Harvie Swartz

A superior and flexible bassist able to contribute to a wide variety of advanced settings, <a href="spotify:artist:4VUN8x6ggBQmQOiO9Ui1fe">Harvie S.</a> (formerly Harvie Swartz) is perhaps best known for his series of duet recordings and performances with singer <a href="spotify:artist:6aSWZH2HiBFSJ28gv5JG7g">Sheila Jordan</a>. Originally a pianist, he started playing bass fairly late (in 1967, when he was already 19) but developed quickly. After attending Berklee, he performed in the Boston area with <a href="spotify:artist:4yPUoMbYxVJ6XNJWZVJV7Y">Al Cohn</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:1pwr5rTWLVfqhvHfB7Reap">Zoot Sims</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0sN4enVJwylJKEXZlSbgsm">Mose Allison</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:5Q6PVXflC7LKN42bYupRJQ">Chris Connor</a>, among others. After moving to New York in 1972, Swartz worked with <a href="spotify:artist:5TlIEEHom333zi0equADiu">Jackie & Roy</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2Cu7QnPPlXXI90FjajvG1A">Jackie Paris</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6DbqS0X8cSFOPGsvyze2yh">Thad Jones</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7g9DeYASD3RzlT4kDchsQZ">Gil Evans</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4YNvbaOaqp5pzC5US5t48k">Lee Konitz</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1Cy6swbBmTbhfL00cEc7IC">Barry Miles' Silverlight</a> (1974-1976), <a href="spotify:artist:4lgtxmgr3T7wS56YRuDmrY">David Friedman</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5wtltLJ74Vfh3bnC4AkPWv">Double Image</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:13vQloYd6mP7V1mVwKJwS2">Dave Matthews</a>' big band, <a href="spotify:artist:6KEBRNgSvb95hjK9Nh0tzt">Steve Kuhn</a> (1977-1981), <a href="spotify:artist:4VIPZJwfn4EGbJxYVHJ0WX">Paul Motian</a>, and countless other top musicians. Harvie Swartz has headed several of his own groups, including Urban Earth (which recorded for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Gramavision%22">Gramavision</a>); he has also led dates for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Bluemoon%22">Bluemoon</a> and <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Novus%22">Novus</a>, and recorded often with <a href="spotify:artist:6aSWZH2HiBFSJ28gv5JG7g">Sheila Jordan</a>.

During the late '90s he developed an interest in Latin jazz after studying Afro-Cuban music. He integrated this influence into his own music, resulting in his Eye Contact project. <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Bembe+Records%22">Bembe Records</a> released Eye Contact's debut album, Havana Mañana, in 1999. Its follow-up, New Beginnings, arrived in 2002 and featured <a href="spotify:artist:5IkynsVZoak9UR2Xt8qsMj">Michael Brecker</a> (saxophone) and <a href="spotify:artist:7a6l0sB2S1wVq74c52gLkX">Ray Vega</a> (trombone). Since 2001, Swartz has performed as <a href="spotify:artist:4VUN8x6ggBQmQOiO9Ui1fe">Harvie S</a>, releasing over a dozen records under that moniker. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi