Biography
Harvie S., who earlier recorded under the name Harvie Swartz, stands out as an exceptionally adaptable bassist capable of thriving across numerous sophisticated musical environments. His most widely recognized work consists of the many duet projects he has recorded and presented with vocalist Sheila Jordan. Although he began his career on piano, he did not take up the bass until 1967, at the age of nineteen, yet progressed rapidly from that point. Following studies at Berklee, he appeared throughout the Boston region alongside Al Cohn and Zoot Sims, Mose Allison, and Chris Connor, as well as additional prominent artists. Relocating to New York in 1972, Swartz collaborated with Jackie & Roy, Jackie Paris, Thad Jones, Gil Evans, Lee Konitz, Barry Miles’ Silverlight between 1974 and 1976, David Friedman, Double Image, Dave Matthews’ big band, Steve Kuhn from 1977 to 1981, Paul Motian, and a broad array of other leading performers.
He has directed multiple ensembles of his own, among them Urban Earth, which issued recordings on the Gramavision label. Additional sessions under his leadership appeared on Bluemoon and Novus, while he also maintained frequent recording partnerships with Sheila Jordan. In the late 1990s, after immersing himself in Afro-Cuban traditions, he cultivated a strong interest in Latin jazz that he subsequently folded into his own compositions, giving rise to the Eye Contact project. Bembe Records issued the group’s first album, Havana Mañana, in 1999. Its successor, New Beginnings, followed in 2002 and included contributions from Michael Brecker on saxophone and Ray Vega on trombone. Performing exclusively as Harvie S. since 2001, he has issued more than a dozen recordings under the revised name.
He has directed multiple ensembles of his own, among them Urban Earth, which issued recordings on the Gramavision label. Additional sessions under his leadership appeared on Bluemoon and Novus, while he also maintained frequent recording partnerships with Sheila Jordan. In the late 1990s, after immersing himself in Afro-Cuban traditions, he cultivated a strong interest in Latin jazz that he subsequently folded into his own compositions, giving rise to the Eye Contact project. Bembe Records issued the group’s first album, Havana Mañana, in 1999. Its successor, New Beginnings, followed in 2002 and included contributions from Michael Brecker on saxophone and Ray Vega on trombone. Performing exclusively as Harvie S. since 2001, he has issued more than a dozen recordings under the revised name.
Albums
