Testimonial
I am playing on both the tenor and baritone DURGA mouthpieces which are incredible in every way. The DURGA mouthpieces remain my favorite because of the versatility and the tremendous dynamics that are possible with them. As a studio and jazz player I need to be very subtle at times and then I need to utterly explode. The DURGA definitely fills the bill. Once again, you have created the most amazing mouthpiece that incorporates so many wonderful musical possibilities. Congratulations on another masterpiece! The GAIA alto mouthpiece is very much like my vintage #6 M New York Meyer, but gives that extra bite in the sound that I was hoping for and it feels extremely comfortable while also tuning into the center of all notes throughout the total range of the saxophone. Very even and easy to play! You can quote me on that, too!
Biography
Terry Harrington’s resume reads like a historical Who’s Who of Los Angeles TV, movie and jazz. He is a Wayne State University alumnus from 1963 and is one the most sought-after studio musicians. He has been nominated three consecutive years for the ‘Most Valuable’ all-around woodwind doubler by his peers in the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. In 1969 he was a staff musician at WJR (CBS) Radio doing daily shows, recording for Motown Records. He also conducted and led the Roostertail orchestra behind most of the greatest entertainers in America. Known and acclaimed for his deep insight into the inner workings of harmony in music, he has most recently published a highly acclaimed book on Advanced Jazz Improvisation and Polytonality, called ‘The Way I See It’. And to top off Terry’s amazing career: Since the start of The Simpsons 20 years ago Terry Harrington has improvised all of Lisa Simpson’s main title solos. Indeed, Lisa Simpson now plays a DURGA!
More About Terry Harrington
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Inspiration
Q:Why did you choose to become a musician?
A:I began playing an old metal, clarinet when I was eleven and exhibited natural talent. I loved to play and was actually willing to practice in order to achieve musical objectives that my dad (who really wanted to share music with me) and a very special first private clarinet teacher set for me. As I gained technique, learning new scales and new keys, my dad piqued my interest by writing out wonderful songs from the great American songbook that we both loved to play. As I improved he began writing jazz choruses to go along with them while adding new tunes to my evolving library. This was way before the days of “Real Books” and illegal “bibles, etc.” He really motivated me and gave me an enormous head start, especially in a practical sense, because these are tunes that I still occasionally play today and have made a lot of money from in the process. We would play together (he played piano and guitar) and when I was ready (I had just turned fifteen) I played my very first gig with him and a few other musicians and made about $400 by today’s standards. That shows you what direction this music business is headed! During this time he also began explaining, per request, how to play over chord changes, and that was definitely the beginning of who I am today, because the magnificent art of jazz improvisation, America’s contribution and gift to the world, with all its psychological complexities and subtleties became my real passion in life. I began laying the ground work to become a solid, profound musician’s musician on whatever instruments I would eventually play, and also as knowledgeable and accountable as possible in order to really succeed in music. At thirteen I was already feeling confident and exhibiting discerning strengths in my development including jazz improvisation. When my dad played, he swung hard and his time was noticeably strong. Thank God, that attribute carried over into my playing! At that time, music was everywhere: lots of different types of gigs for every occasion, live bands (big and small) staff musicians in studios, radio and television, etc. My dream was to be the most well-rounded qualified musician to walk into any demanding professional job and do it with aplomb, and it is still what I strive for today! Thankfully, I guess I can now say “the rest is history!”
Q:What is your experience when you feel connected into the music?
A:The stimulating and consummate musicians around me all seem to be in total agreement and on the same musical plane to the max and I have a powerful feeling of well being, doing exactly what God intended for me to do. My chops and mind are completely in sync because of current and past disciplines and I’m able to carry out anything the muse wants me to. I allow myself the freedom to completely feel and react to whatever is going on around me naturally and without fear. Yet, at the same time I am also able to exert total artistic control by directing the situation with my musical instincts and conviction while soloing and am completely supported by the other musicians in the best possible way. My intention and execution is clear, constantly giving insight and confidence to everyone involved so that the “whole, once again, becomes greater than the parts,” and the magic of profound jazz is allowed to prevail.
Q:What is your experience of when you don’t feel connected to your music?
A:As an L.A. studio musician with its unique challenges, there is rarely a time when I feel disconnected when I’m involved with the music at hand because I am a professional and have a job to do. But when situations depend on my own personal input, like playing jazz, there are times when I’m much more inspired than others depending on surrounding elements. I always say, “Everything is everything!”, meaning that the subtlest things can have the most dramatic impact in all of life, and especially in music, good or bad. Fortunately, I’m usually involved with exceptionally capable people on a very rarified plane, but even then it’s a matter of degree as to how much I am really drawn into the music. Some musicians, even at their best, just don’t do the things that you want to hear behind you, that inspire you to be as good as you can be, things that can’t be learned from a book. It’s all psychology, depth of understanding and controlled musical poise in what you decide to do and not do and some people seemingly barely have a clue! If you are listening and have the correct sensibilities, there are appropriate things to do in a particular situation, but the less competent often end up imposing themselves on you, keeping you from being yourself by over playing, playing in the wrong places with bad time, using less compelling voicings then the texture and attitude I want to portray, lacking proper intensity for the situation, playing erratically and not swinging, not realizing when less is more, etc. There have been times when I felt hung out high and dry because the rhythm section or even just one person involved was lacking in some of these qualities and couldn’t get as “deep” or tune into the magnitude of where I wanted to go emotionally, therefore my master plan for my solo was totally aborted. Musicians tend to vary significantly in these often illusive but insightful qualities no matter how good they are at their craft, and unfortunately, not much can be done about it when you are “in the moment.” Jazz is such a personal expression and, if you really want to “get it,” you just better have the right people with you! These discerning qualities are the added psychological support that only the most articulate and sensitive musicians can give to each other when striving for the ultimate performance!
Q:Where does your inspiration comes from? What does it feel like?
A:Playing-wise, my inspiration comes from anything and everything. I am more or less always subconsciously in a “call and response mode,” ready to react to whatever promotes my overall intention at the time when soloing or otherwise. Expressive elements such as harmonic voicing, rhythmic motifs, dynamics, use of space, different intensities, pretty girls, etc, can all be inspirational in this regard. The feeling of vibrant group interaction becomes most rewarding when everybody is listening to and supporting each other and responding in their own dynamic way. Then, once again the “whole becomes greater than the parts.” One vital part of this is the trust that must be put in others to keep your contributions ever evolving and built upon while also inspiring them to do the same thing.
Q:Do you have any fun stories of inspirational moments to share?
A:I had a situation where two country tunes were needed very quickly and the end result were these two songs with titles that play on words: If You Won’t Leave Me, I’ll Find Someone Who Will and She Fell For Me, So I Let Her Lay.
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