Wheel, The
Reviews
Fo
Reviewed 2008-08-03
Reviewed 2008-08-03
JOEL HARRISON: The Wheel
Innova, 2008
JAZZ/CLASSICAL – Stunning suite for double-quartet (three violins + cello on the one hand, a jazz quartet on the other) and Harrison’s own moody guitar. This is an excellent merging of modern jazz and modern classical music, with dynamite improvisational energy surging within intricately layered structures, while also incorporating heavy doses of Appalachian and even African music. Just awesome. Highly recommended!
energetic: 1, 5 / jazzy: 2, 3 / emotive: 4, 6
1. 6:07 – slow strings, then a bustling Appalachian sound with layers of rhythm
2. 7:02 – slow intro, then thoughtful African sound on an intricate 5-beat cycle, switches to straight jazz midway through, drifts back gradually
3. 9:39 – strong pulse, elaborate harmony: rises, then plateaus for sax solo; breaks down for complex string interaction. Liner notes mention Messiaen and Weather Report… yep, that’s about right!
4. 7:47 – elegiac intro, then slow, simple, emotionally rich with surging strings
5. 7:33 – speedy, bursting with energy, incredibly dense at times, exhausting
6. 8:09 – tragic intro, heavy strings slowly rising, then gritty soaring guitar
[ Fo ] 3-Aug-08
Innova, 2008
JAZZ/CLASSICAL – Stunning suite for double-quartet (three violins + cello on the one hand, a jazz quartet on the other) and Harrison’s own moody guitar. This is an excellent merging of modern jazz and modern classical music, with dynamite improvisational energy surging within intricately layered structures, while also incorporating heavy doses of Appalachian and even African music. Just awesome. Highly recommended!
energetic: 1, 5 / jazzy: 2, 3 / emotive: 4, 6
1. 6:07 – slow strings, then a bustling Appalachian sound with layers of rhythm
2. 7:02 – slow intro, then thoughtful African sound on an intricate 5-beat cycle, switches to straight jazz midway through, drifts back gradually
3. 9:39 – strong pulse, elaborate harmony: rises, then plateaus for sax solo; breaks down for complex string interaction. Liner notes mention Messiaen and Weather Report… yep, that’s about right!
4. 7:47 – elegiac intro, then slow, simple, emotionally rich with surging strings
5. 7:33 – speedy, bursting with energy, incredibly dense at times, exhausting
6. 8:09 – tragic intro, heavy strings slowly rising, then gritty soaring guitar
[ Fo ] 3-Aug-08
Recent airplay
Rising
Music Casserole — Nov 27, 2021
Rising
Music Casserole — Feb 29, 2020
Ceaseless Motion (Watch The Future Roll By)
No Cover, No minimum — Jun 07, 2013
Rising
No Cover, No Minimum — Oct 10, 2008
We Have Been The Victims Of A Broken Promise
Memory Select — Oct 03, 2008
Blues Circle
No Cover, No Minimum — Oct 03, 2008
Charting
2008-08-03 — 2008-10-05
Jazz
| Week Ending | Airplays |
|---|---|
| Oct 5 | 2 |
| Sep 28 | 1 |
| Sep 14 | 1 |
| Aug 31 | 2 |
| Aug 24 | 1 |
| Aug 17 | 1 |
| Aug 10 | 2 |
Track listing
| 1. | American Farewell | ||
| 2. | Blues Circle | ||
| 3. | Rising | ||
| 4. | We Have Been The Victims Of A Broken Promise | ||
| 5. | Ceaseless Motion (Watch The Future Roll By) | ||
| 6. | In Memoriam: Dana Brayton |