Harvie S | Bright Dawn (S6

Harvie S | Bright Dawn (S6 | E280)

This episode of the Jazz New York radio show, featuring an interview with bassist Harvie S.

Bright Dawn signifies a hopeful new beginning—a moment of clarity and potential that symbolizes light emerging from darkness. Metaphorically, it represents positive change, enlightenment, and the start of a personal awakening. This project marks a significant milestone for Harvie S, arriving 15 years after his last recording as a leader. Drawing on over 50 years of experience as a professional musician, Harvie takes a different approach this time by featuring the bass as a melodic instrument.

This choice presented the unique challenge of making the bass both expressive and engaging, a goal he embraced with passion and focus.

“This is not merely a display of mastery. It is a reminder that jazz, at its most vital, is both story and structure, emotion shaped by design. And here, Harvie S shapes both with unflinching precision and quiet authority.” Paris-Move

Jazz and the Upright Bass

The repertoire for Bright Dawn was carefully curated to reflect Harvie’s expansive career, combining previously recorded material, jazz standards, and several new compositions. He chose his collaborators with equal care, enlisting Peter Bernstein on guitar, Miki Hayama on piano, and Matt Wilson on drums. Having played with Peter, Matt, and Miki in various other contexts, Harvie knew they would approach the music honestly, capturing the deep meaning and nuances of each arrangement.

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.

The album features a diverse array of tracks, ranging from personal tributes to reimagined classics including these:

Ghosts of Havana: Written in the 1990s after Harvie returned from studying in Cuba, this piece blends modern jazz with the undercurrent of an Afro-Cuban rumba 3:2 clave.

Waltz for Vartan: A tribute written in the style of Bill Evans’ “Waltz for Debby,” dedicated to Harvie’s longtime friend Vartan Tonoyan, a former jazz club owner.

Navalny: A deeply personal commemoration for the unjust loss of a great man, resonating with Harvie’s own family history of escaping Russia.

Yukimi’s Song: Written for Harvie’s wife, this track features a beautiful melody, complex chords, shifting time signatures, and a powerful vamp solo by Miki Hayama.

The Truth: A tribute to the late Barry Harris, a master of pure jazz whose playing Harvie describes as “truthful.”

Humpty Dumpty: Harvie puts his own stamp on this Chick Corea classic, adding a new ending to the challenging piece.

Swithering: Exploring the state of hesitation or uncertainty, this piece is played “out of time,” with the band following Miki’s lead without cues to create beauty within a setting of doubt.