National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Donald Harrison, who was recently voted as New Orleans’ top saxophonist in OffBeat Magazine‘s annual Best of the Beat Awards, presents a three-cut EP, The Art of Passion. The original compositions from Harrison’s pen—as well in collaboration with others—explore various approaches that share a basic melodic theme and titles with added conceptual explanations.

For instance, the name of the first cut is “The Art of Passion (Hard Swing)” that definitely lives up to its moniker and kicks off with the rhythm section of drummer Thomas Glass, bassist Max Moran and pianist Cameron Watson, supplying the hard-driving rhythm for Harrison’s soaring sax. Each of the members of this acoustic quartet gets their chance to step up with the saxophonist egging them on with his “Let’s go!” blowing. Harrison tops off this hard-bopping, hard-swing tune by returning to the head of the memorable melody with a “reach for the stars” note.

Cut two, “The Art of Passion (Trap Hip-Hop Jazz)” remains a close relative to the initial number in that it features the same musicians in an acoustic setting. It is surprisingly, perhaps, in a ballad-type mode. The biggest difference is primarily heard in the way in which Glass approaches the rhythm, where he puts down the beat.

“The Art of Passion (Trap Hip-Hop),” a much shorter cut, strays further with the use of electronic inclusions that accompany Harrison and electric bassist Deezle. Again, this cut is mellower than the title might suggest. Once more, the saxophonist displays his range on the horn, although this time he goes way down to its bottom end.

The Art of Passion provides an interesting study of possibilities which has long been a key factor in the brilliance of the always-curious Donald Harrison.