Joe Harriott : Coda

"All the others, they play inside the room, in here. What I play is out de window, out de window." -Joe Harriott

"Born in Jamaica in 1928, Joe Harriott came to the UK in 1952 with the Eddie Da Costa band already with a well-developed style of his own. He quickly aligned himself with a generation of British jazzers heavily under the influence of the sound of Charlie Parker and Be-Bop. His forthright, aggressive and unsentimental sound was an immediate hit and his ability to not only play all styles of jazz but be a master of them too was impressive. His contemporaries in the burgeoning modern jazz scene in London included the pianist, Michael Garrick, and the great tenor and vibraphonist, Tubby Hayes His popularity led him to work in Ronnie Scott's short-lived big band in 1956 where he typically won the admiration of his fellow band members for his playing, but had some personality clashes when others saw him as arrogant. He was a person of tremendous self-confidence, and his manner could come across as rather dogmatic and aloof.

"Harriott contracted tuberculosis in 1958 and spent six months recuperating in hospital. It was here that he began to develop his a new approach to music that he called 'free form'. Music free from harmonic and rhythmic patterns or as he referred to it the ability to 'paint sound'. "All the others, they play inside the room, in here. What I play is out de window, out de window." This discovery was made in parallel with Ornette Coleman's concepts, but regardless of any knowledge of them. Harriott was a pioneer in developing these ideas and the grandfather of the subsequent European free-jazz movement of the 1960's and 70's.

"Despite critical acclaim Joe Harriott 's music went largely ignored in his lifetime, and he was never able to live comfortably. Neither could he afford to keep regular working bands together. It is a sad but familiar fixture in the history of jazz. The story of unrecognised genius, brave innovators ahead of their time who fell by the wayside, the lonely outsider left only with empty pockets and a restless energy to burn. This is a romantic distortion. Joe Harriott spent his remaining years freelancing around the UK with pick up bands, sleeping on locals' couches and floors. His closing years were a sad reflection of those of Charlie Parker, dying a lonely and tragic death of cancer in 1973. Joe Harriott was 44."

-Notes borrowed from Bobby Hancock

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Category:

Music

Tags:

• Joe
• Harriott
• Free
• Form
• Coda
• British
• Jazz

[beckabarecka]

"Despite critical acclaim Joe Harriott 's music went largely ignored in his lifetime, and he was never able to live comfortably....."  I think this is true with many artists.

[paganmaestro]

@beckabarecka Never more so than with innovators.

[doggiedearest]

a brilliant player ahead of his time, equal to if not better than any american.

A truly unique & innovative artist

[lowgrau]

@swingmanic I feel the same. If anyone has the capibility to upload "Modal" that would sure be cool.

[almixedup]

Beautiful

[swingmanic]

A wonderfully talented musician who stirs something different in me, every time I hear him!...Sadly under played and underrated!

Thanx for posting!!