Anne Harris
Chicago, Illinois, United States | SELF | AFTRA
Music
Press
Between dates with blues legend Otis Taylor and hippie heroes Jefferson Starship, not to mention the release of Gravity And Faith, it has been a banner year for Anne Harris. The singer-songwriter/fast-action fiddler continues to raise the bar on a soulful blend of folk, pop, and roots rock on record, while her deft instrumental abilities continue to resonate in concert. Outside sheer entertainment, the troubadour is always brimming with socially conscious, and at times, intensely personal lyrics as memorable as thought-provoking.
- Illinois Entertainer
Gravity and Faith "boasts a carefully crafted blend of violin-infused pop/rock arrangements, the occasional folk flavoring and introspective lyricism that find the ambitious troubadour digging down deep into the most transparent portions of her provocative soul."
- Concertlivewire.com
Gravity and Faith is "a thoughtful voyage" by "an electric performer who touches your spiritual side" with lyrics "more aptly called poetry."
- Lake Magazine
“She's very talented. The music is good...an original sound and voice.”
- Bruce Hornsby, on "Wine and Poetry"
“Anne Harris' songs frequently sound born of a spiritual awakening. ... Many of her lyrics read like intensely personal diary entries. ... On "Wine and Poetry" songs reference mountains, rivers and deep-rooted trees, the singer viewing the natural world almost as an open-air cathedral.”
- Chicago Tribune
“I spent a good part of the afternoon listening to [Wine and Poetry] and one of the things that struck me is that the music & the lyrics, are just very 'up.' It's positive, it's hopeful. ...a soulful voice and a unique songwriting style.”
- WTTW11 Chicago Tonight, host Phil Ponce
“Anne Harris is the connoisseur of combining 'Wine and Poetry' with exquisite lyrical songs that showcase her talent for beautiful vocal melodies laced with breathtaking lyrics. After a suspenseful, instrumental beginning in the first song “Connected”, Anne’s voice soothes powerfully across the tracks giving the listener a sneak preview of the vineyard of songs forthcoming on the menu of 'Wine and Poetry'. There is not one throwaway track on this release. Each song is memorably attractive and dazzling, I absolutely love this album. The diversity that flows from it makes it nearly impossible to tag it with just one genre category. Think Americana, soul, folk, Celtic, gospel and pop all on a glorious joyride…it’s that damn good! Experience the aroma of 'Wine and Poetry' for yourself. You’ll be glad you did!”
- CoffeeHouseTour.com
Besides being one of the most cleverly packaged CDs to come out in the past year, Anne Harris' Wine and Poetry makes for a delightfully diverse listen. Like a fine wine, the vocalist/songwriter/fiddler gets better with time as she unleashes rock, pop, soul, and the occasional sliver of Americana. Cuts like "Fly" and "Connected" bounce with brisk acoustics, while "Desperate Day" unfolds with orchestrated urgency. Harris further connects with her experimental tendencies on the percussion peppered instrumental finale and remains tasty until the last drop.”
- Illinois Entertainer
I love this. This is brilliant. I loved the last album. This is just superb stuff.”
- Steve King, WGN Radio, on "Wine and Poetry"
“...every once in a while a breath of fresh air comes along, and that breath is Anne Harris' 'Open Your Doors.' This is Americana; roots music at its finest! I can not remember the last CD that I was as impressed with from start to finish. Anne is a voice and writer who we will hear more from in the future. Her vocals are at times sultry, at times pure Americana, and always right on target for the song she is playing. And she can handle a fiddle with great adeptness as well.” Rating: A+
- BestFemaleMusicians.com
“Throughout [Open Your Doors] Harris never misses a moment to tell the listener the cup is more than half-full if not brimming over. And it never sounds forced, which only adds to its luster... The album may not be an easy finder, but it's certainly a keeper!”
- PopMatters
“Fiery fiddler Anne Harris is a free spirit… [On Open Your Doors] her soulful voice continues to assert a world of influences, from Celtic to African to American folk/rock. Catch one of her live shows…”
- Chicago magazine
“Anne Harris’ latest release, Open Your Doors, is bright and buoyant. The lyrics are hopeful and celebratory. The instrumentations are infectiously danceable. … A first-class vocalist and performer who just happens to be a soulful fiddle player, Harris has that rare ability to press her charisma into the grooves of the disc so it can pour out of the stereo. If there is any justice, this is the music that will be blaring out of every boom box on the beach this summer.” Rating: 4 Stars
- Chicago Arts & Entertainment
[Open Your Doors] is an exciting album, and Anne Harris is an exciting performer...The only way I could improve on this album would be to hear Anne Harris live.”
- The Woodstock Independent
Buckle yourselves in, kids. This is a great ride. … She never sits still. She’s too passionate for that. There is not a quiet moment on this CD. It bursts with life in every note. … Each song wants to explore. She has a knack for layering slinking, sliding, sensually writhing notes just beneath the surface, whether they’re played on the fiddle or carried by her voice. … It’ll make your toes wiggle.”
- Indie-Music.com
“Kicking off with a song that could easily mesh with Dave Matthews or even Led Zeppelin's ‘That's the Way,’ this musician can find a good melody and evolve it over five to six minutes. …Harris definitely is onto something special.” AMG Rating: 4 Stars
- All Music Guide Expert Review
“Ever feel like taking a cross-country road trip? Listen to Anne Harris' eponymous album and grab your keys. Harris lets an eclectic mix of percussion and her own fiddling guide her soulful voice… …this album is a shout out to anyone who likes earthy tones and vibrant lyrics, an artist who in many ways resembles folk goddess Ani DiFranco.”
- Illinois Entertainer
“Debut disc by vocalist/fiddler is seductive & sweet…This is as good as anything on any radio station or concert stage today…If this is her debut disc, one can only imagine what’s next for this talented artist. 4 Stars ”
- Chicago Arts & Entertainment
“…kind of an Afro-Celt Americana, a great sound. Great fiddler, great singer-songwriter, you’re gonna be hearing more from Anne Harris.”
- "Women in Music" radio program - Laney Goodman, host/producer,
“Anne has achieved what most artists strive for for an entire career, and that’s a personal vision. [She’s] very spiritual, a great stage presence, just engaging. The eye is drawn to her…”
- Richard Milne of WXRT Chicago
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Discography
Live at the Acorn Theater 2008
Gravity and Faith (LP) 2008
There's a Wall in Washighton (single) 2008
Wine and Poetry (LP) 2005
Open Your Doors (LP) 2003
Anne Harris (LP) 2001
Photos
Bio
Anne Harris’ "Gravity and Faith" is a journey. "I envisioned this collection of songs really bringing the listener on a personal journey… sonically, lyrically and energetically…into some of the places my head has been over the past few years,” says Anne.
Clearly, she’s been observing the world around her…in all its beauty, illusion and hypocrisy…and seeking to understand how she relates to it all. The world is a reflection of our inner consciousness, but it’s a mosaic image…and not always a pretty one…so we often don’t recognize ourselves in the mirror. It really takes looking within to find and piece together all the disparate fragments of our reflections and illuminate our true relationship to the whole. It’s a discovery that opens the door to transformation on all levels and this seems to be the journey that Harris’ wants us to contemplate.
At times the music is achingly lovely; at other times quite unexpected. It is her strongest, most compelling work to date. Her voice exudes a revealing honesty, crystalline clarity and deep-rooted strength, while her fiddle playing and string arrangements have never been more emotionally engaging. Harris' myriad musical influences continue to color her work, but she has avoided blending them together into a homogenized hue. "Gravity and Faith" finds her making choices both bold and refined, splashing colors across her sonic canvas that ask listeners to open their imaginations, inviting them to see what might come next. Broad stokes here, intricate detail there, the textures are thick and cinematic. There is an uncanny ease with which a rock song illuminates a traditional-sounding Irish tune which perfectly complements a power-pop anthem.
To help realize her vision Anne teamed up with veteran producer and multi-instrumentalist, Brando, whose Soundcake studio is a relative newcomer on the Chicago indie scene. A commercial ex-pat, his expansive artistic vision and technical mastery made him the obvious choice for Harris. "I've known Brando for quite a while and we’ve crossed musical paths many times. I have a great admiration for his work,” says Anne. “He has that rare ability to really channel the essence of a song and create a magical sonic space where it can breathe and blossom. When I heard he was building a new studio, I couldn't wait to work with him. He really understands who I am as an artist and where I wanted to go with this record. It was the most freeing and explosively creative experience I've ever had in the studio." The outcome reflects that creative freedom and “Gravity and Faith” is by far Harris' most fully realized work.
Breathing life into the songs is Anne's versatile powerhouse band, comprised of some of Chicago's most in-demand touring and session musicians: guitarist Chris Siebold (Howard Levy), bassist Greg Nergaard (Las Guitaras de Espana), and drummer Rich Stitzel (Miranda Lambert.) Their strong ensemble presence, forged over 8 years of performing together, is the foundation of this record, giving solid footing to the inspired production that draws the songs in step with Harris' fluid imagination.
"Gravity and Faith" is indeed a sonic sojourn into one of indie rock's most unique and compelling voices. This is a trip not to be missed.
The journey begins...
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