Joe Harriott

'Parker? There's them over here can play a few aces too.' Measuring himself alongside his mentor Charlie Parker, Jamaican alto saxophonist Joe Harriott had no doubts about his talent and abilities - and with good reason. A brilliant instrumentalist and a visionary in the development of jazz, Harriot [...]
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'Parker? There's them over here can play a few aces too.' Measuring himself alongside his mentor Charlie Parker, Jamaican alto saxophonist Joe Harriott had no doubts about his talent and abilities - and with good reason. A brilliant instrumentalist and a visionary in the development of jazz, Harriott gained legions of admirers for his fiery playing in Britain and beyond before embarking on a quest to extend the limits of the music. His unique concept of free form, evolved independently of American developments, heralded the emergence of contemporary European jazz. Later, with John Mayer, he pioneered cross-cultural fusions of jazz and Indian music. Neglected in his lifetime by an unappreciative arts establishment, Harriott produced a body of recorded work that is increasingly influential and widely acclaimed. Alan Robertson's book, based on the author's extensive interviews with many of those who knew Joe best, has been revised and updated to include important new material giving an even richer picture of the triumphs and tragedies of Harriott's remarkable life.