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Paula Harris

"Paula blends the passion of Blues with the sophistication of jazz in an addictive mix that is earthy and elegant and impossible to resist"

About Me

Paula, a Native of South Carolina, is a classically trained vocalist. But with a style that is obviously influenced by the likes of Etta James, Diane Schuur, Dinah Washington and Aretha Franklin- it was only natural for her to gravitate towards the genres of Blues, Jazz and Soul. While most vocalists who cross genres tend to choose songs that fall in the middle ground between them, Paula’s astonishing versatility allows her to sing the full spectrum of all three.

Her first professional job was in an 800 seat theater facility in Myrtle Beach that ran nightly shows where Paula was a featured cast member and vocalist. She then went on to work with several symphony orchestras such as the “Long Bay Symphony” and the “Atlanta Pops Symphony” as well as fronting the “Carere Orchestras” for a decade. George Carere describes her as a “Vocal Powerhouse” and a “Dynamo on stage, capable of captivating audiences with her distinctive voice

Paula now has several band formats. Her “Beasts Of Blues”, an 8 pc horn band where all the horns hold grammy awards, is a funky blues fusion and has received many accolades and awards. She also has the Speakeasy Project, an acoustic trio and vocals that dishes out a synthesis of Jazz and Blues. Also in the speakeasy project is the Grammy winning veteran trumpet player for Santana, Bill Ortiz. “Speakeasy” the album just dropped and has already been written about in over a dozen countries and is receiving airplay in twice that many. The Album was just awarded two Global music awards in the “album” and “Jazz-Blues” categories. Paula also holds the title of “Best Female Vocalist” in Northern California for 2018/19 via the NCEMA awards. She can be seen regularly performing at the iconic “Top of the Mark” in San Francisco, as well as at Savanna Jazz on the Peninsula.

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My Jazz Story

I am not a purebred Jazz lover like many. I grew up listening to Dinah Washington, Helen Humes, Louie Jordan, Billie Holiday and Count Basie on my grandmothers 78rm records. I graduated to DIane Schuur, George Benson, and Al Jarreau in high school and college. I also got into Etta James, Marlena Shaw and Phyllis Hyman. Then admittedly I moved on to classic soul and funk like Earth Wind and Fire, Bobby Caldwell, and more. I loved pop, rap, big band, country... you name it I listened to it. I am actually a classically trained vocalist and worked with several symphony orchestras. But that style is not what speaks to me. Jazz and blues do! I love the sophistication and complexity of jazz— especially when I get to mix it with the passion of blues. I've been called brassy and I'll admit to that I DO know the value of understatement when it is called for. But I don't think an entire show should be made of that. Several years ago I was trying to book jazz jobs and an agent told me I was " Too over the top" then went on to tell me I was a "blues singer" As someone who didn't know who Robert Johnson, Sun House and others were until in my '40s, I was at first inclined to disagree. But then I stopped and asked "Who do you consider jazz singers to be?" The agent said " Dianna Krall and Norah Jones" If you know me you'll understand why that made me laugh! Then I asked "Who do you consider blues singers to be?" The answer was "Etta James and Dinah Washington" They had a point! LOL That was pivotal for me and since then—the blues as a genre has opened its arms to me and I am primarily known as a blues singer. But to me—there is a close correlation between jazz and blues—especially when you come from such a diverse music background of influence as I do. My shows pull from jazz both standards and modern, as well as blues—both traditional and modern, original material and even some soul that I think fits the vibe of what I am trying to do. My music is a blend of the time when Jazz and Blues were the "pop" music of the day. So my shows tend to be a conglomeration of music that I feel exhibits the jazzy sophistication structurally or melodically, while keeping that earthy passion and humor that blues is known for. That said—I am not adverse to provocative lyrics and love to throw in a naughty straight ahead blues right after doing a beautiful Great American Songbook Ballad. It keeps the audience engaged and wondering what will be next! Hopefully that means I am appealing to a wider audience. And All I can say it it seems to be working for me. My favorite thing is when I hear a jazz fan say "Wow I never knew I liked blues" or a blues fan say "Wow I didn't know I liked jazz!" when they leave my shows.

My House Concert Story

I attended several house concerts while in Atlanta before "House concerts" became a thing. After moving to the Bay Area and getting back into performing I was lucky enough to have an opportunity to work with some unbelievable horn player like Mic Gillette, Tom Politzer( both from Tower of power), Tom Poole ( Etta james), Mike Rinta ( Seriously too many icons to even start to list!), Bill Ortiz ( Santana) and more. What non insane person would not relish in something like THAT? But as a vocalist it can be hard to cut through all that brass. It also took the group into a decidedly funky territory. But we did pretty well and both myself and our debut album "Turning on the Naughty" were nominated for or won numerous blues and music awards. Two or three years ago I started getting more opportunities to work in Jazz oriented venues. To do that I had to work with a jazz trio. I ended up LOVING it! My latest album "Speakeasy" which dropped May 1, 2019 is an acoustic fusion of jazz and blues. And I deliberately took it smaller so we could perform at house parties and smaller venues. We can go from just vocals and a piano, to vocals, bass and piano, or the trio pls vocals. I can also bring in Bill Ortiz from Santana if they want the "Full Monty" option of this band. If a piano is on site- we can also offer an acoustic performance. I really enjoy more intimate rooms and interaction with my audience. One of Speakeasy's album release parties is a Distillery! LOL But we are actively seeking house concerts to help spread the word.