| David Harbour | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Paul David Harbour |
| Born | 1965 |
| Genres | Hard rock Heavy metal Instrumental Progressive Shred Classical New Age Ambient |
| Occupations | Bassist Pianist Guitarist Composer Educator |
| Instruments | Bass Piano Keyboards Guitar |
| Years active | 1989 - present |
| Labels | Leviathan Records Roadrunner Records Massacre Records M Records Lion Music |
| Associated acts | David T. Chastain Michael Harris Tony MacAlpine Chastain King Diamond Michael Manring Absu |
| Website | Official site Official MySpace page |
| Notable instruments | |
| Fender Precision Bass, 1966 Spector Zon |
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Paul David Harbour is an American musician, virtuoso bass guitar player, piano and guitar player, and a composer from Dallas, TX. He collaborated with renowned guitarists David T. Chastain, Michael Harris and Tony MacAlpine. He played in the bands Leather, Chastain and King Diamond.
In 2003 recorded a extraordinary solo album, "Ideology", that demonstrated a unique combination of rock, jazz, progressive, impressionism and new age. Currently he works on his second solo album, "God Of Balance", with the participation of Michael Manring.
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David Harbour began studying music through the influence of his German grandmother – his father's mother. David's father studied music and opera in Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College Of Education, Tennessee, and David's grandmother believed that David should follow his steps. So, at the age of five, Harbour began studying piano.
At 16, being impressed by Edward Van Halen's performance, Harbour decided to learn guitar. His father encouraged him to play bass and David agreed. Due to previously acquired knowledge of classical and jazz piano, Harbor quickly progressed in playing bass guitar. While influenced initially by Chris Squire from YES and Geddy Lee from RUSH he also studied funk, jazz and Motown bass lines.
At 17 David Harbour played his first gig as a bass player. He participated in groups that performed a standard repertoire of TOP40, all kinds of college rock, and cover versions of R.E.M., LED ZEPPELIN, BLACK SABBATH, etc. During this period David Harbour got acquainted with the variety of musical styles.
Some of the best musical collaborations of those times, for David, were multiple projects with his high school mate, guitarist Kevin White. David and Kevin together made a lot of studio records which are still “on a shelf.” The most famous of their bands was an instrumental trio UNCLE FESTRE, organized by Harbour.
At that time, David also worked a lot for local musicians from Louisiana as a studio session bassist.
In the late eighties, David Harbour became a member of the group MANTA RAY formed in Dallas, Texas, by a vocalist and guitarist Lance Harvill (later ARMS OF THE SUN). Other members of this formation were a drummer John Luke Hebert and Harvill's mentor – a guitarist Mike Morgan. In 1990, this quartet recorded a strong demo album at Dallas Sound Lab that was made in hard'n'heavy way of that time.
In 1989, by invitation of a well-known guitarist David T. Chastain, David Harbour recorded bass parts on Chastain's instrumental solo album “Within The Heat.” After that Chastain offered Harbour to become a member of his group CHASTAIN.
In 1990, CHASTAIN group with participation of Harbour recorded an album “For Those Who Dare” that consisted of “classic” heavy metal songs. Before that David Harbour also took part in recording of a solo album of CHASTAIN's vocalist Leather Leone, “Shock Waves”, 1989.
Harbour collaborated with David Chastain till mid 90's and recorded (not counting compilations) two more instrumental solo albums – “Elegant Seduction” (1991) and “Next Planet Please” (1994). In the instrumental works of David Chastain with participation of David Harbour, it is seen a gradual departure from the standard “metal” music format in the direction of progressive rock with elements of fusion.
Also David Harbour participated in three world tours as a part of David Chastain's group.
In the summer of 1991 guitarists David Chastain and Michael Harris (that took part in recording of LEATHER album) decided to do a tour in USA and Mexico in order to record and release a concert album. The rhythm section in this tour consisted of David Harbour on the bass from Chastain's side and Greg Martin on the drums from Harris' side.
The recording was made in June 1991 and released in 1992 with the name “Live! Wild And Truly Diminished!!.” The album contained concert versions of previous solo works of Michael Harris and David Chastain, as well as concert improvisations of each participant. Unlikely many other concert records, “Live! Wild And Truly Diminished!!” is a truly concert disk (not fabricated in studio). It's interesting that there is an improvised solo on the bass by David Harbour, “B.O.F.” on the album.
At the end of 1991 David Harbour for a short while joined a group of well-known guitarist Tony MacAlpine. Group members at the moment of his participation: Tony MacAlpine – guitar, Gina Demos – guitar, David Harbour – bass, Mike Terrana – drums, Alan Sehorn – vocals. December 6 of 1991 Harbour, playing in MacAlpine's group, took part in Randy Rhoads Benefit Show – a big collective concert in Sharks Club, L.A., that was organized in honour of 35thanniversary of Randy Rhoads – a tragically killed guitarist of Ozzy Osbourne. A lot of celebrities and participants were present on that event, among which were: Dweezil Zappa, Rudy Sarzo, Billy Sheehan, Steve Lukather, Paul Gilbert, Carmine Apice, John Lowery (aka John 5), Rob Rock, Phil Soussan, Blues Saraceno, Chris Impellitteri, Brad Gillis, Tommy Aldridge, Jeff Scott Soto, George Lynch and many others.
Besides of an instrumental set, the group of Tony MacAlpine also performed two covers of Ozzy Osbourne on this concert: “Revelation (Mother Earth)” and “Steal Away The Night.”
All the works of that period where David Harbour participated were marked with his original and technical bass guitar performance. Being influenced by Billy Sheehan and Stuart Hamm at that moment, David Harbour actively used tapping, slap and rake in his playing. He played in an aggressive and very bright manner. While using only his fingers, Harbour performed very fast speed passages, solo phrases and fills. At the same time, his playing was far away from plain shred - it had melody in it's base, and musical phases of David were severe and laconic: in spite of influences of others, David did have his individual style.
The most illustrative examples of David Harbour's bass performance of that time are:
David T. Chastain: “Menage a Trois” (03:09), “Schizophrenia” (01:10), “Dunk the Funk” (02:02), “Next Planet Please” (03:11, 05:11), “Within the Heat” (00:14, 03:27), “Excursions into Reality” (00:00, 03:32), “Desert Nights” (02:20), “The Visionary” (02:30), “Dangerzone F107” (01:48), “The Return of the 6” (00:27) “In Your Face” (02:26), “Nightmare” (02:11), “Watching Time Go By” (00:46).
Chastain / Harris COUNTERPOINT: “B.O.F.” (bass solo), “Menage a Trois” (02:39), “Schizophrenia” (01:11), 827 (01:46), Psychotic Biorhythms (00:07), Collision Course (01:36).
CHASTAIN: “Secrets of the Damned” (02:21), “Night of Anger” (01:13, 05:02)
LEATHER: ”Diamonds Are for Real” (00:00)
Michael Harris: “Freudian Trip” (02:12), “Julius Seizure” (01:10, 04:51), ”Status-Fear” (03:39)
A crisis in hard rock and guitar instrumental music related to total popularity of grunge prompts David Harbour to move from Los Angeles to Dallas in 1992.
In 1993, Harbour records a video tutor for bass guitar beginners named “Learn How To Learn” (Armada Entertainment).
During that period he along with Dmitri Thomann (guitar, vocal) and a drummer Rich Guess (later THE PHARAOHS OF FUNK и THE FREDDI-HENCHI BAND) becomes a member of DVINITY project. Harbour dedicated several years to this project and took an active part in writing musical material for it. In 1994, the group records a demo named “Symbols Become Rituals.” But in the beginning of 1996, David, disappointed by interaction between members, leaves the group. One year later, DVINITY issues a CD “Burn It All”, 1997, where already some other bassist played bass.
David decides to return to his first instrument, piano, practicing on it more and more. At the same time Harbour also decides to start studying thoroughly recording processes and particularities of studio equipment.
In 1996, David records bass parts on five tracks of guitarist Michael Harris' solo album “Ego Decimation Profile.” On that record, he played with a drummer Rob Stankiewicz from HAJI’S KITCHEN and Keith Carlock (Sting and STEELY DAN).
During the next three years Harbour works with local stars Chris and Candy Smith, recording with them an album, some kind of fusion of pop and country.
During that period David actively practiced piano, developing and sharpening his skills while preparing for his first solo album that at first was going to be named “Lost For Words.”
In 1999, the former drummer of CHASTAIN, John Luke Hebert, that played in KING DIAMOND at that moment, suggests David Harbour to take a vacant bass guitarist place. After a personal conversation with King Diamond, David was taken as a group member without any further questions.
In 2000, David Harbour, working with the Nomad Recording Studio, records a bass part for an album named “House Of God” where his bass performed a standard rock accompaniment function.
A self-titled tour follows after which David Harbour leaves the group KING DIAMOND and starts actively working on his solo album.
The album “Ideology” that was released at the very beginning of 2003, demonstrated a balanced combination of very different styles. On this CD, David for the first time realized his pianist and composer's ambitions and demonstrated complete creative liberation from his sideman scope that had been limiting him in the past. While working on the album, Harbour let his basic, formerly hidden musical influences manifest themselves: listening to Ideology” reveals parallels with George Winston, Tori Amos, Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush, Sting, as well as groups PINK FLOYD and RUSH.
Besides of bass parts, David performed admirably all piano and keyboard parts on “Ideology.” Bass guitar plays just another independent melodic voice on the record. – It interweaves, encounters, diverges, enspheres, disappears and meets again keyboard that form fundamental parts of all compositions on the disk. Harbour successfully managed to develop individual tone in approaches to both instruments.
The album “Ideology” got good press responses and positive feedback from the listeners.
Right after issuing “Ideology” CD, Harbour announced beginning of the work on a new album named “Gods Of Balance” – together with a well-known bass guitarist Michael Manring. During that period Harbour was busy organizing a supporting tour for “Ideology” and actually was not prepared to record a new album. But since Michael Manring had free time, he decided not to miss this opportunity. On the studio Castle Zeek in Austin, Texas, he recorded Michael Manring's bass guitar parts for a new composition named “Phobos And Deimos.”
It is possible to see two videos of this record on YouTube:
But due to lack of promotion and financial support for “Ideology”, David had to postpone “Gods Of Balance” for 4 next years.
During that period David decided to master another musical instrument – guitar. So, he stopped playing bass for the next two years and worked on his piano and guitar skills. David explained that, after creative cooperation with Michael Manring, he felt that he should reconsider radically his approaches to the instruments.
After having returned to the bass, David started to pay more attention to fretless instruments.
During 2000's David Harbour co-worked as a studio bass and piano player with musicians of different styles: DOPPLER EFFECT (rock), ABSU (black metal), Proscriptor (hard'n'heavy), Ben Kuzay (shred bass metal), EQUIMANTHORN (dark ambient), etc.
In 2006, in Dallas, Harbour became a member of some local group 49th VIBRATION. Together with his old friend, guitarist Troy Thibodeaux (ex-DAMAGED FAITH) and drummer April Samuels, they played several club concerts and recorded a demo made of four songs in folk-pop-rock.
David periodically takes part in house concerts where he plays solo bass guitar and piano compositions. There are some videos from those concerts available on David's YouTube channel:
David Harbour also teaches music. He teaches bass, piano, and guitar.
One of recent studio works of Harbour as a bass guitarist is recording of some of bass tracks for Michael Harris' album “Tranz-Fused”, 2010. Along with Harbour, playing of one of the best modern drummers, Marco Minnemann, can be heard on these tracks. Besdes of Harbour, other bassists are present on that album: Adam Nitti, Bunny Brunel and James Martin.
On David Harbour's YouTube channel one can listen to a new piano piece of his, “Is It Just Me?”, 2009
At the present moment, David works on two solo projects where piano playing will be also more accentuated. He plans to invite some well-known guests to work on these projects.
Van Halen, Rush, Geddy Lee, Chris Squire, Billy Sheehan, Stuart Hamm, Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, George Winston, Tori Amos, Kate Bush, Sting
"If you've never heard of David Harbour all you have to do is listen to any of the albums he's played on and chances are you'll never forget his name. What a treat it is to hear this guy play the bass." [1][2][3]
– Joe Metal.com
"I got two great players, David Harbour played the bass. He played on my last instrumental cd "Within The Heat". On drums is Rick Porter. He did our US tour in 1990. Both are exceptional players!" [4]
– David T. Chastain
"David Harbour plays a lot of impressive stuff on quite a few tracks." [5]
– David T. Chastain
"David Harbour on bass & Greg Martin on drums, it kills." [6]
– Review: Chastain/Harris, Counterpoint "Live! Wild & Truly Diminished!!"
"There is a bassist that very few people know about named David Harbour. He is my 1 influence in all aspects of my bass playing, whether its tapping, slapping and especially his aggressive dig-in stlye of fingerpicking. Back in the early ‘90’s, I saw him play live six times when he would come to Detroit with neo-classical guitarist, David T. Chastain." [7]
– Gary Jibilian
"My early influences were Billy Sheehan, and Stu Hamm, but what really inspired me to explore two-handed tapping was the first time I saw David Harbour play live with David T. Chastain. He blew me away with all of his bass playing techniques, especially when he would tap during his solos. I saw him 5 times in the early '90's with Chastain, and corresponded a bit via email and phone calls since then. His aggressive, "digging-in" style is similar to mine, where you feel like you're physically connected to the instrument." [8]
– Gary Jibilian
"Bassist-extraordinaire David Harbour" [9]
– Michael Harris
"The rhythm section of David Harbour and Keith Carlock just smoked." [10]
– Michael Harris
"David is probably the best bass player I’ve ever played with. It’s unbelievable what he can dobut fortunately he doesn’t have that big ego. You can imagine sometimes, if you got a guy thatis really, really good he’ll try and play bass all over the place, but David has a very good ear for arrangement. If he just needs to play straight he will do that, he can hear what’s best for the song, and in different parts, go crazy when its right. It’s another very big improvement." [11][2][3]
– King Diamond – rusmetal.ru
"Q: You had to work with David Harbour, your new bass player, how did it go?
A: Very, very good, he works very fast, had a good sound and he’s also a very talented piano player." [3]
– King Diamond
"We have a new bass player and he is form Dallas Texas, his name is David Harbour, and he is the best bass player i ever played with any of the band. He is very very good and he fits in the band, he doesn't have a big ego, he doesn't have to show, there are places that he shows his bass and some places he does what is best for the music because he has all that good arrangement." [12][3]
– King Diamond – Metal Guide.com
"He was a killer bassplayer." [13]
– King Diamond
"David Harbour – One of the best bassists/pianists I have ever known." [14][3]
– Trip Wamsley
"Wonderful Music!" [2][3]
– George Winston
"David Harbour is an amazing musician. Not only is he a scary-good bassist who always inspires me, but he plays piano beautifully too." [2][3]
– Michael Manring
"He has the best finger-picking attack of all bassists I've ever heard and his keyboard artistry was breathtaking." [15][16]
– Ben Kuzay
"Brilliant! 5 stars, David. Awesome playing!!!" [17]
– Zander Zon