Saxophonist Donald Harrison Jr., 35, a native son of New Orleans, has just been awarded a three-year, New Residencies grant from Meet The Composer, a national composer service organization. The $90,000 grant will have Harrison joining the staff of host organization Junebug Productions as Composer in Residence.

Harrison's professional career followed a path similar to that of Wynton and Branford Marsalis, in that following graduation from the New Orleans Center of the Creative Art...