Jesse Harris
Biography Jesse Harris
Jesse Harris
Originally from New York City, Jesse Harris is a Grammy Award winning songwriter, singer, guitarist and producer of artists from all over the world. He began making records in the mid 90s with Once Blue (EMI Records), his first group and first experience writing for another singer. Since then he has worked with dozens of artists and released 17 albums under his own name. His latest album, Silver Balloon (coming Oct 17, 2022), is a new collection of songs produced by Harris with longtime collaborator, percussionist, Kenny Wollesen.
In 2003 Harris received the Grammy Award for Song Of The Year for Norah Jones’ breakout hit “Don’t Know Why,” from her debut album, Come Away With Me, which has sold over 20 million copies worldwide. It includes four other of his compositions: “Shoot The Moon,” “One Flight Down,” I’ve Got To See You Again,” and “The Long Day Is Over.” He plays guitar throughout the recording.
Since then, Jones and Harris have collaborated numerous times. She has been a guest on many of his albums and he appears as guitarist on almost all of hers. He also contributed songwriting to her 2008 release The Fall and produced her version of his song “World Of Trouble” for the Ethan Hawke film The Hottest State. That soundtrack features not only Harris’ score, but new versions of his songs by Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Cat Power, Feist, The Black Keys, M. Ward, Brad Mehldau, Bright Eyes (on whose album I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning Harris also appears as guitarist) and others. Harris and Jones appear together in the Amy Poehler/Paul Rudd comedy They Came Together, performing his song, which he also produced, “It Was The Last Thing On Your Mind.”
Other artists who have recorded Harris’ songs include Smokey Robinson, George Benson, Pat Metheny, Kandace Springs, and Solomon Burke, on whose album Like A Fire Harris plays guitar and sings backing vocals.
Songwriting collaborations have included Maya Hawke, John Zorn, Madeleine Peyroux, Melody Gardot, and Lana Del Rey.
In 2020, Zorn and Harris released Songs For Petra, which features vocalist Petra Haden and the Julian Lage Trio (for whom Harris has produced two albums, Arclight and Modern Lore). The songwriting team is currently at work on a new collection of songs for this project.
COSMO, Harris’ instrumental project, features trumpeter CJ Camerieri, drummer Jeremy Gustin, guitarist Will Graefe, trombonist Mike Boschen and bassist Benjamin Lazar Davis. Their album, But When?, was released in June, 2022.
Other production credits for Harris include albums for Maya Hawke, Gabi Hartmann, Sasha Dobson.
