Encyclopedia of Jazz Musicians
S, Harvie
S, Harvie (formerly Harvie Swartz) bassist, composer, bandleader, educator, producer; b. Chelsea, MA, December 6, l948.
He grew up in Marblehead, Mass. and his parents are Beatrice and Charles Swartz. Attended Berklee College of Music as a composition major where he picked up the bass, graduated with a degree in composition. When he took up the bass, on which he is self taught, he brought with him all the harmonic and rhythmic concepts that are intrinsic to the keyboard and added the hard swinging time, lustrous tone, formidable technique and lyrical soloing approach.
Harvie S arrived in New York in l973 working with Mike Abene, Thad Jones and Mel Lewis, Gil Evans, Chet Baker, Lee Konitz, John Abercrombie, Al Cohn and Zoot Sims. His desire to create a personal music led to his collaborations with David Friedman and this in turn, yielded the legendary and innovative Double Image (of which he was co- leader) CD on Enja and ECM records. Double Image went on to perform internationally at prestigious festivals, receiving critical kudos with each appearance. During this time Harvie S also played in the Steve Kuhn Quartet that recorded three CDs for ECM and many of his compositions were featured on these recordings.
After a stint with Stan Getz, Harvie S decided to record his compositions in the critically acclaimed album Underneath It All. Smart Moves and Urban Earth soon followed this first release as a leader. All received critical acclaim and climbed the radio chartsoin fact, Urban Earth was #3 on Radio and Records and stayed on the charts for three months. A period of great creativity followed; Harvie, guitarist Mike Stern and drummer Victor Lewis formed a trio, which play regular gigs in New York City. Harvie was also doing gigs with Jim Hall and it was around this time that Harvie formed the legendary bass and voice duo with Sheila Jordan.
In the setting of bass and vocals, this duet produced 10 CDs over a 14-year period. The sensitivity, intricacy and dynamism of this duo mesmerized audiences worldwide and restated Harvie S's reputation as a original arranger accompanist and soloist. Ever questing for new sounds and new outlets, Harvie next recorded the landmark CD, In a Different Light. The project included Mike Stern, John Scofield, Mick Goodrick, Leni Stern, Gene Bertoncini, Winard Harper and Leon Parker(first recording). A combination of duets, trios and quartets, Gary Giddins singled out In a Different Light as on the Best of l990.
In the nineties Harvie S emerged as a prolific composer, arranger and producer with numerous artists such as Michael Brecker, Kenny Barron, Joe Locke and Toninho Horta. In 1996 Harvie began a new musical journey into Afro-Cuban music and world rhythms. He showcased this playing with Juan Carlos Formell, Ray Vega, Ray Barretto, Bobby Sanabria, and Pucho and the Latin Soul Brothers on recordings and festivals. In 1997 the Harvie S Band recorded 'Havana Manana'. This CD was released on Bembe Records and received rave reviews from Jazziz, Village Voice, Latin Beat Magazine and many other publications. The band's second CD, 'New Beginning', came out in Japan on Jazz Bank Records and was released in the US on RVS Records. The CD featured Michael Brecker and Ray Vega and also garnered great reviews from the major print and Internet publications such as The Latin Jazz Network, The Latin Jazz Club, 52nd St. review and Jazz Review.
In 2001 Harvie S performed as featured soloist at the International Society of Bassists Symposium and in 2003 he presented his renowned seminar on 'Vistas of Afro Cuban Music from the Jazz Perspective.' The Harvie S Band released 'Texas Rumba' in September of 2003 and 'Funky Cha' in winter of 2006. Each of these CD's garnered rave reviews and established the band as an international touring entity.
The Harvie S Band now performs in festivals, concert halls and clubs throughout the world. Harvie S is in the midtst of preparing the band's sixth CD for release in 2008. Harvie S is the jazz bass instructor at Manhattan School of Music, undergraduate and graduate programs (l984-present). He has been a guest lecturer at McGill University, Berklee School of Music, The Eastman School of Music, The Eisler School in Berlin and the Cologne Hochshule and many other colleges worldwide. He has received major grants from the National Endowment forr the Arts, Meet the Composer, The New York State Council on the Arts, the Fund for U.S. Artists and ASCAP. His spouse is dancer, choreographer, and dance professor Catherine Mapp.
Discography
As a Leader
Funky Cha Zoho music
Texas Rumba Zoho Music
New Beginning RVS Records (2002)
Havana Manana Bembe Records
Underneath IT All Grammavision
Urban Earth Grammavision
Smart Moves Grammavision
It's About Time Gaia
In A Different Light Mesa Bluemoon
Full Moon Dancer Mesa Bluemoon
Arrival BMG
Co-Leader
Harvie S and Sheila Jordan Old Time Feeling Muse
Harvie S and Sheila Jordan The Very Thought of Two Ma
Harvie S and Sheila Jordan Songs from Within Ma
Double Image Double Image Enja
Double Image Dawn Enja
Bob Degan Chartreuse Enja
Mike Stern and Victor Lewis High Standards Polydor
More than 200 recordings as a sideperson including:
Mike Stern, Hirum Bullock, Leni Stern Live at the 55
Paddlewheel Records
Michael Brecker, Toninho Horta, Mark Soskin Super Nova Jazzheads
Gregor Heubner Panonian, Satin Doll, Januschkeis Time Satin Doll
Art Farmer Art in Wroctaw Polygram
Joe Locke Inner Space Steeplechase
Greg Abate with James Williams and Billy Hart Evolution 1201 music
Mike Stern, Hirum Bullock Live at the 55 (1999)
Virginia Mayhew No Walls Renma
Virginia mayhew Nini Green
Virginia mayhew A simple Thank you Renma
Jarek Smietana with John Abercrombie Speak Easy, Starling
Anders Mogensen Trio Live Carl Neilsen Academy of Music
Haru Molliendo Cafe Paddle Wheel, Voice of Blue, Jazz Bank,
Mike Stern What it is Atlantic
Pete Yellin with Chick Corea Mellow Soul Metropolitan Records
Al DiMeola Tirami Su and best of Al DiMeola Manhattan
Leni Stern Secrets Enja
Steve Kuhn Playground, Non Fiction, Last Yearis Waltz, Mostly
Ballads ECM
Janis Siegal At Home Atlantic
Toot Thielmans Only Trust Your Heart Concord
Jack Wilkins Captain Blued CTI
Sheila Jordan Lost and Found Body and Soul Muse
Mick Goodrick Biorhythms CMP
Lewis Porter Second Voyage Altrisuoni
Guy Davis Call Down the Thunder Red House
Andy Statman Between Heaven and Earth Shanachie
Manhattan Transfer Off Beat Avenues Columbia
Jim Silberstein Micaela's Song
Jim silberstein Express Lane
Sherri Roberts The sky could send you
Harvie S Band Performances (Selected)
The Blue Note
Birdland
The Iridium
The Zinc Bar
JVC Jazz Festival
Art at Noon: Iona College
Hudson River Museum
William Paterson College
Ossining Library
Sweet Rhythm
Festival in Tblisi, Georgia
Porgy and Bess, Vienna, Austria
Philadelphia Museum of the Arts
Rochester Jazz Festival
Marblehead Arts Festival
Master Classes/Workshops
Manhattan School of Music (Faculty position)
SUNY Purchase
New York University
The New School
Eastman School of Music
Mannes School of Music
Jun Bass School in Japan
Berklee College of Music
New England Conservatory
The Jazz School in Berkeley , Ca.
Grants and Awards
Meet the Composer
National Endowment for the Arts
New York State Council on the Arts
ASCAP
Fund for U.S. Artists
Sound Tracks Composed for Video
The Trumpet Kings
Piano Legends
John Coltrane
Videos (Performances Recorded)
Toots Theilemans
Pat Martino
Sheila Jordan
Radio Broadcasts
Numerous shows with the Bass and Voice Duo on NPR and worldwide
Ray Vega Bern Jazz Festival NPR
Urban Earth NPR
Contact:
www.harvies.com
harvies@harvies.com
