Billy Strayhorn, Duke Ellington, Quincy Jones, Henry Mancini, Frank Foster, Gil Evans, Thad Jones, Frank Mantooth, Kenny Burrell, Wes Montgomery, Paul Gonsalves, Cedar Walton, Horace Silver, Bill Evans, Count Basie, Joe Pass, Grant Green, George Benson, Dexter Gordon, Igor Stravinsky, Claude Debussy, John Adams, Gustav Holst.
With the release of his first solo CD, "Keeping My Composure", on C3 Records, composer, arranger and conductor Charley Harrison, is poised to join the ranks of the legendary multi-faceted composer / arranger /conductors that helped direct the course of jazz.
A native of Chicago, Charley was recently appointed Director of the UCLA Jazz Orchestra in Los Angeles, while still serving, since 1991, as Associate Director and guitarist for the eighteen-piece Chicago Jazz Orchestra. The CJO is currently backing his CD of original material and jazz standards, with guest performances by vocalists Freddy Cole, Kurt Elling, Sara Gazarek and the CJO’s Frieda Lee, guitarist Bobby Broom and pianist Cedar Walton, among others.
Charley's multi-dimensional compositions and arrangements meld modern, classic swing, Latin and contemporary jazz elements. In 2004, his adventurous orchestration of Gershwin’s "Rhapsody In Blue", for pianist Anthony Molinaro, won him a rave review in the Chicago Tribune, which stated, “Writing rhythms that press relentlessly forward, weaving New Orleans street beats and bebop-tinged passages…the last few bars…utterly unexpected, planted the piece firmly into the 21st Century.”
Some of Charley's other recent highlights have included scoring writer/director Don Goodman's dramedy "Lavinia's Heist", and writer/director Steven Gary Banks' comedy "Head Rush", orchestrating and conducting the premiere of Kenny Burrell's "Ralph Bunche Suite" (an extended work for jazz orchestra and 5 featured soloists), arranging for Tony Award nominated vocalist Brian d'Arcy James' album "From Christmas Eve to Christmas Morn", and his appointment as director of the UCLA Jazz Orchestra. Charley has also been selected to score two upcoming films Oh, Baby (Hollywood Story Films), and Mosaic (CRC Entertainment).
A graduate of Northwestern University, Charley has also attended Boston’s prestigious Berklee School of Music. Charley honed is composition skills in the advertising industry for diverse clients that included McDonald’s, the Chicago White Sox, Chuck E. Cheese and Bissell Vacuum Cleaners.
Hey, thanks so much for the add and the friendship, I truly appreciate it! I’m back in the US to finish my debut album (feat. Take 6, K. Whalum, A. Laboriel, V. Colaiuta, P. Jackson Jr.). I’ll keep you posted :))
Greetings from a Swiss brother in Nashville,
blessings,
Vlada
http://www. vladamusic. com
charley, greetings from the other northcoast city. GREAT TUNES_GREAT PLAYERS_GREAT WRITING!! keep doing what you're doing and much success to you bro!!---joe
Super swing! Hi Charley! I love all of your music. Thank you very much for the request. Nice to meet you. I'm sorry,I don't recognize singer, who is singing "Pure Imagination"...Best regards, Dini.
