Wendell Harrison Dreams Of A Love Supreme 180g LP (Cobalt Blue Vinyl)

Wendell Harrison was born in Detroit in 1942, where he began formal jazz studies for piano, clarinet and tenor saxophone. At 14, while still in high school, Harrison started performing & recording professionally with artists such as Marvin Gaye, Grant Green, Sun Ra, Hank Crawford and many others.

In 1971 Harrison began teaching music at Metro Arts (a multi-arts complex for youth) where he also connected with Marcus Belgrave, Harold McKinney and Phil Ranelin. Soon after, they formed the (now legendary) Afro-centric TRIBE record label and artist collective. TRIBE used the Metro Arts complex as a vehicle to convey a growing black political consciousness. Wendell Harrison also published the very popular TRIBE magazine, a publication dedicated to local and national social and political issues, as well as featuring artistic contributions such as poetry and visual pieces.

In 1978 Harrison and McKinney co-founded REBIRTH, a non-profit jazz performance and education organization, in which many notable jazz artists have participated. Around the same time Wendell Harrison also created the WENHA record label and publishing company, which released many of his (now classic) recordings as well as those of other artists, such as Phil Ranelin, Doug Hammond and Reggie Fields (The Real ShooBeeDoo).

In the early 1990s Wendell Harrison was awarded the title of "Jazz Master" by Arts Midwest. This distinction led Harrison to collaborate with fellow honorees and gave him the chance to tour throughout the United States, the Middle East and Africa. Even to this day, Wendell Harrison's recordings for the TRIBE, WENHA and REBIRTH labels have a large worldwide fanbase.

It is on WENHA that Harrison released the opus Dreams Of A Love Supreme (1980), which Tidal Waves Music is presenting to you today.

Dreams Of A Love Supreme is a monster album that features an all-star lineup that includes Phil Ranelin (Freddie Hubbard, Solomon Burke, Mulatu Astakte) on trombone, Harold McKinney (Tribe) on keyboards and Roy Brooks (Yusef Lateef, Chet Baker, Mingus) on percussion. Although you can hear the '80s creeping in with a smoother sound, more synths, and disco/R&B vocals, this remains a very spiritual (and soulful) jazz record. The record is an irresistible blend of soul jazz combined with funky electric instrumentation - a groovy sound which is very much of its time, yet overtly timeless, and as relevant today as it was back when it was initially released.

Tidal Waves Music now proudly presents this official reissue, which is now available as a deluxe 180g cobalt blue vinyl edition (limited to 300 copies) and comes with a bonus track.