Michael Weiss Posted March 16, 2014 Report Posted March 16, 2014 Just learned from Monty Alexander tonight that Al Harewood passed last Thursday. Al was one of the sweetest - and swingingest. "Mr. Tip." I had the great pleasure of working with Al frequently in the 1980s, in trios or groups that included the likes of Bob Cranshaw, Larry Gales, Lou Donaldson, Pepper Adams, Benny Powell, Junior Cook and Bill Hardman. Those were the days! Al came out for Cedar's memorial last November. He looked good and seemed his usual chipper self. He divided his time between Brooklyn and Barbados. Al Harewood - a major contributor for many years and a real stylist. RIP Quote
Justin V Posted March 16, 2014 Report Posted March 16, 2014 Al Harewood was a wonderfully crisp, swinging drummer with a lot of sensitivity and an all-around happy feel to his sound. Whenever I see his name on an album, I know that he is going to bring something special to the table. Thanks for the music, Mr. Harewood. Quote
JSngry Posted March 16, 2014 Report Posted March 16, 2014 I walked into Fat Tuesday's in 1979 to catch a set of James Moody, and Al Harewood was on drums. Surprised the hell outta me, because being young dumb and unfocused, I figured that since I hadn't seem his name on any records that he was already dead. Well, if he was, he sure didn't play like it, played his ass off, and Moody reciprocated. That was one of the early indicators I got that records are not THE history, they were just a selective part of it. Al Harewood LIVED! So, yeah, RIP, and thanks much. Ever since that night, if I see Al Harewood on a record, I buy it, if nothing else, for a reminder. Quote
sidewinder Posted March 16, 2014 Report Posted March 16, 2014 Yet more sad news - always enjoyed his playing. RIP. Quote
BillF Posted March 16, 2014 Report Posted March 16, 2014 Harewood, Tucker and Parlan - none better! Quote
sidewinder Posted March 16, 2014 Report Posted March 16, 2014 Harewood, Tucker and Parlan - none better! I can feel a spin of the Parlan Mosaic set coming on. Good reminder ! Quote
king ubu Posted March 16, 2014 Report Posted March 16, 2014 Sad news. First heard Harewood on those great "Up at Minton's" recordings by Stanley Turrentine (with the mentioned Parlan trio and Grant Green). Always loved his touch! Quote
mikeweil Posted March 16, 2014 Report Posted March 16, 2014 Al Harewood always played in a more elegant and refined but just as hard swinging style as his contemporaries - I always liked his playing. I will pull out the Parlan Mosaic now ... R.I.P., and thanks much for the many hours of inspiring listening. Quote
paul secor Posted March 16, 2014 Report Posted March 16, 2014 A friend sent me a forwarded e-mail announcing his passing a few days ago. I couldn't find another confirmation, so I held off posting anything. (I guess I was also hoping that it wasn't so.) Al Harewood was a fine though underrated drummer. (Seems strange that he was overlooked and underrated by many, considering that he made a fair number of records with some well known musicians on name jazz labels. Such is fate.) Thanks for the music you gave us, Mr. Harewood. Quote
soulpope Posted March 16, 2014 Report Posted March 16, 2014 RIP........... Parlan+Tucker+Harewood play on forever !!! Quote
BillF Posted March 16, 2014 Report Posted March 16, 2014 Al will have been the descendant of slaves owned by the English aristocratic Harewood dynasty, closely related to the Queen and owners of the palatial Harewood House in Yorkshire, built on the proceeds of slavery. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Lascelles,_1st_Baron_Harewood http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Lascelles,_Viscount_Lascelles Quote
Simon8 Posted March 16, 2014 Report Posted March 16, 2014 (edited) Ethan Iverson' s take on Mr Harewood: RIP Al Harewood Back in the heyday of hard bop, when everyone played a similar folkloric ride cymbal beat, it was up to the drummer to make sure his pattern was distinctive. A quarter note is a quarter note is a quarter-note: Al Harewood’s version was effortless and Caribbean-inflected. His left hand coughed and bumped. Of course the bass drum was feathered just right. There was probably no moment of his professional career as a musician where Al Harewood wasn’t swinging. Harewood can be heard on the following albums, all of which are lifted up by his beautiful beat. The 60's music is the most famous: the many albums with Horace Parlan and George Tucker show that unit was a canonical rhythm section. Later, through Betty Carter, Harewood linked up with Norman Simmons, another musician with whom he shared similar ideals and taste. Completed by Lisle Atkinson, that unit was canonical too. [follows a list of records featuring Harewood] http://dothemath.typepad.com/dtm/2014/03/rip-al-harewood.html Edited March 16, 2014 by Simon8 Quote
clifford_thornton Posted March 17, 2014 Report Posted March 17, 2014 Wow - great player. I give thanks that he did what he did. RIP. Quote
JohnS Posted March 17, 2014 Report Posted March 17, 2014 Sorry to read this - the sad news keeps on coming.. Quote
mjzee Posted March 17, 2014 Report Posted March 17, 2014 RIP. I enjoyed seeing him on the Story of Blue Note TV program/DVD, reminiscing with Bob Cranshaw and Tommy Turrentine. Quote
Peter Friedman Posted March 17, 2014 Report Posted March 17, 2014 Oh yes, that Parlan, Tucker, Harewood rhythm section was wonderful. I recall seeing Al Harewood play live once. Can't remember the specific date or place, or who else was on the gig. But what I clearly do remember was that Harewood was ultra tasty and swung like mad. Quote
Bluesnik Posted March 17, 2014 Report Posted March 17, 2014 Harewood, Tucker and Parlan - none better! Yes, great trio. Quote
sgcim Posted March 17, 2014 Report Posted March 17, 2014 I liked his work with Grant Green- RIP. Quote
Cyril Posted March 17, 2014 Report Posted March 17, 2014 RIP Al Harewood! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWuE9pUls6Y Quote
Hardbopjazz Posted March 17, 2014 Report Posted March 17, 2014 Another giant has left. RIP Al. Thanks for swinging. Quote
Michael Weiss Posted March 20, 2014 Author Report Posted March 20, 2014 Lou spoke at Al's funeral yesterday and said something funny: At the time Lou was touring with Horace Parlan, George Tucker and Al Harewood, club owners expected that by the end of the week's engagement, bands would typically run up a high bar tab such that they only ended up having to pay out about half of the contracted fee. But because Lou's entire quartet lived clean - no booze, no "vitamins," etc. - Lou had to fight with club owners to pay up. Quote
Michael Weiss Posted March 20, 2014 Author Report Posted March 20, 2014 This was taken by Jimmy Wormworth in Detroit ca. 1960-1961 shortly after he left Lou for Lambert, Hendricks & Ross. Quote
Peter Friedman Posted March 21, 2014 Report Posted March 21, 2014 This was taken by Jimmy Wormworth in Detroit ca. 1960-1961 shortly after he left Lou for Lambert, Hendricks & Ross. Michael, Thanks for sharing that great photo. Quote
ValerieB Posted March 24, 2014 Report Posted March 24, 2014 Pianist, Walter Bishop, Jr. loved playing with Al. maybe it was, in part, because they both shared those West Indian roots. Quote
Mark Stryker Posted June 11, 2020 Report Posted June 11, 2020 (edited) Listened to this last night. Al Harewood plays a rimshot on beat 4 in every bar of this performance with just three exception — all in the same spot in the tune: the bar going into the bridge on the opening melody chorus and then in that same bar during both trumpet choruses. Otherwise, he ticks off 4 in every bar for nine minutes and 19 seconds. It’s almost a piece of performance art. And, man, does it swing. Edited June 11, 2020 by Mark Stryker Quote
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