Eric Harland

Healdsburg Jazz Festival from JazzInkBlog

2008-06-09T08:12:00.000-07:00

"Charles Lloyd and his companions are nomadic storytellers, wandering through centuries and continents."

Click here for more at JazzInkBlog.

It was really all about Eric Harland.

2008-06-02T20:39:00.000-07:00

Last night at the Jackson Theater, Charles Lloyd and his quintet gave an utterly transforming performance. Aided by Jason Moran, Ruben Rogers, Eric Harland and Zakir Hussain, Lloyd led his group on a frighteningly inventive sojourn which plunged into unchartered depth and redefined the rules of collective creativity. Amidst a furious storm of talent, the centered Lloyd remarked to the crowd, “It’s better to stick with the ship—and go down with it, if necessary.”

Lloyd and the group were unbelievable—but it was really all about Eric Harland.

Click here for more on Eric Harland now touring with The Charles Lloyd New Quartet.

Don't Give in to Fear

2008-04-28T07:37:00.000-07:00

A cool blog post from Yonga Sun:

"Eric Harland is an incredible and innovative drummer with a style totally his own. He's got unbelievable drive, groove, speed, can rock with a light touch to boot!

I asked him how he managed to always be in-the-moment and freshly inspired at every gig. His answer came down to: "Don't give in to fear." He used more words to elaborate on this. This idea is an affirmation of what I've been trying to implement in my approach to music for a couple of years now."

Click here for the full article.

Eric at the New York Times

2008-03-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

"And the drummer Eric Harland’s rewriting of “Yes or No,” with a rhythm in alternating four- and five-beat measures, became a sneaky concerto. Mr. Harland always plays as if he’s soloing, so as the piece went through its slow buildup you weren’t expecting the actual solo in the middle. It arrived and stayed for a few minutes; then the drumming became enfolded again into the group without a change in style, flowing onward."

Click here for BEN RATLIFF's full article at NYTimes.

Modern Drummer Interviews Eric Harland

2008-03-04T10:26:00.000-08:00

I know this has been posted before but thought I would revisit with a link to the full article by Ken Micallef at ModernDrummer.com.
-jmo

"A young man who ran with gangs and preached the gospel - who found his future from a chance meeting with jazz trumpeter and historian Wynton Marsalis - and who successfully fuses the styles of Steve Gadd and Jack DeJohnette, Eric Harland is a unique presence. His work on records by such artists as Terence Blanchard, Mark Shim, and Ravi Coltrane is a study in orchestral drumming. Where many drummers approach conventional jazz rhythms using the ride cymbal as the lead voice, Harland uses the entire set and its variety of sounds to underpin, elaborate, and explore the rhythm.

As likely to play a funky Bernard Purdie pattern as a floating Jack DeJohnette pulse, Harland is musical to a fault, but extremely creative--and even courageous. But that's not surprising for a man who has not only weathered the storms of life, but prospered, finding himself in the process."

"I think we're all going through a process in life of gaining a sense of identity and having to defend it at the same time," Harland says. "You have what flows with it and also what contradicts it. That's where you get your strength, from the perseverance of being yourself and the balance of understanding your place in this world."

Click here for the full interview.

Eric on Wikipedia

2008-03-04T10:20:00.000-08:00

"His style is described as dynamic, with an ability to play straightahead and free with equal aplomb, and to move from delicate passages to ferociously bombastic soloing."

Lots of great links to the artist that Eric Harland has played with over the years over at wikipedia.org.

Click here to chek it out.

SFJAZZ 2008 Lineup

2008-03-03T10:04:00.000-08:00

A leading drummer on the national scene, 28-year-old Texas-born Eric Harland has performed with jazz legends like Betty Carter, Joe Henderson, and McCoy Tyner, and has played on more than 35 recordings with such artists as Terence Blanchard, Greg Osby, Charles Lloyd, and Stefon Harris. In Down Beat's 65th Annual Readers Poll, he was included in the short list of top drummers, in the company of masters like Roy Haynes and the late Elvin Jones.

Click here for more.

Videos of Eric Harland on Cymbalholic.com

2008-03-03T09:55:00.000-08:00

With Charles Lloyd and others.

Click here.

SFJAZZ Collective: Live at Jazz à Vienne

2008-02-11T19:59:00.000-08:00

Production Notes: Originally filmed for broadcast on French Public television, the DVD captures the all- star octet live in concert in Vienne, France on July 10, 2007. Live at Jazz Vienne is available exclusively via sfjazz.org and from the SFJAZZ Store located at 3 Embarcadero Center, Lobby Level, San Francisco, CA 94111. All region DVD format.

Click here for full coverage and links to buy the DVD.

SFJAZZ Collective at Carnegie Hall, March 5, 2008

2008-02-04T15:57:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday, March 5 at 8:30 p.m., the SFJAZZ Collective brings to Zankel Hall new compositions by the ensemble's members and the works of one of jazz's quintessential modernists: iconic saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter. Named “Rising Star Jazz Band of the Year" in DownBeat's 2006 International Critics Poll, the Collective includes Joe Lovano (saxophones), Dave Douglas (trumpet), Miguel Zenn (alto saxophone and flute), Robin Eubanks (trombone), Renee Rosnes (piano), Matt Penman (bass), Eric Harland (drums), and Stefon Harris (vibraphone and marimba). The SFJAZZ Collective's composer focus this season is on Wayne Shorter, best known for carefully conceived and complex tunes, and whose body of work as a composer includes writing for such illustrious groups as Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, Miles Davis's famous mid '60s quintet, and fusion supergroup Weather Report. This performance is a part of Nonesuch at Carnegie and Carnegie Hall's 2007–2008 The Shape of Jazz series. The Shape of Jazz series is presented by Carnegie Hall in partnership with Festival Productions.

Click here for the full article at All About Jazz.

Aaron Goldberg Jazzes it up

2008-01-22T07:46:00.000-08:00

You may not have heard about the Aaron Goldberg Trio -- but jazz aficionados will have heard Aaron Goldberg. As a sideman, the pianist has toured with the likes of trumpeter and jazz preservationist Wynton Marsalis, saxophonist and jazz orchestra leader Joshua Redman and guitarist frontman Kurt Rosenwinkel.

Ten years into his game, Goldberg is ready to make his mark as a bandleader. For him, 2008 will be the year of the trio, and he kicks it off this weekend at the Jazz Standard. In an interview, he got fired up about his music, jazz tradition and even politics.

Click here to read more by EVELYN SHIH.

SFJAZZ Collective: Live 2007

2008-01-22T07:38:00.000-08:00

In the East Coast/West Coast debate, the West just won another point. As a native New Englander, the SFJAZZ Collective was a wholly foreign entity to me until a month ago, when I first heard Live 2007: 4th Annual Concert Tour, the Collective's limited-edition double album containing their entire repertoire last year. SFJAZZ, the non-profit giant behind the San Francisco Jazz Festival and countless educational initiatives, has been commissioning an octet of musicians known as The Collective to compose and perform elegant jazz all around the world for the past four years. The ensemble had been directed until 2008 by Joshua Redman, saxophonist to the stars and frequent collaborator on a number of national projects. While Redman's background is impressive (eleven albums; recordings with Corea, Mehldau, & Metheny), the rest of the team shines with an equal brilliance.

The horn section is rounded out by André Hayward (trombone), Miguel Zenón (alto saxophone) and Dave Douglas (trumpet). The legendary Bobby Hutcherson (vibraphone) makes his distinct impression on the album, as well as Matt Penman(bass), Renee Rosnes (piano) and Eric Harland (drums).

Click here to read the rest of Trevor Pour's article at jambase.com.

JVC JAZZ FESTIVAL

2006-06-19T07:38:00.000-07:00

June 22
Also on that night, at Zankel Hall: Sangam. The saxophonist and flutist Charles Lloyd’s broad instincts come to the fore in his current trio, featuring the trap drummer Eric Harland and the tabla master Zakir Hussain. The three players find common ground between jazz and Eastern rhythms and modalities, and their playing is highlighted by Lloyd’s lyricism, Hussain’s virtuosity, and Harland’s responsiveness

Click here to see the full schedule for the JVC Jazz Festival at the New Yorker.

Casually Introducing Walter Smith III

2006-06-04T07:39:00.000-07:00

Despite the title of his debut recording, saxophonist Walter Smith III give us far more than a casual introduction to his formidable chops as performer and composer. Featuring two ensembles of young rising stars and a playlist alternating original compositions with gems from Sam Rivers, Charles Mingus, Ornette Coleman, and collaborator Lionel Loueke, Casually Introducing Walter Smith III (Fresh Sound/New Talent, 2006) hopefully should be all the introduction this artist will need to bring him justified and widespread attention.

Click here for the full review at Jazz Police.

A Revelation

2006-05-31T07:33:00.000-07:00

The stripped-down saxophone and percussion trio of “Sangam” makes it a successor to 2004’s excellent “Which Way Is East,” an intimate set of duets recorded in Lloyd’s living room with drummer Billy Higgins. Tabla master Zakir Hussain carries some of the melodic load, dropping quotes from Sonny Rollins’ “St. Thomas” and “The William Tell Overture” into a solo. Drummer Eric Harland is a revelation.

Click here to read the full review of Sangam at Style Weekly.

Redman's versatile sax playing dominates show

2006-05-15T11:02:00.000-07:00

"Along with Redman, drummer Harland was also a crowd favorite Sunday night. Considered a rising star, and also a member of the SF Collective, he has a loose-limbed but rhythmically precise style that avoids jazz-drumming clichés. Harland has a knack for unexpected moves that enhance each song, such as using his bare hands to coax a bongo-like sound from his snare drum and floor tom on the Brazilian, bossa nova standard "How Insensitive.""

Click here to read the rest of Dan Emerson's article at Twincities.com.

Hercules Steals the Show

2006-04-18T06:09:00.000-07:00

IT'S a Herculean task for a drummer to steal the show when he's playing behind mega-talents such as Berkeley-born saxophonist Joshua Redman and San Mateo County's own vibes-legend Bobby Hutcherson.

Meet Eric Harland, now known in these parts as Hercules.

The fiery Texas-born drummer, who has set the beat for the likes of McCoy Tyner, Greg Osby and Charles Lloyd, was an absolutely dominating presence during the SFJAZZ Collective concert Friday night at the Herbst Theatre in San Francisco.

Click here to read Jim Harrington's review at Inside Bay Area.

Billboard Review of Sangam

2006-04-07T21:49:00.000-07:00

ALBUM: SANGAM (ECM Records)

Recorded in 2004 live in Santa Barbara, Calif., "Sangam" is Lloyd‘s mesmerizing homage to late drummer/collaborator Billy Higgins. Lloyd delivers rapturous journey music with his trio mates, tabla master Zakir Hussain and fine young drummer Eric Harland. Lloyd‘s signature probing lyricism embellished by high-note flights of passion (the exhilarating title track and the jog-paced "Tender Warriors") certainly serve as the CD‘s calling card. But the engine propelling the set is the double-percussion drive, which showcases the underexposed talents of Hussain. His rapid-fire tabla flutters and gallops; "Tales of Rumi" and the "Lady in the Harbor" fascinate with North Indian hue and weave. Noteworthy tracks include "Nataraj," Lloyd‘s relatively short piano muse; "Little Peace," fueled by his jaunty melodic flute lines; and "Dancing on One Foot," the slowly simmering album opener.

Reuters/Billboard

SFJazz at Carnegie Hall

2006-03-11T10:55:00.000-08:00

CARNEGIE HALL PRESENTS
SFJAZZ Collective

Zankel Hall
Tuesday, March 28th, 2006 at 8:30 PM

SFJAZZ Collective
·· Joshua Redman, Artistic Director and Tenor and Soprano Saxophones
·· Bobby Hutcherson, Vibraphone and Marimba
·· Nicholas Payton, Trumpet
·· Miguel Zenón, Alto Saxophone and Flute
·· Andre Hayward, Trombone
·· Renee Rosnes, Piano
·· Matt Penman, Bass
·· Eric Harland, Drums

With an all-star line-up including vibes legend Bobby Hutcherson and renowned saxman Joshua Redman, the SFJAZZ Collective celebrates the sound of jazz as a vital and ever-changing art form. Each season, the 8-person Collective divides its repertoire between all-new compositions by the band members themselves and works by a modern jazz master. In this concert, in addition to the group’s own cutting-edge compositions, the Collective will focus on music by the celebrated jazz innovator Ornette Coleman.

Click here to read more about the upcoming show and SFJazz.

Kurt Rosenwinkel Group

2006-02-18T09:09:00.000-08:00

In 1992, after spending two-and-a-half years studying jazz guitar at the Berklee School of Music, Rosenwinkel dropped out, leaving Boston for the greener pastures of international jazz stardom. This weekend, he returns to his college town—only this time he’ll be playing across the Charles in Cambridge’s Regattabar Jazz Club.

In the past, Rosenwinkel has worked with an impressive array of supporting sidemen (including former Tribe Called Quest frontman Q-Tip), and this weekend is no exception. Expect smart accompaniment from saxophonist Mark Turner, pianist Aaron Goldberg, bassist Joe Martin, and drummer Eric Harland when Rosenwinkel comes back to school.

Click here to read more of JAKE G. COHEN's article at the Harvard Crimson.

Eric Harland and McCoy Tyner

2006-01-16T22:18:00.000-08:00

Pianist McCoy Tyner is one of the working legends of his generation, an artist whose long and diverse career spans the heyday of bop, the emergence of Coltrane, and the evolution of the complex structures that are hallmarks of modern jazz. His percussive attack, orchestral voicings, and modal harmonics have influenced several generations of musicians, and his ongoing work exemplifies the life of a creative artist constantly seeking to grow and respond. In the context of this never-ending exploration, Tyner began an annual series of residencies at the famed Oakland club, Yoshi’s, back in 1995. Tyner celebrates eleven years of a gig that combines workshop and showcase with his usual two-week format: Week One (January 24-29) features the pianist in an amazing quartet with contemporary legends Joe Lovano (tenor sax), Dave Holland (bass), and Lewis Nash (drums). Week Two (January 31-February 5 will reunite Tyner with his 2005 compatriots of a younger generation, saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, bassist Charnett Moffett, and drummer Eric Harland, along with vibes master Bobby Hutcherson.

Click here to read more at JazzPolice.com.

Eric Harland at SFJazz.org

2006-01-02T08:33:00.000-08:00

"Eric Harland (Drums): An ordained minister as well as a leading drummer on the national scene, Eric Harland has performed with jazz legends like Betty Carter, Joe Henderson, and McCoy Tyner, and has played on more than 25 recordings, including Terence Blanchard's Let Get Lost and Stefon Harris' Black Action Figure. In Down Beat 's 65th Annual Readers Poll, he was included in the short list of top drummers, in the company of masters like Elvin Jones and Roy Haynes."

Click here to read more about SFJazz.

The Best Jazz Albums of 2005

2006-01-02T08:24:00.000-08:00

Charles Lloyd, "Jumpin the Creek" (ECM)

"Over the past decade, Lloyd has not-so-quietly re-emerged with a series of critically received recordings. With pianist Geri Allen, bassist Robert Hurst and drummer Eric Harland, "Jumping the Creek" is typical Lloyd: reflective, alluring and impassioned free blowing. Some of the best moments occur on "Georgia Bright Suite," which is ostensibly two songs, "Pythagoras at Jeckyll Island" and "Sweet Georgia Bright," and provides the best example of Lloyd's tenderness and tenacity."

Click here to read more from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette .

SFJAZZ Collective Joins The Center's Jazz Lineup

2006-01-02T08:18:00.000-08:00

The SFJAZZ Collective will make its Orange County Performing Arts Center debut on March 17 and 18 with a program honoring the works of Herbie Hancock. Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. both evenings in Founders Hall.

Led by artistic director Joshua Redman, the SFJAZZ Collective celebrates jazz as a vital and ever-changing art form. Each year, the eight member all-star group divides its repertoire between new works written by each of the band’s members and works by a modern jazz artist. Legendary jazz pianist Herbie Hancock is the focus of this year’s tour.

Members of the 2006 SFJAZZ Collective are Bobby Hutcherson (vibraphone), Joshua Redman (saxophone), Eric Harland (drums), Nicholas Payton (trumpet), Matt Penman (bass), Renee Rosnes (piano), Miguel Zenón (saxophone) and Andrew Hayward (trombone).

Click here to read more and here to go to sfjazz.org.

Eric Harland - Blue Note Ace

2005-12-14T08:10:00.000-08:00

Modern Drummer has a great bio and interview with Eric Harland.
Here's an excerpt:

"I think we’re all going through a process in life of gaining a sense of identity and having to defend it at the same time," Harland says. "You have what flows with it and also what contradicts it. That’s where you get your strength, from the perseverance of being yourself and the balance of understanding your place in this world."