees Broke and HBO's Treme.[1][2][4][6]

His legacy includes the 2022 NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship for advocacy, an Honorary Doctorate from Berklee in 2021, multiple Best Saxophonist awards (2017, 2020, 2021-22, 2023), two Grand Prix du Disque awards, and Jazziz Person of the Year in 2007. Harrison has mentored emerging artists, founded educational programs like the Tipitina's Intern Program and New Jazz School, and continues blending jazz eras while composing for orchestras.[1][2][5][9]

Fun Facts

• Harrison's father, Donald Harrison Sr., was Big Chief of four Mardi Gras Indian tribes and taught him secret rituals and drumming traditions.[3]
• At age 19, he introduced 'New York Second-Line,' a modern jazz adaptation of New Orleans second-line introduced in 1979.[7]
• He performs multiple roles in his music, including saxophone, singing, rapping, chanting, percussion, piano, keyboards, drumming, and producing, as on Quantum Leap (2012).[4]
• Post-Hurricane Katrina, Harrison created jobs for young New Orleans musicians who stayed in the city through his bands.[2]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Ellis Marsalis Jr. - Teacher at New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts (Early training) [1970s]
• Roy Haynes - Early professional band leader (Live performances) [Late 1970s]
• Art Blakey - Band leader with Jazz Messengers (Albums as quintet member until 1989; tribute album For Art's Sake (1991)) [1982-1989]

Key Collaborators

• Terence Blanchard - Co-leader of quintet (New York Second Line (1982)) [1982-1985]
• Dr. John - Guest appearance blending New Orleans heritage (Indian Blues (1991)) [1991]
• The Cookers - Band member (Recordings and performances) [Ongoing]

Artists Influenced

• Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah - Uncle and former tutor; protégé (Mentorship; upcoming recordings) [2000s-present]
• Jon Batiste - Mentored New Orleans jazz artist (Band employment post-Katrina) [2005-present]
• Trombone Shorty - Mentored; provided band opportunities post-Katrina (Employment in bands) [2005-present]
• Esperanza Spalding - Mentored emerging bassist (Working groups incubator) [2000s]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia