1999 bio originally posted on www.compingo.com

MARK HARRIS: 25 YEARS ON THE ITALIAN MUSIC SCENE
(quasi-formal musical mini-résumé)

Meriden, CT, 4:22 a.m., August 8th, 1955.

Piano and keyboard player, vocalist, arranger, composer, musical director and producer, Mark Harris is a very well-known figure on the Italian music scene, being successfully active there since the early '70's.

With a very eclectic musical family background (his father a swing jazz polyinstrumentalist, mother a classically trained clarinettist, older brother a folk-blues guitarist), he began formal piano lessons at the age of six, inaugurating soon after a precocious concert career with
classical piano recitals and rock and jazz concerts (playing trombone as well as piano and singing). Another important element in these formative years was his maternal grandmother's beautiful Wurlitzer organ.

Transferred with the family from Wallingford, Connecticut to Rome, Italy in '67, he continued formal studies (with a stupendous Steinway grand at home, as well as an electronic organ) while stepping up his 'live' activity. Formative his participation as actor and accompanist in
various plays and musicals at school and also in Mel Frank's film "Buona Sera Mrs. Campbell".

During his Junior year in high school, spent in Missouri, he taught himself guitar and chalked up some experience as DJ, while continuing to play piano in various settings. The many 'gigs' done on the Roman 'foreign school circuit', before and after the year back in the States (as well as a first real 'pro' experience, with a singer from Taiwan, on the Agnano Nato base), culminated, during his Senior year in '73, in a stint with American composer Alvin Curran and the 'Musica Elettronica Viva' outfit, this time playing synthesizer (Alvin's Synthi AKS EMS) as well as electronic organ (one that was said to have belonged to Joni Mitchell when she wrote "Woodstock"), occasional electric guitar and even sax (Alvin has a recording somewhere!).

Around this time he had his first experiences in the recording studio with Charlie Band and Chris West (both demo sessions), then, in autumn '74, Alan Sorrenti and Tony Esposito at Bobby Solo's 'Chantalain Studio'.

Soon after he moved to Positano on the Amalfi coast where he spent a couple of years working with Texan singer-songwriter Shawn Phillips, seminal funk-fusion band Napoli Centrale and the whole "Naples Power" scene of the day. He formed his own band with drummer Agostino Marangolo, guitarist Carlo Pennisi and ex-Napoli Centrale bassist Tony Walmsley.

He moved back to Rome for another couple of years of studio activity (from pop-singer Patty Pravo to jazz bassist Giovanni Tommaso), while touring and playing jazz-rock with the various incarnations of his band and teaching (his family has a long tradition in the field of education).

He closed this period with two concerts ("Jambourée") of his own instrumental music performed with an unprecented all-star big-band with names from the day's top acts (from PFM and Banco to Perigeo and Napoli Centrale to Alberomotore and Rovescio Della Medaglia and beyond)!

In '79 he moved to Milan to play with Eugenio Finardi and Crisalide, began to be credited as arranger (Stefano Rosso, Lara Saint Paul...) and, within a year, receive calls from top Italian recording artists (arrangements for Edoardo Bennato, Enzo Jannacci, Fabrizio De André, Giorgio Gaber...).

There follow two decades of hard work as arranger and top call session-man (from Mia Martini to Pino Daniele, Roberto Vecchioni to Eros Ramazzotti). He had as well some experience with music for movie sound-tracks, musicals, TV theme-music (even singing) and serving as demonstrator for the Fairlight music computer.

In the late '80s he was hyperactive in the world of jingles with Franco Godi; he still does some occasionally. He continues to teach, to a few select private students and in workshops open to the public, and to compose music (and write lyrics) in any and every vein; from string quartets to the monster hit that launched the career of "Articolo 31": "Oi Maria (Maria Maria)".

He has accompanied Al Jarreau, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Randy
Crawford in concert in the Vatican. He played in numerous TV shows from '95 to '97 with Lopez, Baudo, Bonolis, Buongiorno, Zero and others. He was MD (Musical Director) for the Milanese production of "Grease" with Lorella Cuccarini.

The last two years have seen him MD for Fabrizio De André (over 80 concerts) and Laura Pausini ("World Tour 1999').

In '98 he founded two publishing and production companies, SAINT ROCK with his companion of the past twenty years, Itria Melis, and COMPINGO with long-time friend Carlo Focarelli.