Michael Sean Harris

...set also included a guest appearance from noted musician Michael Harris, who impressed the audience with his amazing vocal prowess.

Harris' performance included three original tracks, the gospel song In Your Presence, Moonshine Darling and Voices. The latter, written since 2000 but never formally released, is an impressive fusion of middle-Eastern and R&B music. The performance of the song was heightened with the introduction of a 'belly-dancer' whose seprentine sensuality added to the Arabian flavour. - Jamaica Observer

The best performance is by Michael Harris as the baker, projecting comfortably with impeccable diction and a nice high-tenor voice.

He was already outstanding on opening night. - Jamaica Observer

The "newbie" of the group, Michael Harris, showed that his respective tenures at ASHE and the renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston were well spent. He used a supple, adaptive, ... tenor and a natural rapport and sense of humour in service of a refreshing, well-considered programme (typical of the evening's offerings) that included Anthem, a selection from the musical Chess (conceived and initially presented by the two male members of former Swedish super-group ABBA), Bui-Doi, from another hit musical, Miss Saigon, and hit his first artistic peak of the night with stirring renditions of the Josh Groban selections You Raise Me Up and You're Still You.

Harris would return in even better nick, this time joining with the ever-radiant Velia Espeut, on a suite of classic love songs including My One and Only Love...

No sooner had his partner exited the stage, however, than Harris used the opportunity to get cheeky, ripping through Gershwin's bluesy A Woman Is A Sometime Thing and enlisting the audience's support on With A Little Luck. - Jamaica Observer

C Sharp's performance began with a guest appearance by Michael Harris whose set in-cluded a wonderful rendition of Cold Play's Fix You. At the end of the performance, one young man in the audience declared, "Wow!" paused momentarily then added, "Lovely".

Harris' performance ended with his awesome original piece Voices. At its start it seemed the song had touched on a religious spark as in her excitement one young woman proceeded to 'turn her roll'. The piece was played heavily with East Indian rhythms and was miles beyond ordinary. - Jamaica Gleaner

MICHAEL Harris, a 29 year-old Jamaican actor, tenor and musical arranger who finds himself each week in a different European country as he performs with a Dutch travelling show called Holiday on Ice in Concert, has been tapped to take over the role of Elyot in the Noel Coward comedy, Private Lives, playing at the Little Little Theatre.

Presently on holiday in Jamaica, Harris was approached by director Norman Rae to take over the role from Karl Williams...

Set in 1930's Paris, two men argue over a woman to whom Victor is married and Elyot was once married - from the theatre production of Noel Coward's Private Lives, now playing at the Little Little Theatre weekends only.
Harris had his start in drama while a student at Wolmer's Boys School after which he pursued his love for the performing arts as a member of the Cathy Levy Players then on to the Ashe Performing Arts Ensemble with which he travelled widely throughout the Caribbean and the United States.

In 1996 he further pursued studies in music at the Berklee College, Boston, Massachusetts doing a double major course in musical arrangement and voice. For the past two years, audiences in Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Switzerland and other European cities have been enjoying the tenor/baritone of Harris as he performs in the multi-national ice-show presentation Holiday on Ice in Concert.

Asked how he got involved with this show Harris said, "A Swedish friend from Berklee knew of the show producers looking for performers and they flew him to Los Angeles to audition for the role."

Harris says that performing in the local production of Private Lives is quite a change from his regular type of performances where he mostly sings.

"I like the production; it is funny and charming, so many lines to learn," Harris says. - Jamaica Observer

The Phiilip Sherlock Hall on the Campus of the University of The West Indies was the venue for one of Kingston’s most memorable live showcases, yet one of its most overlooked.

On Sunday, Michael Sean Harris armed with an 11 piece ensemble ended his Two night staging of “The Armchair Rebelution” with thunderous applause. It was simply amazing.

The show done in two parts with a fifteen minute intermission saw the well rounded artists and lecturer, giving the capacity filled hall a solid live performance that is sure to be etched in the memory of the audience for years to come.

His delivery included a musical variety of original material, reworked favorites, and a series of breath taking renditions.

A truly unforgettable moment was Micheal’s rendition of Tony Matterhorn’s “Goodas” in ballad. It left many awestruck, amazed and screaming for more, and he gave it to them.

From the ballad to a rock rendition in an instant, he shocked the crowd into a frenzy of head banging, whoops and ear splitting applauses.

Special guest included the incomparable C-Sharp undisputedly one Reggae’s finest group of musicians, Nadine Sutherland kept the crowd wooed with her golden voice, and 2008 Rising Star Winner Cameal, received lots of love from the audience.

The event which lasted a little over an hour, closed in real Jamaican fashion and style with mad dancers and fluffy girls all over the stage.

Soulful, sultry, sexy and humorous at times, Michael Sean Harris delivered a wonderful live performance, and confidently re-iterates the fact that he is one of Jamaica’s most talented yet overlooked live performers.

A prolific songwriter and creative artist, Micheal Sean Harris has honed his skills in musical arrangement, composition, recording and performance.

He has written for other artists as well and has sung on recordings with and for Nadine Sutherland, Chalice, Buju Banton, Assassin, Tony Rebel, Marcia Griffiths to name a few.

In 2006, Michael, also Berkely Graduate joined the faculty of the Edna Manley College for the Visual and Performing Arts as lecturer in voice and production at the Jamaica School of Music. He has helped create a syllabus for music synthesis and sound engineering for the College. - The Reggae News Agency

Harris dazzles at Singer's Night
Reviewed by Roland Henry Observer staff reporter
Sunday, March 11, 2007



Listening to Michael Sean Harris sing is simply cathartic.
The musician, who performed on Thursday at Christopher's jazz caf..'s Singer's Night was amazing, dazzling his audience with pretty rifts, runs and emotionally releasing melodies.

It's oxymoronic really, his style seems something never before heard, chased with a hint of familiarity. the infectious rhythms and rich tones Harris employed took no getting used to and had
the audience enthralled from the very first chord.
Backed by past and present students of the Edna Manley College of Music, he performed for close to three hours, opening his set with Gershwin's Summertime. A couple of '80s rock ballads and a 15-minute break were the precursors to the more charming second set.
It was here that Harris really displayed his masterful vocals. Harris scored with his original, Mountain, accompanied by Mijanne Webster - a 'punk-rock-type-chick' who played a 'mean' violin, giving the song its 'blue-grass-meets-kumina' flair.
"There's a song I heard when I was in France. I decided I'd learn it and sing it, even though I don't speak French," Harris said, before going into L'envie D'aimer.

Love lessons from the world's romance capital now over, reggae (or at least a hybrid version of it) reigned for the next two renditions.

"All you need is a breath of fresh air to breathe.," Harris sang in Breath Of Fresh Air. The melody then transcended into a hard rock-reggae bridge (much like that of Tessanne Chin's Hideaway) before going back to its creeping pace. Christopher's erupted when the singer performed Gnarls Barkley's Crazy - the song which topped acclaimed entertainment magazine Rolling Stone's 100 best songs of 2006. Harris slowed its pace midway through, truly making the rendition his own.

But the show didn't only include musical experimentations and odes to the existential; he threw in a couple of inspirational numbers for good measure. First up, another original: In Your Presence and then He Lives In You (from The Lion King II - Simba's Pride soundtrack) - the latter perhaps an ode to his theatrical roots, as an active member of Little People and Ashe for a number of years.

Harris' musical influences are as eclectic as they are empowering.
But what type of music is it?
He doesn't know.

"It's a mixture of everything, but a lot of
what I do is still very Jamaican," he shared between sets.
He's not even worried that the cornucopia of music genres in his work might lack mainstream appeal.
"Honestly, I can't do it any other way. I think if I bought into the sameness [that exists in mainstream music] I would be killing my spirit."

He added: "There's a following somewhere for pop-world music." While that might be so, Harris did not hesitate to churn out the mainstream classics like the Cars' classic new wave ballad Drive, Toto's Africa, The Spinners' Working My Way Back To You and Betcha By Golly Wow from the Stylistics.

"Today (Thursday, March 8) is International Women's Day, so I'm going to call up my friend Diana Rutherford (Rising Stars, season one)," he said. Harris and the svelte powerhouse, who inaugurated the Singer's Night feature several weeks prior, belted out Woman In Chains, which roused thunderous applause from the appreciative audience. The duo's emotional connection was undeniable.

A more sexually-charged celebration of womanhood came to the fore with the 'Third World-y-sounding' Moonshine Darlin'. "You're just a pretty face attached to a heartbreak.," sang Harris, segueing into the dub-reggae stylings of Shine Eye Gyal - an apt remix played up by background vocalist Chevaughn Clayton.

The rendition was followed by Covered Saints, a tune filled with breezy, light, sexy vocals and a 'sha-la-la' lilt. Much of it wasn't English, but that didn't seem to matter to the more than 100 patrons who immersed themselves in the rich musical offerings.
With raw emotion oozing from every note, Harris pressed on, amidst screaming women and cheering men who shouted for more classics.

"Yuh gonna sing till yuh bleed, you ain't leaving," ordered one patron who'd obviously been by the bar far too long. The requests continued and Harris obliged, but it was the set closer, Voices, that really cemented the emotional exchange between singer and his audience. It's infectious Arabic-pop infused sound stirred even the eldest of patrons to belly dance and then some.

The singer encored with Aaron Neville's All I Need To Know accompanied once more by Rutherford who again shone brilliantly. - The Sunday Observer

published: Sunday | September 21, 2008

To fully appreciate the thrilling performances of the Digicel Rising Stars contestants each Sunday night would require a look behind the scenes at the men and women who work to maintain the high-entertainment value of the show. Working from Sunday to Sunday, there is no denying the important roles that they play and how their input influences the overall process of the show. The motivated team works tirelessly to ensure that the contestants' song choices coordinate with the choreography, their performance onstage and also that all musical elements come together to create a perfect and entertaining show.

Musical director - Peter Ashbourne

Digicel Rising Stars is a singing competition, therefore it is no surprise that there is a team of music specialists on hand to lend their expertise to the contestants, many of whom have not had any professional singing experience.

Musical director Peter Ashbourne has been with the show since its inception and provides musical support throughout the entire season of the competition. From the audition rounds in April until the 2008 Digicel Rising Star is crowned next month, Ashbourne is charged with ensuring the perfection of the musical aspect of the competition.

Working as part of a team, Ashbourne organises the accompaniments for each contestant and also makes certain that they are of a high quality.

"During the track periods of the series I am responsible for getting those tracks made. It takes quite a bit of manoeuvring to fit specific portions of the songs with the time limit that they have," Ashbourne says. Added to that is the responsibility of sourcing the recordings for each song. "We prepare for the songs with an eye to perfection."

Ashbourne highlights that song choice is an important process, therefore selecting and practising these songs is a long and tedious process requiring full commitment from the talented team, which puts everything together. Additionally, Ashbourne must ensure that the tracks for each contestant are made in time for rehearsals - a process that can take as long as six hours to complete.

"It's a lot of pressure and what I keep telling everybody is no matter what we do or do not do there is going to be a show on Sunday," he says, underscoring the importance of always doing the job well.

Vocal coach -- Michael Harris

As the vocal coach, Michael Harris has the responsibility of helping the contestants maximise their singing talents and therefore improve their overall performance.

"I help with song selection, how they perform the song and what parts of the song they sing, because they have a time limit," Harris says.

It is for this reason that Harris ensures that he uses the contact hours with the contestants to guide them through not only how to sing the songs, but also emphasise the parts that will highlight their strongest qualities.

In highlighting the progress the contestants have made in the competition, Harris notes that he has seen significant improvements in their general performance. "They are coming into terms with realising that it's not only about opening their mouths and singing because they can sing," he says. "I think they've grown in terms of awareness; now, they are more aware of how they look onstage and how this affects people's responses and how they vote for them."

Harris also chides as unfair and unfounded the public's criticism regarding the talent pool of this year's contestants.

learning, growing each week

"They're amateurs and they're learning and growing each week. We have to keep that in mind, so you can't really beat them up. I have definitely seen them growing," he says.

Also of importance to the competition is that all the different singing elements must come together to complement the voice, style and personality of each contestant. Harris therefore plays a role in assisting the contestants with their vocal approach to the songs, attention to dynamics, expression and also coordinating the background vocalists and the newly introduced live band.

Performance directors - Michael Holgate and Patsy Ricketts

There is singing and then there is singing while performing. Both are important; however, it takes some amount of experience and practice to manage the two effectively. This is where performance directors Michael Holgate and Patsy Ricketts come in.

The cool moves and the choreographed routines that you witness week after week can be attributed to the talented team, which pools its expertise to create a highly entertaining performance for each contestant.

"We all share the responsibilities and sometimes we go over into each other's territory," Holgate says. "I do some choreography as well, even though the main person is Patsy Ricketts."

Ricketts is primarily responsible for ensuring that the movements of both the groups and the individual contestants are in sync during their performances. While she ensures alignment and uniformity within the groups, she also tries to assist with expressive choreography for the individual contestants.

"Choreography is important because that is the whole performance. A singer can't just go out there and sing," Ricketts said. "Movement must be synchronised; it enhances their performance."

enhancing natural abilities

Having been involved with the show since last year, Ricketts says that one of her main strategies is to enhance the natural abilities of the contestants rather than teach them complex new dance moves.

"Sometimes I might just add one little movement, because you have to work on their most basic movement," she said.

For his part, Holgate's aim is to assist the contestants with effectively commanding the stage during their performances.

"I help them to bring out their energy and stage presence. I teach them techniques to help them deliver in a big way and how to cater to both the studio audience and the TV audience," Holgate says.

According to him, the Digicel Rising Stars show is a holistic entertainment package that equips the contestants with the tools and techniques to effectively function in the entertainment industry.

"Our intention is not just to work with just the number one. Everyone who has been a part of the process has got something from the experience," he says. - The Jamaica Gleaner

Observer Reporter
Saturday, July 17, 2004


The music video was produced through the voluntary work of Tony Rebel, Nadine Sutherland, Marcia Griffiths, Assassin, Susan Couch, Nikki Ben and Michael Harris. The song was written by Michael Harris and Michael Holgate. - Jamaica Observer

Sonic treats at the Village
BY DARREN KHAN Observer Entertainment writer
Sunday, January 14, 2007



THOSE who turned out for the latest edition of Tuesday Night Live were in for a surprise treat or two at the Village Café, Liguanea, St Andrew.
With the largest group of people ever to grace the stage all at once at the Village Café supporting him – at one point, there were 10 people – Michael Sean Harris put on a show that demands to be remembered for the duration.
Boundaries such as genre, style and even language were not just ignored, but dismissed with disdain during the heavyset Harris’ set – one number was even sung in Arabic. With members of the band C Sharp, the performing arts group Ashé and students from the Edna Manley School of the Visual and Performing Arts in tow, wearing a blue Tshirt psychedelically decorated and with the name Jimi Hendrix emblazoned across his chest, he started off with Breath of Fresh Air, which was a less than subtle hint of the amazing things to come.
Supporting Michael Sean Harris was the band C Sharp comprising Randevon Patrick (drums), Aeion Hoillet (bass guitar); Lamont Savoury (guitar) and Chevaughn Clayton (vocal support and congo drum); Sherita Lewis and Othneil Nation (vocal support), Ray Banton on keyboards; Chris Downer playing percussion; Adrian Hemas on keyboards and for one song, Mijanne Webster playing the violin.
Together they were overwhelming, their coherence and skill delighting those present. Moonshine Darling and the bluegrass/Appalachian ditty Mountain followed, Harris picking up a viola and being joined by Webster on the violin, whipping up lilting notes which brought images of Scotland or Ireland to mind, before shades of Africa appeared as the song progressed.
The next song was introduced by Harris as having been co-written by Michael Holgate, who was busy with a video camera in front of the stage. In Your Presence added to the eclectic feel of the performance, being
almost impossible to pin down in terms of genre. It was a marvel to see and listen to the gestalt – something, this time a sound, a vibe, an experience, which is greater than the sum of its individual parts. Like the cogs and gears in a well-oiled machine they all filled their roles dexterously and with aplomb, giving birth to an entity which was beyond merely a performance.
“The next song… you should recognise it soon. We were fooling around in the practice room and this is what happened,” said Harris prior to a brilliantly rearranged version of Bob Marley’s So Much Trouble In The World. Voices was next and the fact that it was sung totally in Arabic detracted not one whit — just the opposite in fact, adding a taste of the exotic.
Cheers greeted the opening bars of what should have been the closing number, a cover of Coldplay’s The Scientist. Harris possesses a much better than average voice — which he does not try to extend beyond its limits, and kudos to him for that — and in concert with the instruments and the back-up vocalists, provided an experience which left those lucky enough to be there breathless. At the end of their set, DJ Venom and the audience would not allow them to leave. Interestingly, they had no encore prepared, which indicates either humility or says they have no idea how good they are. Either way, an encore was demanded and one was provided in the form of a medley of the songs which went before – adding pieces of Shine-Eye Gyal – before they finally departed to rapturous applause. - www.jamaicaobserver.com