Biography
Harvie S, a renowned jazz bassist, emerged as a prominent figure in the realm of contemporary jazz with his distinctive style and virtuosic technique. Born with an innate musical talent, Harvie began his journey into the world of jazz as a pianist and switched to bass at age 18.
Throughout his illustrious career, Harvie has collaborated with a plethora of jazz luminaries, leaving an indelible mark on the global jazz scene. His dynamic bass lines and innovative approach to rhythm have earned him widespread acclaim among critics and audiences alike.
Harvie’s latest project is a recording done in 1985 with Jazz legend Alan Dawson and Mike Stern. going for it on High Note Savant Records.https://njjs.org/2021/03/07/bassist-harvie-s-rediscovers-three-historic-nights-from-cambridges-1369-club/
His third release with Alan Broadbent Trio “Like Minds” on High Note Savant Records was just released in May 2022. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLccpwGk_xup-BeoiY5kS9rZKRQigE0w_8 The two previous releases “New York Notes” and “Trio in Motion” received rave reviews and were on the Jazz Week charts for over 3 months and reached #4. Harvie produced , engineered and mixed all of these projects.
Harvie recorded played bass and recorded Jerry Bergonzi’s latest release “Extra Extra” on High Note Savant which is in its 13th week on the Jazz Week charts peeking at #12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQhfp6Fxm68
He can be heard on the new James Weidman Recording “Sonic Realities” https://jamesweidman.bandcamp.com/album/sonic-realities and the new Peter Hand Recording BlueTopaz” which he mixed with David Kowalski.https://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/album/peter-hand/blue-topaz
“Wondering” with Roni Ben-Hur and Sylvia Cuenca came out in Sept 2022 on dot time Records https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zc19rgT30Jk Harvie recorded mixed, played bass, and co-led these recordings. In July 2022 Sheila Jordan “Live at Mezzrow” was released with Harvie and Alan Broadbent.https://www.makingascene.org/sheila-jordan-live-at-mezzrow/
Cds coming out in Spring 2024 Karrin Allison, Sheila Jordan, Paul Carlon.
A legendary bassist, he has performed and recorded with Stan Getz, Chet Baker, Dexter Gordon, Tony Bennett, Ray Baretto, Michael Brecker, Jean Pierre Rampal, Paquito D’Rivera, Gil Evans, Art Farmer, Mark Turner, Jim Hall, Billy Hart, Lee Konitz, Yusef Lateef, Dave Leibman, Joe Lovano, Pat Metheny, Paul Motion, Chico O’Farrill, Danilo Perez, Maria Schneider, Zoot Sims, Toots Thielemans, Ray Vega, James Williams, Phil Woods, Louie Bellson James Brown, Kenny Barron, Chick Corea, Tom Harrell, Sheila Jordan, Steve Kuhn, Pat Martino, Manhattan Transfer, Wycliff Gordon, David Mathews, Ingrid Jenson, James Weidman, Eddie Henderson, James Moody, Danilo Perez, Anat Cohen, James Weidman, Jim Hall, Mike Stern, Dave Leibman, John Scofield, Dr. Billy Taylor, Dave Liebman, Yusef Lateef and Grover Washington Jr. and countless others. He can be heard on twenty albums as a leader, fifteen as a co-leader, and over four hundred albums as a sideman.
Harvie’s album with the legendary Sheila Jordan Harvie S duo is a magical live performance released on High Note Records in 2012 called “Yesterdays”. Jazz times included it in the best 100 recordings of 2012. Harvie and Sheila recorded 10 CDs together some with Kenny Barron, Frank Wess, and Ben Riley.
In January 2013, “Witchcraft” was released on High Note Savant with Jazz master Kenny Barron. It was #1 on Jazz Week national radio charts. This is a follow up to the previous 2009 duo recording with Kenny Barron, Now Was the Time, also on High Note/Savant Records.
Harvie S was selected a Jazz Ambassador for the United States and toured throughout Europe and Southeast Asia in this honored capacity. He has been a guest on NPRs All Things Considered and Fresh Air. His career is documented in Leonard Feather’s Encyclopedia of Jazz, the Grove Dictionary of Jazz and the All Music Guide. Mr. S composed the musical themes for the documentaries The Trumpet Kings, The Piano Legends and John Coltrane.
Harvie S has been featured in print and internet articles in The New York Times, The New York Post, The Daily News, Japan Times, USA Today, Downbeat, All About Jazz, Jazziz, Cadence , Jazz Improv, Coda(Canada), Jazztimes, Swing Journal(Japan), Jazz Life(Japan), Jazz Forum(Poland), Jazz Hot (France), Hot House, Jazz Improv, The Los Angeles Times, Jazz Podium and Jazz-it (Italy).
Harvie S has performed at The Blue Note, The Iridium, The Kennedy Center, Montreal Jazz Festival, JVC Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, Detroit Jazz Festival, Berlin Jazz Festival, Molde Jazz Festival, Moscow Jazz Festival and countless other venues worldwide.
In addition to his performance career, Harvie S is an active educator. He is a Professor of Jazz Bass and Jazz Ensemble at Manhattan School of Music, in both Undergraduate and Graduate divisions.Currently developing new music for a variety of musical ensembles and recordings, Harvie S is integrating his lifetime of musical experience and research into opening doors to new and exciting pathways of creative expression. He has also written a series of bass duets that are revolutionary in their concept for teaching and performing. Harvie has also been a recording engineer and also has mixed many current Cds.