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Kate's Soulfood

by Allan Harris

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    Renowned vocalist and guitarist Allan Harris is thrilled to announce the release of his long-awaited new studio recording Kate’s Soulfood. Available on February 12th, 2021 via Love Productions Records, Kates Soulfood is a spirited, soul-drenched ten track recording that pays homage to Harris’ home of Harlem, NYC as only he can. Harris will be embarking on a tour to support Kate’s Soulfood in February that will take him through North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

    Showcasing his brisk baritone and deft songwriting ability, Harris’ fourteenth release as a leader paints a vivid portrait of his vibrant neighborhood that draws heavily from a deep well of childhood memories. “As a child, the rhythmic rocking of the subway was music to my ears. Every Sunday I took a magical ride along those tracks from Brooklyn to Harlem, which became my island of refuge,” he says. Like his ancestors who emigrated there during the Harlem Renaissance, Harris saw Harlem as a place of opportunity, belonging, and most importantly, love. “The people that enveloped me with their love and teaching placed an armor of music, literature and history around my underdeveloped mind.” Kate’s Soulfood is the outcome of their heartfelt efforts.

    Among those that had an impact on the young Harris was his Aunt Kate, and her popular luncheonette Kate’s Home Cooking. Located on the corner of Frederick Douglass Boulevard and 126th street, right behind the Apollo Theater, the diner was often frequented by musicians (and notably appears on the cover of Jimmy Smith’s Home Cookin’). Harris would spend his Sunday afternoons at his aunt’s restaurant, soaking in the sounds and sights, before catching a show at the Apollo. “I experienced many pivotal moments at my aunts’ restaurant. I witnessed parts of the civil rights movement, rubbed shoulders with exceptional people, and it was there that I really found my voice.” In composing the music featured on Kate’s Soulfood, Harris drew from these impactful experiences, and in doing so, has produced a wide-ranging sonic tapestry of his beloved neighborhood.

    To bring his vision to life, Harris enlisted GRAMMY winning producer Kamau Kenyatta, known particularly for his work with Gregory Porter. Harris’ A-list backing band includes his working rhythm section made up of Arcoiris Sandoval on piano, Nimrod Speaks on bass and Shirazette Tinnin on drums. Also featured is Grégoire Maret on harmonica, David Castañeda on percussion, Curtis Taylor on trumpet, Alex Budman on alto saxophone, Keith Fiddmont on tenor saxophone and Ondre J Pivec on organ. Harris plays guitar throughout the album, with the exception of on “Color Of A Woman is Blu”, which features Tonga Ross-M’au in his place.

    The contagious, vivacious energy of Harlem is personified on the opening track and album highlight “I Grew Up”, on which striking horn arrangements by Etienne Charles shine brightly. Against a backdrop of children playing and singing, Harris paints a vivid picture of an afternoon in Harlem, and proudly declares “Harlem is the place, Harlem is the place where I live,” perfectly setting the stage for the proceedings.

    Harris shifts gears on “One More Notch (Put Down Your Gun)”, on which he steps into the role of a former gang-member who pleads with his junior to get off the street, and follows it up with “Wash Away My Sins”, a mid-tempoed declaration of appreciation for the strong women who love and support Black men in today’s broken society. Harris shines on neo-soul infused tracks “Open Up” and “Shallow Man” before barring his romantic soul on “The Color of a Woman is Blu”. The back-half of Kate’s Soulfood, “99 Miles”, “Autumn Has Found You”, and “New Day”, were written for Harris’ friends and family that showered him with love throughout his life.

    Closing out Kate’s Soulfood is “Run Through America”, which was released as a single in August. Written in response to the unjust police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, “Run Through America” is a modern-day protest song that ends the album with a call to action: to take to the streets and call out their name. The emotional music video was premiered by JazzTimes. It is a fitting end to an album about Harlem, a place where the civil rights movement boomed in the 1960’s – something Harris saw up close from his counter seat at Kate’s Home Cooking.

    Kate’s Soulfood is a tour-de-force for Allan Harris, who has been called the “Jazz Vocal King of New York”. Described by the Miami Herald as possessing a voice with “the warmth of Tony Bennett, the bite and rhythmic sense of Sinatra, and the sly elegance of Nat ‘King’ Cole,” Harris has garnered wide acclaim from critics and legions of fans from all over the world. Recently, Harris made national headlines with his riveting work Cross That River, which tells the unsung story of America’s black cowboys and sheds light on their oft-overlooked contribution in taming the American West. Cross That River was featured in the New York Times, on NPR’s Weekend Edition, and on CBS and NBC.

    Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, Harris has remained in the public eye due to his weekly live stream concert series “Harlem After Dark”. These virtual performances, which stream on Youtube and Facebook Live and garnered attention from Forbes, regularly attract thousands of fans and have become a staple in many music lovers’ homes every Tuesday evening. Harris has often featured tunes from Kate’s Soulfood during these performances, and the music has been met with great enthusiasm.

    Harris will be bringing Kate’s Soulfood on tour this February. This tour is made possible with the support of Jazz Road, a national initiative of South Arts, which is funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation with additional support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The dates are as follows:

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1.
I Grew Up (Kate’s Place) I took the train up to Harlem Dressed to the nines, a spring afternoon Going to the Apollo Hear all that jazz, and some down-home blues Nina, Sarah, and Ella Duke and Basie would swing, that’s a fact Jackie, Smokey, and Marvin BB and Satchmo never walked through the back I Grew Up! With a people who believed in heard work I Grew Up! Never heard them use the N-word I Grew Up! Stood on the shoulders where I learned how to give Yes, Harlem is the place I live A jukebox sat in the corner Your favorite tune, would play while you danced Afro hair “Right on Brother” Platform shoes, Motown grooves gangster hats Doo-wop groups on the corner Girls double-dutch, and man they could twist Buy a deuce-and-quarter Play a number, you hope that it hits I Grew Up! With a people who believed in heard work I Grew Up! Never heard them use the N-word I Grew Up! Stood on the shoulders where I learned how to give Yes, Harlem is the place I live Now I see folks are rapping Lay down those beats, sample some tracks But Malcolm said from the pulpit Better learn how your rhythms are jacked Folks stepped off the plantation A place of pain where our families were sold Oh miss Tubman, she saved some Robert Smith - says there’s still far to go I Grew Up! With a people who believed in heard work I Grew Up! Never heard them use the N-word I Grew Up! Stood on the shoulders where I learned how to give Yes, Harlem is the place I live
2.
ONE MORE NOTCH Allan Harris MANY TOWNS MANY FACES SEEM TO MELT INTO ONE I MADE A NAME FOR MYSELF AT THE END OF A GUN I’VE PLAYED THIS PART OH SO LONG O NOW BELIEVE IT MYSELF I WATCHED THE CLOCK ONE MORE NOTCH HE CALLED ME OUT A NOON JUST A KID DRESSED IN BLACK IN LESS THAN AN HOUR HE’LL BE DEAD IN HIS TRACKS WHEELS OF FAITH ARE IN MOTION A TRAGIC PLAY IN REVERSE I WATCHED THE CLOCK ONE MORE NOTCH OH WHAT A LONELY ROAD THE WINTERS HAVE COME AND GONE I’VE SEEN SO MANY THINGS THINGS THAT I CAN’T EXPLAIN I WAS ONCE ONE AND MAD NOW YOU SEE I’M THA LAST OF A BREED PLEASE LOOK AT ME IF HE WOULD ONLY LISTEN I’D SAY PIT DOWN YOUR GUN YOUR YOUNG AND FULL OF PROMISE DON’T LIVE YOUR LIFE ON THE RUN HIS EYE’S JUST LOOKED THROUGH ME I KNOW HOW THIS CHAPTER ENDS I WATCHED THE CLOCK ONE MORE NOTCH
3.
WASH AWAY MY SINS Went down to the river To wash away my sins Tried speaking to the one above If there’s a heaven would you let me in Gonna jump in these waters Let the river just take me away Then I heard her voice a calling Said I love you don’t do this thing For I need you & I want you I’m your woman and you’re my man I’ll always be your guiding light I hope that you’ll understand Why it’s no use in sharing love If were left with doubt and fear Together we’ll wash all those sins away Let them drown in our falling tears Didn’t know where I was going Didn’t care where I had been Then the stars smiled down upon me There you were and my life began We were blessed with a ring of love It circled us every day She said a part of us has gone and died Said ya better live another day
4.
Open Up! 04:42 video
Open Up Let your soul bath in the sunlight of other's Open Up Let our hearts become one Make this a better place for your brother Open Up You can't do it on your own So let's do it all together Open Up The world is filled with love as you will soon discover I can't speak for my neighbor or my friends But this feeling comes from deep within I have found the key in my short a wondrous life That we all have the gift of love but understanding it takes time so Open Up Segregation, Aggravation Everybody’s knows this is a love nation Put Your hearts together and you will find Life is good when you open your mind I’ve travelled far I’ve travelled wide The universe will decide here to decide Material things get left behind So seek the truth and Open Up Your Mind Open Up Lift our hearts to the sky and let the love flow like wine Open Up Love is the fruit of mankind but we must pick it from the vine Open Up The time is growing near but the answers are so clear Open Up With love there is no fear cause your brother be your mirror
5.
Shallow Man Living in a City that has changed my mind Leaving all the problems that I had behind I’m a soldier Never moved this slow Gotta march in time to what I know Picking up the pieces of a broken dream All the plans I made turned out to be just schemes And Illusion Was a shallow man Drifting through my life without a plan Like sand my thoughts slip through the hour glass of time A lonely heart can only break a troubled mind The bird of paradise I seek I hope to find find The truth is what I need Reality is just a dream Stepping over boundaries to the wide unknown Never had a thought that I could call my own Had a vision So I change my ways No more standing still with feet of clay Take away the promise of a brighter day You will see the answers written on my face There’s a method To my madness That I always tried to hide away
6.
Color of a Woman is Blue Give her perfume When she’s feeling lonely Send her roses When she’s far from view But whisper in her ear I love you love you dear For the color of a woman is blue She will tell you by the way that she carries her head That her long day didn’t turn out so well So release all her fears with I love you love you dear For the color of a woman is Blue Cause it only takes a moment to love her Yet a lifetime to understand all her moods So whisper in her ear I love you love you dear For the color of a woman is blue
7.
99 Miles 04:48
99 Miles 99 miles from Atlanta Georgia Got one thing on my mind Two whole weeks on this lonely road Lord knows I've served my time Gonna pull in the driveway Pop on the 'mergency Jump like a frog on the porch Take a long hot bath and a shot of tequila Hear the sound of my sweet baby's voice Been a lotta long years of scrapin and a scufflin but time has proved us well We might not have a lot of frills and tassles but Lord knows we've had ourselves I say its back to the basics We're at our best That's how we started out We had love then and we have love now and that's what we're all about Just put out the dog and redd up the house Cause the last two weeks have been hell I'll be in the city by 11:00 o'clock She knows to expect me by 12:00 Now there ain't too many jobs For the working class hero I gotta do the best that I can They can stop me from working But they can't stop the lovin That happens between a woman and a man There were times when I'd wake up In the dark of the night And watched as you slept in our bed The room was so cold no food in the freezer Tears welled up in my head Now I've been a lot of places Seen a lot of faces She smiles when she walks by my side If there's one thing I'd do over again I'd ask her to be my wife
8.
AUTUMN Autumn has found you drifting like the leaves You'll soon be falling in love again again with me Winter has claimed you Your heart gets so cold I want to warm you It's time to let love glow The rites of spring decent on you The ides of march will see us through As we float into summers glare I pray you'll still care Autumn determines Should our love be whole Another season we have the reason for love to take hold
9.
New Day 05:23
A NEW DAY I see a Blue Bird singing in her window It’s a bright and sunny morning She wakes up to its song that reminds her How wonderful life can be Hear a dog barking loud in the front yard He wants to play with the children They are running and laughing and just being happy Playing hide and seek It’s a new day and a new way To start a new life But you have to believe it That you are worth it and your purpose Is to follow the path that love will help you see It’s a new day and a new way To start a new life But you have to conceive it Time is precious don’t ya waste it Trust in love you’ll find your dreams A man slowly shuffles pass her front yard Oh his heart is a grieving Angels called from above took the one that he loved On a soft and gentle Breeze Watched the kids with the dog heard the bird sing his song And he said.. What the hell does it all mean Then he soon saw her face and a feeling of grace Sparked that ember inside his buried dream It’s a new day and a new way For you to start a new life But you have to believe it That you are worth it and your purpose Is to follow the path that love will help you see It’s a new day and a new way To start a new life But you have to conceive it Time is precious don’t ya waste it Trust in love you’ll find your dreams Spinning round in space in the unknown Like dervishes we spin round and round But the Universe is just a reflection Of why we need each other Discover love together The Blue birds still singing in the window It’s a bright and sunny morning Wakes them up with a song that remind’s them How wonderful life can be Now a new born’s playing in the front yard They were two but now are three He has found that spark placed it in her heart It’s more than just a dream
10.
RUN THROUGH AMERICA He went for a run In a sleepy Georgia town Thought he was safe But they gunned Ahmaud down Where ya gonna go From the land that we love They say “Run Nigger Run through America” Sleeping in a bed With her man late at night Killed in the hallway They shot Breonna eight times Where ya gonna go From the land that we love They say “Run Nigger Run through America” We’re tired of singing tired of praying It’s hard to believe They have never felt our pain A revolution for restitution Let’s take to the streets And shout out their names Watching them birds Chris was down in Central Park White woman said “I’m gonna go and call the cops” Where ya gonna go From the land that we love They say “Run Nigger run through America” Yelled for his mama With a knee on his neck Cried out for mercy But they killed George Floyd instead Where ya gonna go From the land that we love They say “Run Nigger Run through America”

about

Renowned vocalist and guitarist Allan Harris is thrilled to announce the release of his long-awaited new studio recording Kate’s Soulfood. Available on February 12th, 2020 via Love Productions Records, Kates Soulfood is a spirited, soul-drenched ten track recording that pays homage to Harris’ home of Harlem, NYC as only he can. Harris will be embarking on a pre-release tour to support Kate’s Soulfood in February. SHOULD WE MENTION THE GRANT?

Showcasing his brisk baritone and deft songwriting ability, Harris’ twelfth release as a leader paints a vivid portrait of his vibrant neighborhood that draws heavily from a deep well of childhood memories. “As a child, the rhythmic rocking of the subway was music to my ears. Every Sunday I took a magical ride along those tracks from Brooklyn to Harlem, which became my island of refuge,” he says. Like his ancestors who emigrated relocated there during the Harlem Renaissance, Harris saw Harlem as a place of opportunity, belonging, and most importantly, love. “The people that enveloped me with their love and teaching placed an armor of music, literature and history around my underdeveloped mind.” Kate’s Soulfood is the outcome of their heartfelt efforts.

Among those that had an impact on the young Harris was his Aunt Kate, and her popular luncheonette Kate’s Home Cooking. Located on the corner of Frederick Douglass Boulevard and 126th street, right behind the Apollo Theater, the diner was often frequented by musicians (and notably appears on the cover of Jimmy Smith’s Home Cookin’). Harris would spend his Sunday afternoons at his aunt’s restaurant, soaking in the sounds and sights, before catching a show at the Apollo. “I experienced many pivotal moments at my aunts’ restaurant. I witnessed parts of the civil rights movement, rubbed shoulders with great artists, and it was there that I really found my voice.” In composing the music featured on Kate’s Soulfood, Harris drew from these impactful experiences, and in doing so, has produced a wide-ranging sonic tapestry of his beloved neighborhood.

To bring his vision to life, Harris enlisted GRAMMY winning producer Kamau Kenyatta, known particularly for his work with Gregory Porter. Harris’ A-list backing band includes his working rhythm section made up of Arcoiris Sandoval on piano, Nimrod Speaks on bass and Shirazette Tinnin on drums. Also featured is Grégoire Maret on harmonica, David Castañeda on percussion, Curtis Taylor on trumpet, Alex Budman on alto saxophone, Keith Fiddmont on tenor saxophone and Ondre J Pivec on organ. Harris plays guitar throughout the album, with the exception of on “Color Of A Woman is Blu”, which features Tonga Ross-M’au in his place.

The contagious, vivacious energy of Harlem is personified on the opening track and album highlight “I Grew Up”, on which striking horn arrangements by Etienne Charles shine brightly. Against a backdrop of children playing and singing, Harris paints a vivid picture of an afternoon in Harlem, and proudly declares “Harlem is the place, Harlem is the place where I live,” perfectly setting the stage for the proceedings.

Harris shifts gears on “One More Notch (Put Down Your Gun)”, on which he steps into the role of a former gang-member who pleads with his junior to get off the street, and follows it up with “Wash Away My Sins”, a mid-tempoed declaration of appreciation for the strong women who love and support Black men in today’s broken society. Harris shines on neo-soul infused tracks “Open Up” and “Shallow Man” before barring his romantic soul on “The Color of a Woman is Blu”. The back-half of Kate’s Soulfood, “99 Miles”, “Autumn Has Found You”, and “New Day”, were written for Harris’ friends and family that showered him with love throughout his life.

Closing out Kate’s Soulfood is “Run Through America”, which was released as a single in August. Written in response to the unjust police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, “Run Through America” is a modern-day protest song that ends the album with a call to action: to take to the streets and call out their name. The emotional music video was premiered by JazzTimes. It is a fitting end to an album about Harlem, a place where the civil rights movement boomed in the 1960’s - something Harris saw up close from his counter seat at Kate’s Home Cooking.

Kate’s Soulfood is a tour-de-force for Allan Harris, who has been called the “Jazz Vocal King of New York”. Described by the Miami Herald as possessing a voice with “the warmth of Tony Bennett, the bite and rhythmic sense of Sinatra, and the sly elegance of Nat ‘King' Cole,” Harris has garnered wide acclaim from critics and legions of fans from all over the world. Recently, Harris made national headlines with his riveting work Cross That River, which tells the unsung story of America’s black cowboys and sheds light on their oft-overlooked contribution in taming the American West. Cross That River was featured in the New York Times, on NPR’s Weekend Edition, and on CBS and NBC.

Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, Harris has remained in the public eye due to his weekly live stream concert series “Harlem After Dark, Unplugged”. These virtual performances, which stream on Youtube and Facebook Live and garnered attention from Forbes, regularly attract thousands of fans and have become a staple in many music lovers’ homes every Tuesday evening. Harris has often featured tunes from Kate’s Soulfood during these performances, and the music has been met with great enthusiasm.

credits

released February 12, 2021

Producer: Kamau Kenyatta
Recorded at Trading 8s
December 16-18, 2019
Engineer: Chris Sulit

Recorded at Big City Recording Studios
Granada Hills, CA
Engineer: Paul Tavenner
Jan. 20-22, 2020
Mixed and Mastered by Paul Tavenner
October 2020

Overdubs recorded at Peter Karl Audio
March 6-10, 2020
Overdubs recorded at Teaneck Sound
Engineer: David Kowalski
August 9-10, 2020

Edited at Hobsound
Encinitas, CA
Engineer: Chris Hobson
September 24-25, 2020

Personnel:
Allan Harris - voice, guitars
Shirazette Tinnin - drums
Nimrod Speaks - bass
Arcoiris Sandoval - piano
Grégoire Maret - harmonica
David Castañeda - percussion
Curtis Taylor - trumpet
Alex Budman - alto saxophone
Keith Fiddmont - tenor saxophone
Ondre J Pivec - organ
Tonga Ross-Ma'u - guitar on Color Of A Woman

Background voices:
Daneen Wilburn
Jordan Wilburn
Whitley Wilburn

Children’s voices:
Angela Whitley
James Whitley
David Whitley
Micah Whitley, Jr.

Arrangements: Kamau Kenyatta
Vocal Arrangements: Allan Harris
Horn Arrangements: Etienne Charles

Run Through America

Recorded: August 3, 2020
Released as a single: August 27, 2020
Recorded at Teaneck Studios
Engineer & Mix: Dave Kowalski
Re-Mastered by: Paul Tavenner, Big City Studios

Composed by Allan Harris
Vocals by Allan Harris
Guitar by Allan Harris
Bass by Marty Kenney
Piano/keyboards by Arcoiris Sandoval
Drums by Shirazette Tinnin
Percussion by Jhair Sala
Background vocals by Carolyn Leonhart

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Allan Harris New York, New York

Allan Harris has established himself as one of the jazz world's most acclaimed vocalists, possessing a potent combination of dynamic vocal abilities, impeccable phrasing, and powerful emotional resonance.

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