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Marilyn Harris

Singer-pianist-songwriter Marilyn Harris boasts an enviable jazz pedigree. After studying composition with Hale Smith at UConn and film scoring with Ray Wright and Manny Albam at Eastman School of Music, Marilyn worked extensively with jazz arranger Gil Evans and studied piano with Richard Tee and Rodgers Grant. Her talents have graced not only her own recordings, but a wide variety of other artists' work including co- writing a gold record with Jim Brickman, doing arrangements for Bette Midler, Lola Falana and Donna McKechnie, and her songs have been covered by jazz vocalists Anne Marie Moss, Jackie Paris, Claire Martin, Bobbe Norris, Judi Silvano and Diane Hubka.

Marilyn was born in Syracuse, NY and grew up in Hartford, CT. After graduating from UConn, she worked as a music editor and copyist in New York City, while pitching her original songs to publishers. Soon she found herself in the world of advertising music where she sang, arranged and produced music for commercials (Amoco, McDonald's, Kraft, Kellogg's, United Airlines, etc.) in New York and Chicago. After moving to Los Angeles, she composed, performed and produced over 200 music cues for ABC- TV's "General Hospital", scored episodes of the animated "Flintstone Kids", and provided original music scores and themes for such diverse projects as BBC-5's hit radio drama "Milford-Haven, U.S.A." (Great Britain), "Yogurt Variations" for the New Britain Symphony Orchestra, the theatrical plays "Sea Marks" and "An American Odyssey", as well as the audio book music scores to "The Hidden Legacy", "Stickeen", and the recently released "Travels In Alaska". Marilyn has placed original songs in the Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation of "My Sister's Keeper", Sesame Street, and the award- winning short feature film "T for Terrorist".

Marilyn's first CD release on Wrightwood Records, the jazz- pop "Between the Lines" (WRCD-1508) featured world-renowned musicians such as percussionist/drummer Mark Walker (Paquito D'Rivera & Oregon), guitarist Georg Wadenius (Blood, Sweat & Tears), bassist Steve Rodby (Pat Metheny Group), jazz trumpeters Orbert Davis, Bobby Lewis and Ron Friedman, saxophonist Steve Eisen (Styx), and Sinatra band members Mike Smith and Ron Kolber. In 1998 Marilyn joined Philip Ingram in the vocal duet of her song "Like Love" on BMG's release of Jim Brickman's "Visions of Love".

Recently Marilyn expanded her musical scope by collaborating on 4 new CDs of meditation/relaxation music for Wrightwood Records: "Koto Keys" (WRCD-1516) & "A Koto Keys Christmas" (WRCD-1525) with kotoist Mara Purl, "Winds on Ivory" (WRCD-1521) with exotic woodwind specialist Phil Feather, and "Unicorn's Journey" (WRCD-1530) with harpist Stephanie Bennett.

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Profile

Marilyn Harris: The Future Has Arrived

Read "Marilyn Harris: The Future Has Arrived" reviewed by Craig M. Cortello


The title track to pianist/vocalist Marilyn Harris' Future Street (Wrightwood, 2004) details that magical avenue where all things are possible, where potential is realized, and where dreams can come true. Listening to her follow-up Round Trip (Wrightwood, 2006), a compilation of twelve songs featuring powerhouse arrangements and ten original compositions, it's clear that the future has arrived.

It is said that the reason that Vince Lombardi was such an outstanding football coach is that many of his colleagues were promoted ...

146
Album Review

Marilyn Harris: Round Trip

Read "Round Trip" reviewed by Jim Santella


With her heart stuck on jazz for keeps, Marilyn Harris sings this program of originals, plus two chestnuts, with the authenticity of a life-long veteran. She knows. Big band arrangements by Mark Wolfram give the session such a flair that its memory lingers on long after the disc has completed its spin. Wolfram fashions the big band's brass, woodwind and rhythm sections together with transparent filaments, while Harris contributes thrilling lyrics. She's a clever songwriter who feels as comfortable with ...

186
Album Review

Marilyn Harris with the LA Jazz All-Stars Big Band: Round Trip

Read "Round Trip" reviewed by Michael P. Gladstone


Marilyn Harris is that rare musical commodity who can write funny and clever songs in the tradition of Dave Frishberg, Bob Dorough (who appears on this album) and Mose Allison, among others. She also writes “serious" songs that tell a story (eg. “That Afternoon in Harlem," which specifically relates to a jazz environment, or “Letting Go," which does not). Round Trip is the third release from the West Coast jazz singer/songwriter; her 2004 album Future Street was one of the ...

133
Album Review

Marilyn Harris: Round Trip

Read "Round Trip" reviewed by Jack Bowers


Round Trip would be a great record with the LA Jazz All-Stars Big Band alone. As a bonus, we get a terrific singer/songwriter, Marilyn Harris, who wrote or co-wrote ten of the album's dozen selections and uses her pleasing midrange voice and effervescent personality to amply and enliven every one of them.

From what I can hear (and that's less than I would prefer), Harris writes clever lyrics that call to mind Dave Frishberg, Mose Allison, Jon Hendricks, Dave Lambert, ...

128
Album Review

Marilyn Harris: Future Street

Read "Future Street" reviewed by Michael P. Gladstone


Future Street is an outstanding new vocal package from West Coast jazz singer/songwriter Marilyn Harris. First, a brief word about the music. The most adventurous jazz singers will take a jazz standard from the past (e.g. a Wayne Shorter Blue Note classic, a Coleman Hawkins composition from the 1940s, etc.) and set original lyrics to the tune and perhaps instrumental solo. Here, with the exception of Kurt Weill's “Lost in the Stars," Marilyn Harris is working without a net on ...

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Video / DVD

"72 DAYS - The Kim Kardashian Blues" by Marilyn Harris

"72 DAYS - The Kim Kardashian Blues" by Marilyn Harris

Source: Marilyn Harris

Marilyn Harris' new song is getting all kinds of attention from jazz fans who appreciate her biting humor and swingin'-time, ribbing the “reality" stars' marital hijinks!

About Marilyn Harris Singer-pianist-songwriter Marilyn Harris boasts an enviable jazz pedigree. After studying composition with Hale Smith at UConn and film scoring with Ray Wright and Manny Albam at Eastman School of Music, Marilyn worked extensively with jazz arranger Gil Evans and studied piano with Richard Tee and Rodgers Grant. Her talents ...

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Performance / Tour

Singer/Songwriter Marilyn Harris Hosts " Round Trip" CD Release Party At NYC' s Don't Tell Mama's On June 23rd

Singer/Songwriter Marilyn Harris  Hosts " Round Trip" CD Release Party At NYC' s Don't Tell Mama's On June 23rd

Source: All About Jazz

Marilyn Harris' Round Trip CD release party takes place at Don't Tell Mama's, located at 343 West 46th Street (Restaurant Row), Manhattan, on Friday, June 23rd at 6:30 p.m. Hot on the heels of Harris' Future Street, Wrightwood Records presents Round Trip - a new album with original jazz songs, kicking big-band charts, killer solos and swingin' vocals.

Inspired by the music of Count Basie, Maynard Ferguson, Neal Hefti, Buddy Rich, Billy May, Nelson Riddle, Hank Mancini, Johnny Mandel, the ...

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Recording

Marilyn Harris Joined by All-Star Big Band on "Round Trip"

Marilyn Harris Joined by All-Star Big Band on "Round Trip"

Source: All About Jazz

Hot on the heels of Marilyn Harris' Future Street, Wrightwood Records presents Harris' Round Trip: a new album with original jazz songs, kicking big band charts, killer solos and swingin' vocals.

Inspired by the music of Count Basie, Maynard Ferguson, Neal Hefti, Buddy Rich, Billy May, Nelson Riddle, Hank Mancini, Johnny Mandel, the Tonight Show Band and Don Sebesky, this release features the L.A. Jazz All-Stars Big Band. The instrumental solos are by some of Hollywood's finest jazz musicians, including ...

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Recording

Praise for Marilyn Harris's Latest Release 'Future Street'

Praise for Marilyn Harris's Latest Release 'Future Street'

Source: All About Jazz

“The amazing thing about FUTURE STREET is not only the remarkable writing and singing abilities of Marilyn Harris. It goes beyond fine arrangements and solos. The lyrics to these songs are hip and they swing like mad. This music goes beyond the boundaries of music alone. There are stories here to make you smile, make you feel good and to even shock you. I hope this is just the start of more to come from this gifted artist interpreting it ...

"I loved every mile of ROUND TRIP." - Ken Dryden, Chattanooga Times Free Press

"Marilyn Harris, one of the last of the true practitioners of hipness, has blessed us with another quality CD. Backed by the wonderful L.A. Jazz All-Stars Big Band this CD always rocks, swings and knocks it out of the park . . . This CD belongs in the library of anyone who loves great writing and singing talent." - Peter La Barbera, Jazz Zine

"No question about it, ROUND TRIP is an entertaining and compelling recording that showcases a superb performance by one of the best jazz vocalists in the business today...A disc that will appeal to anyone who likes music." - Edward Blanco, eJazzNews.com

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Piano

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Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Round Trip

Wrightwood Records
2006

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Future Street

Unknown label
2004

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