The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation proudly presents Donald Harrison, Jr., in concert on Saturday, April 28 (the first Saturday of Jazz Fest), with sets at 9:30p and 11:30p, at the Jazz & Heritage Center (1225 N. Rampart Street).

Admission is free. No tickets or advance registration are required. There is no reserved seating.

WATCH THE LIVE VIDEO HERE

Donald Harrison, Jr., is a New Orleans legend. The proud son of a 9th Ward Mardi Gras Indian chief, he has championed traditional New Orleans culture while pushing at the boundaries of many genres – from pop to hip-hop – all while being at the forefront of modern jazz as one of the world’s premier alto saxophonists.

While still a student at the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts, Harrison started getting noticed for his rich tone and dexterous delivery – working with Roy Haynes, Jack McDuff and others. After graduating, he joined Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers.

As a bandleader and in his own right, Harrison has worked with a who’s who of jazz greats, including Miles Davis, McCoy Tyner, Lena Horne, Ron Carter, Billy Cobham, Eddie Palmieri, Jennifer Holiday, Dr. John, Dr. Lonnie Smith and many others.

He also became a strong presence on the New York hip-hop scene, producing records with Notorious B.I.G. and Digable Planets.

In his own bands, Harrison has carried on the legacy of Art Blakey, continually nurturing the talents of young players. Recent graduates of Harrison’s bands include the bassist Max Moran, the pianist Conun Pappas and the drummer Joe Dyson.

The devastation left by Hurricane Katrina inspired Harrison to recommit to his New Orleans roots, keeping a strong emphasis on his Mardi Gras Indian heritage with band Congo Square Nation. He also was featured prominently in Spike Lee’s HBO documentary, “When the Levees Broke,” and he was the inspiration for several characters in the HBO series “Treme” (in addition to appearing in the show as himself).

In October 2015, Harrison started a new chapter on his musical path when he recorded his first classical orchestral composition, “Congo Square Part I,” with the Moscow Symphony Orchestra.

Harrison continues to participate in the Mardi Gras Indian tradition as Big Chief of the Congo Nation Afro New Orleans, named after Congo Square, where enslaved Africans once drummed and danced on Sundays. He follows in the footsteps of his late father, who during his life was Big Chief of four different Mardi Gras Indian groups.