Жаз саксофонисі және Жаңа Орлеан мәдениетінің мұрагері

American jazz saxophonist
the musician
He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the Berklee College of Music in 2021. He is also an NEA Jazz Master. He is the uncle and former tutor of Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah, also known as Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah.

Harrison was born to Big Chief Donald Harrison Sr in 1960 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The foundation of Harrison's music comes from his lifelong participation in New Orleans culture. He started in New Orleans second line culture and studied New Orleans secret tribal culture, under his father, Big Chief Donald Harrison Sr. This was followed by an album that reached into Harrison's New Orleans heritage, with guest appearances by Dr. John and Cyrus Chestnut and chants by the Guardians of the Flame Mardi Gras Indians. He devoted half the album, Nouveau Swing (1997), to mixing the swing beat of modern acoustic jazz, with modern dance music and half to mixing the swing beat with Caribbean influenced music. On the next album, his experiments continued by mixing modern jazz's swing beat with hip hop, Latin music, R&B, and smooth jazz. His albums, 3D Vols. I, II, and III, present him in three different musical genres. On Vol. I he writes, plays, and produces smooth jazz and R&B style. Commenting on his choice for the group's name, Harrison has said, "I have a lot of respect for the guys who consider themselves to be Mardi Gras Indians, but I moved into describing what I do culturally in New Orleans to be Afro New Orleans music from traveling all over the world. Going to places like Cuba and Brazil, they always put Afro in front of things that are from their country but are a derivative of African culture. For instance, Eddie Palmieri always says Afro Caribbean when describing his music." He has taught at the College of William & Mary, the New York's New School of Music, and the Tipitina's Internship Program.

He is married to Mary Alicė Spears Harrison and the father of Victoria Harrison.

In 2022, the National Endowment for the Arts recognized Harrison with the A. B. Spellman NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship for Jazz Advocacy. Harrison is "known for his hard swinging improvisational style and the creation of 'Nouveau Swing,' a blend of jazz with R&B, hip hop, rock, and soul. And his dedication to preserving the music and culture of New Orleans has been crucial to assuring its important legacy survives."