About this Artist
Born in Atlantic City, NJ, in 1947, Harvey Mason grew up in a jazz culture. He possesses the rare ability to play with a wide range of musicians in a variety of styles, from high-grade straight-up pop to stimulating straight-ahead jazz to smooth, R&B-flavored jazz. Now in his sixth decade as an often behind-the-scenes star, Mason continues to deliver his stylistic innovation as a master of the drum set.
Mason moved to Boston to attend Berklee College of Music and later graduated from the New England Conservatory. After returning from his first tour with Erroll Garner, Mason took a job with George Shearing, who lived on the West Coast. He headed west in 1971 and has made Los Angeles his home base ever since.
That’s where Mason met Hancock and recorded with The Headhunters. He played on the smash 1973 album, which included co-writing the classic hit “Chameleon.” In reflecting on his historic compositional collaboration with Hancock, Mason comments that he’s very much like the color-changing lizard. “Chameleon defines me,” he says. “That’s what I identify myself as. I can easily switch into different areas of quality music.”