Customer Reviews

Harrison on Harrison

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This album has very good instrumental performances and interesting arrangements. The members of the band are some of the best performing jazz artists still alive. While it may not capture just how good his live performances may be, it is still worth listening to and owning.

Joel Harrison explains in the liner notes how he was asked to play a song at a George Harrison tribute, and he wound up digging so much into George's songs that he made this CD. It starts off with a straight-up jazz version of "Here Comes The Sun". With the supporting cast of David Liebman, David Binney, and Uri Caine, you know the instrumental songs are going to be good. "Within In You Without You" is my least favorite Sgt. Peppers song because it doesn't fit. Here, it becomes a great jazz song. It's not like a Shakti song or anything, but it retains its Indian flavor and has good soprano and alto saxophone. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" thats the song in a somewhat different direction, it's less melodramatic. "The Art Of Dying" is the first vocal song. Joel Harrison's voice isn't my favorite, but it isn't a bad match for this song. Uri Caine plays a top-notch solo on this one. "My Fathers House" is a ballad. "All Things Must Pass" has Jen Chapin singing. "Taxman" has jazzy but cheesy bones, and Joel resists the urge to cheese it up. "My Sweet Lord" is another Joel Harrison vocal with some nifty slide guitar. "Love To You" starts off somewhat literal, but gets free. "Beware of Darkness" is another quiet one, and it ends with "Isn't It A Pity", with Joel's vocals.

The strengths of this CD are its instrumentals and instrument-playing. Joel Harrison sings on ones that are better for his voice, though I'd prefer an all-instrumental one, or maybe if he got Norah Jones back.

i was recommended to purchase joel harrison's recording and found it to be
somewhat boring it could be called pop gone modern and utterly boring.