Alto saxophonist Donald Harrison's musical philosophy reflects the culture of his native New Orleans: he embraces a wide spectrum of styles and genres of contemporary music, infusing each with his own personal style. Just as the first jazz musicians created a hybrid of West African traditions, American parade music, Caribbean rhythms, and other influences, Harrison takes in the diverse sounds of modern America and fuses them into a musical language that is both universal and totally unique. His musical versatility is unmatched. In addition to being a prominent jazz bandleader and alumnus of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, he is an authority on the traditions of Afro-New Orleans culture, a smooth-jazz sensation, and a composer of contemporary orchestral music. He was even a musical mentor to the rapper Notorious BIG. Harrison's band features an astonishing trio of young players: bassist Max Moran, pianist Victor Gould, and drummer Joe Dyson. These talented newcomers were in their teens when they made the transition from being Harrison's students to sharing the stage with him in 2007, and they have grown into an exciting rhythm section perfectly suited to the leader's genre-leaping music.