by Lola Rossi-Meza
Smooth jazz saxophonist, composer and producer Jeanette Harris continues as the second top notch musician featured in the new music concert series JAZZ TASTINGS™ produced by Patte Purcell of Muze Music on Saturday, February 23, from 6 until 9 p.m. at the Emerald Desert RV Resort Ballroom, 76-000 Frank Sinatra Drive in Palm Desert. Her band members include her brother drummer Michael Harris, lead vocalist and bassist Robert McDonald and pianist Kevin Flournoy. For tickets call (877) 624-4140 ext. 2. $25 general admission and byob or $40 for Mediterranean food tasting plate and three Crater Lake gin or vodka cocktails.
Born and raised with two brothers in Fresno, California, Jeanette Harris started playing piano when she was seven years old. “My parents wanted me to learn how to play piano,” said Harris. “They put me with a good private teacher so I could learn how to read music.” She attended Bullard Talent Elementary School, a public arts school, and started playing saxophone when she was ten years old. “The good thing about playing music in elementary school was, it kept me on top of all my studies like Math, English and History. It is very important for people to keep supporting music in schools.”
She continued to play lead alto saxophone in the jazz band, marching band and Latin band while attending Roosevelt High School. As a matter of fact, she kept up her piano chops by accepting an invitation to perform with the Fresno City College Latin Band during her junior year in high school. “We started doing combo jams and that’s where I learned how to improvise.”
After high school, she moved to Boston, Massachusetts where she attended the prestigious Berklee College of Music and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Performance. In 2001, she returned to Fresno and decided to start her own band with her brother Michael, a drummer and percussionist who also attended Berklee. Their good friend and bass player, Patrick Olvera, has been playing with them since high school, however, he was unavailable to perform at this concert.
In 2005, Harris was recognized as a “Shooting Star” and nominated for “Best Jazz Instrumentalist” by the LA Black Music Awards. She has opened for and/or performed with such well known artists like The Rippingtons, Kirk Whalum, Veretta Hathaway, Phil Perry, Baby Face, Paul Jackson, Jr., Everette Harp, Andre Fischer, Denise Williams and Eric Marienthal, to name a few. She has performed in prominent jazz festivals all over the United States and in 2008, performed on tour in Japan. She was the featured saxophonist and flutist on tour with the late, legendary Teena Marie.
Harris and her brother formed their own company, J & M Records, and recorded two CDs under their label, “Reflections” and “Saxified” with their new CD “Summer Rain” set for release on April 2, 2013. Her songs reflect a good mixture of R & B, with the funkier side of jazz, creating what will be known as her signature sound.
She became engaged during the holidays, on December 23, 2012, to Michael Madkins of St. Louis, Missouri who plans to move to California in May. He is not a musician. He works for a company called Sellers, which involves various areas of advertising. She met him after finishing an interview while on tour with Teena Marie in 2010. The interviewer and his wife, convinced her to meet her future husband because he “is a really good guy” as they put it. He arrived at the studio within five minutes and “I think it was ‘love at first sight’ for him, but for me, it took a minute. It was difficult having a long distance relationship, but I am glad it all worked out. It’s very exciting.”
Harris will be on tour this year, so wedding plans will be on hold until next year. They have lots of campaigning and touring ahead of them with the release of the new CD and the introduction of a new perfume fragrance appropriately named, “Summer Rain.” Her agent, Eric Talbert of the Agency Group, has arranged the touring schedule for the release of their new CD.
“I am so excited to be returning to Boston for this tour in August. We will be performing at SKullers Jazz Club. I remember hearing about this place when I was in Berklee and it was always so packed, you could hardly get in.” Well jazz fans, this will be the time to see this up and coming super saxtress at the event at Emerald Desert, so it’s time to get your tickets. You can also see her on Sunday, February 24, from 6 until 9 p.m. at Golden Village Palms in Hemet. (866) 477-6154. Visit her web-site: JeanetteHarrisBand.com.
