Winard Harper

Male

Jersey City, NJ

United States

Profile Information:

What instrument do you play?

Drums/Balafon

Who influenced you to listen to jazz

My family exposed me to all types of music, but the beauty, power and grace of Jazz caught my ear and my soul.

How did you find out about the WDCJN?

e-mail

My Website

http://www.winardharper.com

Official Facebook Profile

http://www.facebook.com/winardharperjazz

Where are you located?

NYC

Tell us about yourself

In the tradition of jazz giant, Art Blakey, drummer, Winard Harper keeps the original "jazz school" alive by introducing exceptional young talent to audiences in his national tours. As a veteran of the school himself, he debuted with legends such as Betty Carter, Dexter Gordon, Jackie McClean and Pharoah Sanders. "With the economy in decline, the market producing more local talent, and audiences being more susceptible to mediocrity, this is a difficult strategy to maintain", admits Harper. However, he persists, at least in part, due to something Abby Lincoln shared with him long ago. "You are standing on the shoulders of those that came before you." "So, I have to continue to hold up a standard for Jazz and endure the hardships that come along with carving a path for newer talent to carry on the tradition", he adds. "What they're learning on their own, in school, pick-up bands and local settings are just a start. The real finishing school is on the road".

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