A NEW TWIST IN STYLE FOR A FAVORITE CONTEMPORARY MUSICIAN

FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE

April 25, 2008

Contact: Acoustic Arts International PR 650 759 1750

Event: Joel Harrison/ Passing Train CD Release

May 19, 2008 9:30pm, Ticket price $15

Joe's Pub

425 Lafayette, New York City, NY 10003

A NEW TWIST IN STYLE FOR A FAVORITE CONTEMPORARY MUSICIAN

New York City, NY April 15, 2008-- Joel Harrison brings his soulful, creative songs to Joe's Pub on May 19, 2008 in celebration of his new CD release, Passing Train. This project marks Harrison's 8th release as a leader and first release devoted exclusively to his talent as a songwriter. The evening will showcase music from Passing Train, and feature Harrison on vocals and guitar along with many of the musicians from the CD.

Washington D.C. native Joel Harrison resists musical categorization. For those who know his work as a jazz guitarist and composer, Harrison's songwriting talent will come as a surprise. Harrison's worn, bluesy voice is used to great effect in material that entertains even as it grapples with deep issues. Harrison's sound stems from a love of American song combined with unusual instrumentation from around the world.

Passing Train (Intuition/ Pure Land) was produced by Ben Wittman, who is well known for his work with Jonatha Brooke and Lucy Kaplansky. It continues along a path first suggested by his 2003 release, Free Country, which featured Norah Jones on vocals and was considered one of the best recordings of the year by many critics. Harrison paints a landscape in which all styles of American music commingle in haunting, poetic, thoroughly original ways. He is equally at home writing songs and complex chamber music, playing modern jazz and bar blues.

Performing with Harrison at Joe's Pub are Ben Wittman, drums; Jordan Perlson, percussion; Henry Hey, accordion, organ, piano; Stephan Crump, acoustic bass; Sam Bardfeld (violin), Greg Clark and Jen Chapin, guest vocalists. All these musicians draw from country, blues, gospel, jazz, New Orleans, and West African genres to create a unique sound. The recording will be released in June 2008 and available at his website and through Amazon.com in the United States, and through Intuition records in Europe.

"Guitarist-singer Harrison describes his music as a trip "along the seams of jazz, country, blues and spirituals, as a gateway to creative music-making." That's an ambitious task, but he brings it off in a collection filled with surprising, but utterly convincing, shifts of musical emphasis. Harrison is on to something both innovative and compelling, and he deserves a much wider hearing."

- Don Heckman, LA Times, Best of 2004

For Pre-Show Interviews/Press Pass/ Disc for review:

Contact PR at Acoustic Arts International: 650 759 1750

For more information about Joel Harrison and Passing Train, please visit: www.passingtrain.com

For more information about Joe's Pub, please visit: www.joespub.com

For more background on Joel Harrison's career, please visit: http://www.joelharrison.com

Houston Jones at the Noe Valley Ministry, April 26, San Francisco

IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE
Monday, April 7, 2008

Contact: Penny Sur 650 759 1750
Event: Houston Jones at the Noe Valley Music Series
Date: April 26, 2008 8:15 pm, doors open at 7:45pm
Address: 1021 Sanchez Street, San Francisco, CA 94114
Brief: Benefit Concert for Music in Schools Today
Ticket Price: $15 advance, $17 at the door

Houston Jones Concert to Benefit Music in Schools Today

San Francisco, CA – March 24, 2008 – Houston Jones’ Noe Valley Music Series concert is a special night of acoustic music that benefits Music in Schools Today (MuST). Answering the crisis in music education MuST provides programs that reach more than 10,000 Bay Area children in under served public schools and communities.

“We are thrilled to support MuST’s Music Integrated Literacy Enhancement (MILE) program,” said founding members Glenn Houston (guitar) and Travis Jones (vocals). The goal of this program is to enable all 45,000 students in the Oakland Unified School District to receive a basic music education. All children 1st through 3rd grades will receive instruction in literacy and math through music.

“I completely support this program. I learned to play the cello through music in the schools back when the earth was still warm,” said Chris Kee (bass). “I also started playing in school taking lessons and playing in the school band,” said Peter Tucker (drums). “Keeping music education in schools is dear to my heart,” said Henry Salvia (keyboards).

The evening will be a visit to American roots music in a warm, intimate atmosphere. The concert showcases the versatility of the band members who play a wide range of rhythms and genres that keep you engaged.

"Wow! Smoking...excellent...wonderful...awesome…amazing! What a great voice, fabulous lead guitar, one of the best percussionists around. What a great team!” says Dave Stafford, DJ at KKUP about Houston Jones, the band creating a buzz across the country.

Most of the members of Houston Jones were original members of the Waybacks, an internationally acclaimed band. Members of “Hojo” have performed in bands with such distinguished artists as Norah Jones, Jim Lauderdale, Peter Rowan, Bo Diddley, Rickie Lee Jones, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott and more. Reviews from Billboard.com called Houston Jones “a wonderful gem”.

Tickets for the show may be purchased at the door for $17 or $15 in advance by calling the

Noe Valley Music Series at 415 454 5238.

For Pre-Show Interviews/Press Pass/ Disc for review: contact

Penny Sur at Acoustic Arts International: 650 759 1750.

For more about Music in Schools Today, please visit: www.mustcreate.org

For more information about Houston Jones, please visit: www.houstonjones.com.