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Barry Harris Hits the Right Notes at Annual Kwanzaa Concert

BY JIM GALLERT

At the Black Working Concerns group's 15th annual Kwanzaa concert on December 23, pianist Barry Harris played two sets of beautiful, swinging jazz to a near-capacity audience. Harris, a high school friend of BWC's James Robinson, has been the centerpiece of the concerts since their inception.

Accompanied by bassist David Rosen and drummer Wendell Robinson, Harris worked his way through various jazz standards including "Just One Of Those Things," taken at a blistering tempo, and a soulful "Ruby My Dear." Harris's arpeggios were clean and crisp and his touch as sure and strong as ever. His sense of swing is unerring, and the strength and clarity of Harris's playing molded the three musicians into a swinging trio. This year's concert was particularly special for Barry; the loss of Tommy Flanagan and Harold McKinney touched him deeply. He was in a reflective mood and some of his comments were tinged with sadness but his sense of humor surfaced frequently. Regardless of his New Jersey address, Barry Harris is a Detroiter first and foremost, and his local appearances are sprinkled with stories of past gigs and glories while he was living in Detroit.

Saxophonist Donald Walden joined his friend and mentor near the end of the second set for "Epistrophy" and "Round Midnight," and they created one of the most moving performances of the latter I've ever heard. Walden's presence had a buoyant effect upon Harris, who joked that Walden was playing so well, people might think it was Walden's gig. If in future they shared the same stage it would be billed as Barry Harris and Donald Walden, not the other way around, and Donald should remember that!

Harris closed his second set with "Mandela," his signature tune that invites audience participation, and seemingly everybody present knew the handclaps and vocal routine.

All in all, the concert was a wonderful homecoming by the Dean of Detroit jazz piano.


I N - T H I S - I S S U E :
1. RECORD REVIEWS   2. U-M JAZZ FEST
3. WEMU PROGRAMMING   4. NEW YEARS EVE
5. NOZERO / MICHAELS   6. SEMJA CHRISTMAS
7. BOPO CUTS   8. BARRY HARRIS

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