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Jesse Harris
Originally from New York City, Jesse Harris is a Grammy Award winning songwriter, singer, guitarist and producer of artists from all over the world. He began making records in the mid 90s with Once Blue (EMI Records), his first group and first experience writing for another singer. Since then he has worked with dozens of artists and released 14 albums under his own name. His latest album, Aquarelle, recorded in Lisbon, was released in 2018.
In 2003 Harris received the Grammy Award for Song Of The Year for Norah Jones’ breakout hit “Don’t Know Why,” from her debut album, Come Away With Me, which has sold over 20 million copies worldwide. It includes four other of his compositions: “Shoot The Moon,” “One Flight Down,” “I’ve Got To See You Again,” and “The Long Day Is Over.” He plays guitar throughout the recording.
Since then, Jones and Harris have collaborated numerous times. She has been a guest on many of his albums and he appears as guitarist on almost all of hers. He also contributed songwriting to her 2008 release The Fall and produced her version of his song “World Of Trouble” for the Ethan Hawke film The Hottest State. That soundtrack features not only Harris’ score, but new versions of his songs by Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Cat Power, Feist, The Black Keys, M. Ward, Brad Mehldau, Bright Eyes (on whose album “I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning” Harris also appears as guitarist) and others. Harris and Jones appear together in the Amy Poehler/Paul Rudd comedy They Came Together, performing his song, which he also produced, “It Was The Last Thing On Your Mind.”
Other artists who have recorded Harris’ songs include Smokey Robinson, George Benson, Pat Metheny, Kandace Springs, and Solomon Burke, on whose album Like A Fire Harris plays guitar and sings backing vocals.
Songwriting collaborations have included Madeleine Peyroux, Melody Gardot, Lana Del Rey, Maria Gadu, and Vinicius Cantuaria.
In 2013, Harris joined John Zorn’s The Song Project, along with Mike Patton, Sofia Rei, and Sean Lennon, writing lyrics for various Zorn compositions and singing them at festivals worldwide with a band featuring Marc Ribot on guitar, John Medeski on keyboards, and Zorn conducting. Two of the group’s albums have been released by Tzadik Records. Recently, Zorn and Harris started a new project, Songs For Petra, which features Petra Haden and The Julian Lage Trio (for whom Harris has produced two albums, Arclight and Modern Lore).
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Jesse Harris takes things as they come
by Leo Sidran
Jesse Harris belongs to a generation of New York singer songwriters who came of age in the late nineties. He has made over 20 solo albums that walk the line between folk, jazz, pop, Brazilian and art rock. He's also a much sought after co writer and collaborator who has written songs for and or with many others like Madeleine Peyroux, Melody Gardot, Lana Del Rey, and most famously Norah Jones. Jesse was already well into his career when ...
Continue ReadingJesse Harris' Songs without Words
by Ludovico Granvassu
How many musicians can claim to be close collaborators of both John Zorn and Norah Jones? Grammy Award-winning prolific singer-songwriter, producer, and guitarist Jesse Harris can. His knack for memorable melodies and sophisticated harmonies have made him a sought-after composer and producer for a motley crew of artists that range from Willie Nelson to Brad Mehldau, from The Black Keys to Vinicius Cantuaria. Here is a collection of his “songs without words," because, when he approaches instrumental ...
Continue ReadingNorah Jones: Come Away With Me
by C. Michael Bailey
Few artists have generated as much press in recent memory as Ms. Norah Jones. No fewer than five thoughtful reviews have been published in this magazine alone . A unifying theme found in all criticism is the question of whether the music Jones plays is jazz. This might be similar to the question of whether the music Josh Groban or Andrea Bocchelli is classical.
In keeping with the ecumenical spirit of this magazine, I submit that it makes little, or ...
Continue ReadingNorah Jones: Come Away With Me
by Roger Crane
Okay--first things first. Yes, in my opinion, the strikingly beautiful, vaguely exotic Norah Jones is worthy of the buzz and publicity that she is receiving. But is she a jazz singer? Probably not but I don't know why anyone should care. Her singing is certainly jazz influenced. Jones does not use her lovely voice as a horn at the expense of lyrics. Jones is a natural storyteller and the stories that she chose to tell on her impressive debut, Come ...
Continue ReadingNorah Jones: Come Away With Me
by Bobby Dodd
One can't help being curious about the contents of Norah Jones' music collection after listening to her debut, “Come Away With Me". They would probably not be far off in assuming she grew up singing into various makeshift microphones around her household alongside the vocals of Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Joni Mitchell, and Sarah Mclachlan. Despite the album's various jazz standards, one should not be so naïve to classify Norah Jones as a jazz singer. Hardcore jazz ...
Continue ReadingNorah Jones: Come Away With Me
by Jim Santella
Convincing in her storytellin' role, Norah Jones sings popular ballads with an emphasis on the blues. Her delicate voice sparkles gently alongside the band's twangy guitar chorus and straightforward rhythm section. She accompanies on piano. The title song, resembling a spiritual, beckons the listener to waltz away with her to a place where life will be better: better than the tension-filled surroundings we face all too often. Her original, the song belies Jones' fragile persona and warm soul. Country ballads ...
Continue ReadingNorah Jones: Come Away With Me
by Jim Santella
Convincing in her storytellin' role, Norah Jones sings popular ballads with an emphasis on the blues. Her delicate voice sparkles gently alongside the band's twangy guitar chorus and straightforward rhythm section. She accompanies on piano. The title song, resembling a spiritual, beckons the listener to waltz away with her to a place where life will be better: better than the tension-filled surroundings we face all too often. Her original, the song belies Jones' fragile persona and warm soul. Country ballads ...
Continue ReadingSinger Amanda Brecker Pays Homage To Carole King & James Taylor, Commemorates 40th Anniversary Of "Tapestry", With 2/26 Decca CD "Blossom", Produced By Jesse Harris
Source:
Seth Cohen PR
Singer-songwriter Amanda Brecker pays homage to Carole King and James Taylor, and commemorates the 40th anniversary of ‘Tapestry’, with her beautiful new CD ‘Blossom’, produced by Grammy winner Jesse Harris (Norah Jones, Madeleine Peyroux, more,) and featuring musicians from the original ‘Tapestry’ recordings. The 12 song collection, set for a February 26th North American release on Decca, is a breath of fresh air in a noisy pop world – Brecker shows a graceful respect for the seminal music, infusing each ...
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Jesse Harris: Through the Night and Cosmo
Source:
JamBase
THROUGH THE NIGHT OUT AUGUST 24; COSMOS OUT SEPTEMBER 28
Jesse Harris Singer/songwriter/guitarist Jesse Harris has announced the release of two new albums.
Through The Night is out August 24 and features a quartet of Bill Dobrow (Martha Wainwright, Sean Lennon) on drums, Mauro Refosco (Atoms For Peace, David Byrne, Forro In The Dark) on percussion, Guilherme Monteiro (Bebel Gilberto, Forro In The Dark) on bass, and Jesse Harris on electric and acoustic guitar and, for the first time, piano, ...
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