Gary
Dave
Myron
This interview is about what Shad Harris has to say about the blues and life in general.
(Linda) How did you get started in music, and what drew you to the blues?
(Shad) I started playing music when I was about five or six year’s old, singing along with the songs that my Mom and Dad listened to on the radio or our record player. The songs that I liked the best and that I sounded the best singing, were the ones with that “blue” change. But I really liked all kinds of music.
Who influenced your style?
The first musician that impressed me was probably a jazz saxophone player. Maybe it was John Coltrane or Gene Ammons, or Cannonball Adderley, but I’m pretty sure it was a sax man because my Dad loved jazz sax, and he had an extensive record collection that he played relentlessly. Somewhere along the line I began to pay attention to the elements of music and rhythm started to fascinate me. My Dad was my first influence. He liked to dance and sing and he really enjoyed his music. His expression of his enjoyment of his musical experience had a major effect on how I perceived music in general. He was partial to jazz, but he liked ALL music and he encouraged my brother and me to listen to and appreciate Good Music of all types. The elements of music that I latched on to subconsciously were Rhythm, Syncopation, Phrasing and Structure. So I gravitated toward the bigger band sound as opposed to the smaller ensembles. If I had to choose I’d say Count Basie and then James Brown were probably major early influences. But it was Art Blakey who inspired me to want to play the drums. I got to meet and actually hang out with Mr. Blakey. He insisted that I call him “Bu”, but I just felt uncomfortable saying that to the man who was a living legend in my mind. He was a wonderful man, though and it was an honor to hang with him for that short few hours.
Photocopyright by Linda Cunningham
Artis Joyce
Neil Williford
I don’t know! Mainly because my knowledge of music history is so limited, I mean, I know the general stuff one learns in school, but that’s just enough to let me know that there’s way too much out there for me to know and experience. I’ll never hear it ALL and probably only experience a small portion of a mere segment of what’s out there.
Then again, maybe that’s the key to it all. I mean there are only so many tones. Even if you break them down using different scales, you eventually complete a cycle. Same thing with rhythms, there’s only one and one, everything else is a combination of and or variation of one and one. But you asked WHO didn’t you? Well, see I don’t think in terms of “WHO” as much as WHAT, when it comes to music. The music is the most important element. Who plays it is secondary. We’re all just vessels. Some of the vessels of the past were pretty unique though. Mozart was pretty cool for his day, and Beethoven was very prolific. The early American pioneers who brought their various cultural songs to the “New World” and mixed and mashed everything in places like Portsmouth, and Charleston, and New Orleans; that had to be intense. Not only was the music dynamic but life in general was forceful and vibrant. That’s not to say it was all good or all bad it was a lot of both, which is why the music of the time was so intense. It’s my contention that the musical product that developed out of that cauldron is your basic American Blues. It has its regional flavors, but if you listen you’ll hear the common denominator. Hey, I know! Scott Joplin. He would have been a blast to jam with. His music is ridiculous! How does someone think like that? He would have been someone I would like to have played with.
What gig has been your favorite?
That’s a tough one, because each playing experience is unique. There was one time around 1972 or ‘73 that I spent a whole summer at Stinson Beach where I literally woodshed the whole summer. Me, a guitar player and a saxophone player stayed in this beach house. I shaved my head and played drums everyday for no less than six hours each day. We did that from May until September. It was AWESOME!!! Then there was the first time I played with a REAL PROFESSIONAL. In ’71 or ’72, I lucked up on a gig backing up Etta James! It was the first time I made over $100 on a gig, and it was the first time I played with a REAL STAR! I fell head over heels in love with Ms. James! Of course, she barely knew I was there but she was GORGEOUS!! And when she sang it was effortless. I would marvel at how she could do the things with her voice that she could do, with so little effort! The great thing about that gig was the way we were treated. I was just the drummer in an organ trio. We played two nights in Riverside at this joint called the Top Hat and from there we did a few more gigs in the region. Her manager brought in other musicians for the other gigs but he used me on drums for all but one of the other gigs. It was a great experience and a great introduction to the REAL DEAL, at the time. And here’s the kicker. Years later, I’m playing with the Tommy Castro Band in Oakland, and Ms. James is headlining the show. So I go over to her trailer to say hello and maybe get an autograph. This big guy answers the door and I tell him “I’m Shad Harris and I once played drums for Etta back in the day.” Can you believe it? He goes back and relays that to her and she invites me into her trailer. She scrutinizes me and after a couple of questions about the “good old days”, she smiles and gives me a handshake/hug and we reminisce about days long gone. I don’t think she remembered me to the point of being an old friend, because truth be told, we weren’t. I was just an odd drummer that had been hired to back up a Star. But what made me feel good, was knowing that she’d go through the effort of acknowledging me. She was a class act when I first met her and she remains a class act to this day. And she’s STILL GORGEOUS!!!
The Original Tommy Castro Band
circa 1995
Tommy Castro and Shad Harris, Photocopyright by Linda Cunningham
Shad Harris
Do you have any interests outside of music?
Outside of music, I have my family. I’m really into my family. Hobbies, I like to fish, and I like to write.
What is your full name?
Shadrach Allen Harris
What is your birth date?
July 11, 1950
Do you have any brothers or sisters?
One younger brother.
How long have you been married?
I’ve been married for 31 years. In June it’ll be 32.
Do you have any pets?
I have one dog; he’s 13 years old, name’s Reggie!
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Oakland, CA but I spent significant time in St. Petersburg, FL and Stockton, CA.
Where do you live now?
Stockton, CA
What is your favorite color?
Blue!
What is your favorite food?
I don’t really have a favorite food. I like good food. I like to eat. I love to cook. It’s probably easier for me to say what I won’t eat as opposed to what I like to eat. If it’s smelly and/or slimy forget about it. I can handle smelly if the consistency is palatable but when it starts getting squiggly I have to bail.
Do you have any favorite books or authors?
I like speculative fiction; Roger Zelazny, Robert Heinlein, Tolkien, and Walter Mosely.
I like reading various versions and translations of The King James Holy Bible.
Do you have any favorite movies?
Star Wars, IV, V & VI; Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Michael Keaton’s Batman and Christian Bale’s Batman and Silverado. I also love William Powell and Myrna Loy in The Thin Man series.
What instruments do you play?
Clarinet, Piano, Drums, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Harmonica and Voice.
What jobs have you had while being a musician?
I’ve been a puppet, a pirate, a pauper and poet, a pawn and a king, seriously! I’ve had more day jobs than I can remember. The one that I had for the longest time was a cable TV guy. That was one that I enjoyed until I was forced up the corporate ladder into management.
Who would you say are your major musical influence or influences?
That’s not so easy to pin down. The truth is I grew up in an era of radical musical influences. Rock and Roll, Bebop, and the ever present Blues were twisting and turning the Swing, and Pop music of the times into the myriad of genres that exist today. To say that only one particular artist or style influenced me would be incorrect because there was so much going on from so many. Having said that, I can say that of all the styles and genres that exist and have existed in my lifetime, the one that feels most comfortable to me is what has come to be known as the Blues.
How did the band come together?
Gary and I have been friends for nearly 20 years. Before my stroke in October 2000, I played mostly drums. I used to play in Gary’s band “Hambone”. After my stroke, when I finally was ambulatory Gary encouraged me to play keyboard in his band. My chops were rusty but adequate and we didn’t have a real heavy gig schedule to maintain so the situation was tailor-made therapy. After a year or so of sparse gigging with Gary in “Hambone”, I started going to the Sunday Jam out at Windmill Cove and it was there that I began to start thinking that I could actually be a viable keyboardist if I focused on a certain approach. So I started putting a songlist together of tunes that I could do within my limitations as a keyboard/vocalist. I kept jamming and practicing and started upping my gig schedule. Eventually, I started recording tracks of Gary and me on my digital recorder and trying to find a drummer and bass player that sounded complementary. Then out of the clear blue, I get a call from Pip. He had to move because his landlord was tripping and his rent was going to triple or something. He asked me to help him find a place out here in the Valley. He moved from the Bay Area to Weston Ranch and that temporarily solved my bass player situation. Then I was talking with Mike Torres about finding a good drummer. He told me that Dave Peters might be available, which was music to my ears because he was exactly who I had in mind. So I was really fortunate to get Dave.
Right now, the core of the band is Gary, Dave and Me. Pip has his own band and in April of this year he’ll be leaving for a tour in China. I plan on using Artis Joyce, Alex Delgado, and Jerry Jordan while he’s on tour, but I’m also keeping my eyes open for a permanent bottom. The band is still growing, I’ve just hired a tenor sax and I’m thinking that one more horn will fill out the sound I’m hearing in my head.
What are your favorite songs?
Again that’s one of those “too many to choose” questions. I’ll say this though my favorite Love song is “Honest I do” by Jimmy Reed. It doesn’t get any better than that!
If you were doing an interview like this, what questions would you ask?
That’s why I don’t do interviews! It’s too much to think about. Answering questions is a piece of cake. Coming up with the questions is another thing altogether.
What kind of musical things have excited you?
I have been studying chord structures recently and I’ve discovered some interesting voicings that I can make with one hand, which is invaluable to me since I am, at the moment, left-hand challenged. I’ve been listening to current Blues artists and trying to understand where the music is going these days and I have to say that with only a few exceptions the Blues overall, is at a plateau right now. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, I see it as an opportunity. There aren’t many “Real Old Cats” left. Its guys my age that are the “Old Cats” now, so it’s time to do you business or get out of the way. There are always some youngsters that are coming along with something to say, but they relate to their experience and their era. The Blues is about life. It’s time someone from my era told the story of my era. That’s where I want my songs to go.
Tell us about any other band or bands you have played with or still are playing with.
Right now, I’m still gigging with Rhythm Deluxe. They’re a smoking hot Blues-based Rock and Roll band out of Modesto. The Groovenators, I mean, I’ve played with so many cats that I’m sure I’d leave out someone, if I tried to list everyone. But to name a few which whom I actually did gigs, Etta James, Charlie Musselwhite, Johnny Heartsman, Ron Thompson, Ron Hacker, Horace Silver, Eddie Harris, Roger Daltry, Tommy Castro, Norman Lankford, Rudy Tenio, and on and on.
Talk about your songwriting, explain your songwriting process.
Songwriting for me is less a specific process than it is a continuum. I don’t “sit down” and write I “write” on the go. A phrase or a lick or some piece of a structure forms in my head based on some reaction to some ambient stimulus and if I’m lucky, I can write it down or somehow record it and get it back to my keyboard. Once I get it there, I play with the idea and either flesh it out and keep it, or exhaust it and toss it.
Complete songs are stories. First there’s “once upon a time”, then “blah, blah, blah”, then “and suddenly”, then “they lived happily ever after”. That’s a real cut and dried version of what actually is a lot more detailed, but in the end. I want to have covered all of those bases.
Do you practice playing a lot?
Yes. I always have and I always will. Practice doesn’t necessarily make perfect, but it does make what you practice permanent.
Do you practice and rehearse with the band on a regular basis?
I practice personally everyday. I can’t really put a number to it anymore, because I work on different things these days. When I was younger I would give myself hourly goals. Now I work on issues that need polishing. There’s always something that needs work! As for The Groovenators, I try to rehearse the band once a week, especially when we’re not working a lot. When the schedule is full the need to rehearse is less. In any event when we rehearse we mostly cover the grooves we’re going to play. We also, learn any new tunes that come up.
What is the last concert that you attended as a fan?
I can’t remember.
What is your favorite album?
There are too many from which to choose.
Who would you say is your favorite band of all-time?
Hmmm I know Weather Report is right up there, but so is Count Basie’s Kansas City snap, Earth Wind and Fire, again there are too many to choose just one.
Can you describe your gear?
Oh yeah! I’m real happy with my Roland AX-7 Keytar. I’ve just now gotten familiar enough with it to start looking for another sound module. I use the Roland XV2020 right now but I’m thinking about upgrading. I like that Yamaha Motif and Hammond makes a real cool mini B-3 setup that I’ve been checking out. I plan on upgrading this summer and what will make the decision in the end is money.
Who are some of your vocal heroes?
Oh yeah, Stevie Wonder, Ella Fitzgerald, Carmen McCrae, Ray Charles, Lou Rawls and my voice coach Tami Stampley. I could go on but that should give you an idea.
Any stories about hanging with any legends you have played with?
I’ve been blessed to have had mostly great experiences. The good stories are fond remembrances that generate a warm glow. One event that occurred stands out for me though because of who it was I met. I was playing with Bill Hannaford, a really good jazzman, and he invited me to go with him to see Art Blakey at Kimball’s West in Emeryville, CA.
Art Blakey was THE one who had inspired me to be a drummer in the first place way back when I was an 8 year old. My Dad wanted me to play the horn, (sax) but I wanted to play drums, and not just play the drums but play them like Art Blakey. Once my Dad realized I really wanted to play drums he exposed me to other really great drummers of the era, Max Roach, Joe Morello, Philly Joe Jones, etc. and I listened to, and enjoyed each and every one of the cats he’d turn me on to, but it was Art Blakey that I wanted to sound like.
It was the same year that he passed away, and I went to see him play with a band of young lions which is what he was famous for, and I was in AWE! After the show I went back stage and got to meet him and got his autograph and then I actually got to hangout with him and some of his band. It was the greatest two hours I’d ever spent. We talked about music, and drumming and he held court. He insisted that I not call him Mr. Blakey but instead I should call him “Buhainee”. I probably ain’t spelling it right, but it doesn’t matter because I kept calling him Mr. Blakey anyhow. At some point during our conversation, in reference to a statement I had made about the style of music I liked and the type of drumming I tended to like playing he said to me, “Shad, it’s all the Blues…” That was confirmation for me, because that was and remains EXACTLY how I feel about ALL American music.
Tell us who Shad Harris is....
I’m just an old school Bluesman. I’ve always tried to put myself in the position of a student of the music and in the frame of mind of a contributor whenever I play. That way I don’t have to think about anything except the music. When I am focused on the music, absorbing the moment and honestly expressing myself is what counts. I figure I’m getting one time around on this ride. I shouldn’t waste one second, because I won’t get it back once it’s gone. Who I try to be is the best musician I can be, and that includes being a good team player. Beyond that I try to be the guy my kids can be proud to claim as their Dad and my wife is happy to say that I’m her Husband. So far, so good.
Check out The Groovenators complete EPK (Electronic Press Kit) including audio,
photos, and up-to-date calendar visit:
www.sonicbids.com/TheGroovenators.
They are also on MySpace at: www.myspace.com/thegroovenators.
For more information and bookings contact them at: groovenators@att.net.
Copyright © 2008 Linda Cunningham
Discography
The Groovenators are in the studio working on their debut CD. It should be out in time for Christmas.
Shad Harris is also featured on the following CD's
No Foolin' (1993)
Tommy Castro Band
Shad Harris - Drums, Vocals
Exception to the Rule (1995)
Tommy Castro Band
Shad Harris - Drums, Vocals (bckgr)
Can't Keep A Good Man Down (1997)
Tommy Castro Band
Shad Harris - Drums, Vocals (bckgr)
Celebration of Blues: Great Rock-A-Boogie Blues (1997)
Various Artists
Drums
Celebration of Blues: Great Swing Blues (1997)
Various Artists
Drums
Celebration of Blues: The Great Singers, Vol. 2 (1997)
Various Artists
Drums
Bluesmaniac (1998)
Leadfoot Rivet
Special Guest Shad Harris - Drums
Soulful Blues (2000)
Kenny "Blue" Ray
Shad Harris - Drums
Back Door Man (2000)
Ron Hacker & The Hacksaws
Shad Harris - Drums
Essential Tommy Castro (2001)
Tommy Castro Band
Shad Harris - Drums, Vocals (bckgr)
Burnin' (2003)
Ron Hacker & The Hacksaws
Shad Harris - Drums
All rights reserved. Made with Macintosh
