Q&A with Harvie S

Exclusive Interview by Karen Beishuizen
Photos courtesy of Harvie S

Harvie S is an American jazz double-bassist. He has 20 recordings out as a leader and another 18 as a co-leader. He has been working on and off with Sheila Jordan for 50 years. They have a new CD “Portrait Now” coming out this fall. He worked as a musician on the latest recordings that are out now: James Weidman “Sonic Realities”, Steve Ash “You and the night”, Karrin Allyson “Kiss for Brazil”, Paul Carlon “Blues for Vita” to list a few. Harvie and Alan Broadbent Sextette will be recording a new CD together in a few weeks’ time coming out in January 2025 on High Note Savant. So if you are a Jazz Fan, go and check out Harvie’s music!

KB: Did you always want to be a musician growing up?

When I was 3 years old, I jumped on the piano and started playing the tunes I heard on the radio. My parents didn’t think much of it. I didn’t get much support from my family who thought males shouldn’t play piano, but eventually they relented. I took piano lessons, but the teachers didn’t really help me a lot or inspired me. Basically, I really just decided to play by ear and didn’t want anything to do with written music. I was a rebel (without a cause).

I had no plan, but I really wanted to be a musician in some capacity, but still trying to find myself. So yes, I always wanted to be a musician. Music saved me from a rather dull life which was presented to me. I was always told that it is ok to play music, but you need to also have a “real” job. Cooking is also a passion of mine and I seriously considered studying to be a chef.

KB: You started with piano and changed to bass when you were 19? Why the change?

I grew up in a low-income family and I had a crappy stereo which you could never hear the bass. I didn’t understand what the bass did or why it was needed. I was a piano player and at that time no internet and getting information was next to impossible where I was. I started listening to jazz when I was 15 and it seemed to me to be the music I was destined to pursue. I bought Bill Evan’s “Waltz for Debby” record and the recording really had the bass hearable even on my stereo. It opened my eyes and ears to possibilities I had never dreamed of. I still didn’t play bass but something was placed and it stuck with me.

I graduated High School and the Guidance counsellor recommended I go to a trade school, because I didn’t have much future and I should face it. I was a poor student with low grades. I didn’t take their advice and decided to go to Berklee College of Music. You have to remember there was a draft at the time and I needed to stay out of the military. I had to go to college or shoot a gun in a war I could never believe in.

I started at Berklee as a pianist and was the first pianist in the Phil Wilson Blues ensemble. Piano is wonderful but I realized I am not happy pressing buttons. I just felt I was getting nowhere, I bought a $75 plywood bass and started playing. I immediately got a lot of work and I loved the feel of the instrument and loved being at the bottom of the music. Berklee at the time didn’t have much to offer for bass instruction so I stayed as composition major with a piano minor and graduated as such. I was playing a lot of bass and my last year I was selected as the bassist in the recording band and took George Mraz’s place who then left to make his mark.

KB: Who were your favorite musicians in Jazz growing up?

I started listening to Jazz basically with Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Bill Evans, Sonny Rollins, George Russell, Paul Bley, Lee Morgan, Art Blakey. Quite truthfully a lot of it was over my head, but I knew I could crack it if I tried. I realize I started in a later place and after I have filled in the gaps. As I have grown in this music, I realized all the greatness of jazz music that came before the sixties. Early jazz is a treasure trove.

KB: What makes a great jazz song?

Hard to really say exactly, but a few things to consider. Many Jazz musicians like to play over chord changes that are well constructed so they can create interesting lines and rhythms. There is so much more though. Melodies can be very simple or they can be super technical. It really comes down to what the composer is feeling and what they want to convey. Some composers write music that clearly put you in a particular mode and you must stay there. Some composers write music that it really is up to the improviser to interpret how they choose. Jazz is such an open book and a mixture of so many styles that the more you learn the less you know.

As a bassist I do a lot of recording and performing. I have to be versed in Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, Trad Jazz, Post Bop, Hard Bop, Free jazz. Swing, Funk, time signatures and even more. I am expected to be ready to make it happen immediately and may be any of these styles in one set of music or one recording. So, what makes a great jazz song? I guess it is how it sounds when finished, and you be the judge.

KB: You worked with Sheila Jordan many times. How is it working with her?

I have been working on and off with Sheila for 50 years. When we started working together, she called me “Kid”. She is now 95 years “young’ and still very active and performing and doing workshops. We just got back from one 2 days ago.

We started out doing gigs together all-around NY in the seventies. Later we were in the Steve Kuhn Band and recorded for ECM records. After that we had a bass and voice duo for 14 years. Our best recording is “Yesterday’s”. Then a hiatus and reunited around 2012, started working again in a Trio with Alan Broadbent on piano or Roni Ben-Hur on guitar. We have a new CD (not released yet) with Roni Ben-Hur. Hopefully coming out in the Fall.

How is it working with Sheila? Well, all I can say is: When you play with Sheila, she is totally in the music all the time and expects you to do the same. She was never into showing off. She gets to the core of the music and has a deep tradition she maintains. I learned a lot from her about “telling the story”. Really that is what it is all about when you get down to it. The rest is window dressing.

KB: Are there currently any artists out there you would love to work with or wished you had?

I always wanted to play with Drummer Billy Higgins, but he was mostly on the west coast. Of course I would have loved to play with Miles, but never got the chance. I played with a lot of his sidemen: Jimmy Cobb, Al Foster, Chick Corea, Mike Stern, Bill Evans (Sax), Bob Berg etc….

I am very thankful for all the great musicians I have been lucky to play and record with. Like a dream.

KB: What are you currently up to? I heard you were recording quite recently.

I have been doing a lot of recording and so many recordings that came this year and more to be recorded.

For the latest recordings that are out now: James Weidman “Sonic Realities”, Steve Ash “You and the night”, Karrin Allyson “Kiss for Brazil”, Paul Carlon “Blues for Vita” to list a few.
Coming out will be Sheila Jordan “Portrait Now” and an Alan Broadbent Sextette to be recorded in a few weeks coming out in January on High Note Savant.

Yukimi and I just finished our 2nd Duo Recording due for an October release. First duo Cd was NY Memories.

I have 20 recordings out as a leader and another 18 as a co-leader, but I haven’t done any new recordings as a leader for 15 years. My CD” Going for it” was released 2 years ago on High Note Savant but was from a recording done in the eighties with Mike Stern and Alan Dawson.

A few weeks ago, I finally did a new recording as a leader and will mix it in September. I was so honored to have Peter Bernstein, Matt Wilson and Miki Hayama joining me.

On this new recording I feature my bass playing where on previous recordings I Just played as a sideman and wrote the music.

I have also been doing a lot of engineering over the past 6 years. I engineered the last three of Alan Broadbent’s trio recordings on High Note as well as Steve Ash’s CD, Paul Carlon ’s CD “Blues for Vita”, Harvie S Roni Ben-Hur CD “Wondering”, Jerry Bergonzi’s “Extra Extra” and the new CD of Sheila Jordan coming out. I am also doing a lot of mixes with David Kowalski that includes the last three recordings of Andrea Brachfeld, James Weidman, and Karrin Allyson.

Check out Harvie’s website: HERE

Click Here to Order Boxing Interviews Of A Lifetime By “Bad” Brad Berkwitt