A Phil Brodie Band Tribute
Page 
Winard
Harper
Born: June 4th 1962,
Baltimore, Maryland. USA
Quote
~ "The drums are important in almost all cultures, it's not just
among the African cultures that the drum plays a role, but look at Native
Americans. There's a language in the drums. In music, the drums provide
the pulse, the heartbeat. To a band, the drums are what your heart is
to your body. All of the great bands, all the great innovators throughout
history have had great drummers... Miles had Philly Joe Jones and Jimmy
Cobb or Tony Williams, John Coltrane had Elvin Jones, Count Basie had
Papa Joe Jones, Cannonball Adderly had Louis Hayes. The drums provide
the pulse and the spirit of music." ~ Winard Harper
Influences:
Clifford Brown
Max Roach
Cannonball Adderley
Dr. Billy Taylor
Art Blakey
Billy Higgins
Winard Harper: photo with courtesy
of Jeffery
Klinman
BIOGRAPHY
Winard Harper was born in Baltimore, although his parents were not musical
they were full of encouragment. As was his elder brother Danny who by
1966 already had his own rock n roll band. At 5 years old Winard would
sometimes sit in and play his drums in the band. When Winards younger
brother Philip took to playing the trumpet, the two of them would busk
in the streets of George Town, jam with a few bands, and help out with
Danny's various bands. The family moved to Atlanta in the early 70s,
were Winard joined a young band as drummer, playing the popular music
of the times, gigging most Friday and Saturday nights. Winard attended
University of Cincinnati - Cincinnati Conservatory [of Music]. Then
went to the University of Hartford, as a result of scholarships that
he and Phillip won to study with jazz legend Jackie McLean. Listening
to Clifford Brown and Max Roach playing "Jordu.", had fascinated
Winard so greatly and showed him his direction ~ jazz. Now in Washington
his father took him to all the jazz scenes to listen and meet the best
in the world of jazz. In
his late teens, Winard met up with pianist Reuben Brown . Reuben brought
into play a great deal of influence on Winard, the two worked together
for more than a year in a trio with Steve Novel. Also by 1981 Winard
had put together the forerunner of of his future band (The Harper Brothers
Band) ~ this band was 'D.C. Jazz Quintet.' Reuben Brown played piano,
the bass player was Pepe Gonzalez and James King on bass, his younger
brother Philip on trumpet and Winard on drums. Soon though in 1982 he
left Washington for New York.
Billy Taylor's Trio with Winard
Harper and Chip Jackson
Photo with courtesy of Billy
Taylor
New York brought him the opportunity to work with late saxophone virtuoso
Dexter Gordon, which led to working with hard bop tenor saxophonist,
Johnny Griffin and finally he joined the legendary Betty Carter and
her band where he stayed as her drummer for four years. This was a tremenous
learning experience. During these years on his free days, he still kept
a band of his own working. This was the early days of "The Harper
Brothers" which consisted of Winard & Philip (who had been
working with the Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers), Benny Green, Chinett
Marshall and Ralph Moore, working in clubs around the city. Winards
older brother Danny soon joined them as composer, writing some great
material for the boys. By
1988 Winard's hard work and dedication to jazz paid dividends with a
record deal from PolyGram. At 27 Winard was already playing like a veteran,
a virtuoso on the cymbals as well as the drums.
"The Harper Brothers" were on their way, with Winard on drum's,
brother Philip on trumpet, Justin Robinson on alto saxophone, Stephen
Scott on piano, Michael Bowie on bass and Danny Harper composing. This
was one of the hottest groups of the post-bop era of the late '80s,
early '90s with Winard and Michael Bowie meshing perfectly, playing
as one. If you were lucky enough to see these amazing young jazz musician's
The Harper Brothers live, you might have thought you'd been transported
back in time, when bebop wizards Bird, Dizzy and Monk were the toast
of the town with pyrotechnic riffs and fascinating rhythms. The young
band's total dedication and enthusiasm to jazz, mastery of the music
clearly shone, hot, burning audiences with excitment. This propelled
both Winard and Philip into jazz notoriety as members of the "Young
Lions"- young jazz artists credited with reviving classic jazz.
Their second album spent six weeks at No. l on the Billboard Jazz charts
in 1990. The Harper Brothers were an international jazz sensation.
School 'demonstration
in jazz' by The Winard Harper Sextet
Photo courtesy of The
Jazz Network Foundation
In 1993 the Harper
Brother Band split, with Winard going his own way to form a new, very
exciting and hard-swinging sextet. He has released six superb albums
to date, and tours extensively. Winard works with various master musicians
and young dedicated jazz musicans under his skilled guidance in his
sextet varied line-ups including Patrick Rickman, George Cables, Wycliffe
Gordon, Reuben Brown, Scott Harper, Brian Horton, Jeb Patton, Kevin
Sholar, Ameen Saleem, Nick Rolfe, Carrie Smith, Abdou, Alioune Faye,
J.D. Allen, Cecil Brooks III, Buster Williams and Eric Revis.
Quote - "Not only is Winard Harper one of the hardest working drummers
in jazz today, he is also a formidable band leader backed by a group
of talented young players. Each possesses their own voice, and each,
under the expert guidance of Harper, are capable of synthesizing their
disparate styles and personalities into a whole both unique and greater
than the sum of its parts. In the end, just about the only thing as
entertaining as a night of Winard Harper at the KC Jazz Club is, well,
a night of Winard Harper somewhere else. Especially if you can catch
him at a venue without the constraints of strictly timed-sets where
Harper can fully let loose. Always a profound experience, catch Harper
the next time he's in town, or if you are on the road, look for him
on tour, and you will never be disappointed. " - Franz A. Matzner
The the Winard Harper Sextet certainly is doing it's part to bring the
power of jazz to audiences everywhere. Apart from all the touring, festivals,
cruise ships and clubs, Winard's sextet also travel to schools on programs
which enable young audiences to learn more about jazz and the sxtet
is included in the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Partners
in Education Program. Also Winard Harper travels the US appearing at
sold out-drum clinics and finds time for projects with Wycliffe Gordon,
Billy Taylor, Frank Wess, Ray Bryant and Jimmy Heath. Winard with his
huge wealth of experience, skill on the drums and cymbals is doing more
for the goodwill of jazz than any person for decades.
DISCOGRAPHY
Harper
Brothers - The Harper Brothers
Remembrance - The Harper Brothers
Live at the Village Vanguard - The Harper Brothers
Artistry - The Harper Brothers
You Can Hide Inside the Music - Harper
Brothers
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Come Into
The Light -
Winard Harper's Sextet
A Time For The Soul - Winard Harper's Sextet
Faith - Winard Harper's Sextet
Winard - Winard Harper's
Sextet
Trap Dancer - Winard Harper's Sextet
Be Yourself - Winard Harper's Sextet
~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Duets: Live at the Great
American Music Hall - Betty Carter
Surprise,
Surprise!-Live At The 1996 Floating Jazz - Frank Wess
All
Mine... and Yours - Ray Bryant
North of the Border - Ray Bryant
Ray's Tribute to His Jazz Piano Friends - Ray
Bryant
Dig
This! - Wycliffe Gordon
Sextet The Gospel Truth - Wycliffe
Gordon
Taylor Made at the Kennedy Center - Billy
Taylor
Live at IAJE-New York - Billy Taylor
Urban Griot - Billy Taylor
Winard
Harper has over the years become one of the hardest working drummers
in jazz today, not only leading the very exciting and hard-swinging
sextet, but also continuing as one of the most in-demand sidemen. Washington
Post reviewer, Mike Joyce said, "Winard Harper's wonderfully orchestrated
solos alone might have forced a corpse to grin!"
Winard Harper: Photo with courtesy
of Mark Sheldon
