I am happy to announce that July's featured artist of the month is
"Harry Waters".
Let me just start by thanking Harry for taking time out on his busy tour schedule to take the time and do this interview for "The Scene". For those of you who don't know who Harry Waters is he is the son of "Roger Waters" and is currently on tour with them as we speak. This guy couldn't be more gracious, so thank you Harry for the very informative interview.
Before we get started let me just preface you on who Harry is what he does musically. Like I stated Harry is currently on tour with his father Roger Waters touring the world for a second time in sold out arenas everywhere. I had the distinct pleasure of seeing this tour in "06" at "The Tweeter Center" and more recently in "07" at "The Wachovia Center" and let me tell you what an amazing show and even more amazing band,
"The band is just fantastic that is really what I think, oh by the way which ones pink" - Have a Cigar The thing that makes this tour special is the fact that they play the entire "Darkside Of The Moon" album in it's entirety, which as a piece of music just works on many levels.
Harry has been playing with his father since 2002 as part of the "In The Flesh" tour. He has also played with prog/psychedelic greats "Ozric Tentacles" and "Marianne Faithful". Harry has own jazz band aptly named "The Harry Waters Quartet" if you like traditional style Jazz then HWQ is right up your alley. His piano playing is very talented. I listened to all of the tracks on his website
http://www.harrywaters.co.uk/ from the "Eastcote Sessions 2006" and they are very well arranged and played. The band includes the following musicians:
Harry Waters: Piano
Ian Ritchie: Tenor Sax (currently on tour with Roger Waters)
Yarron Stavi: Double-Bass
Matt Holme: Drums
His website includes audio tracks from "The Harry Waters Quartet" as well as a blog, biography, and touring information. As a musician myself I really enjoy reading his blogs about life on the road so check it out if you get an opportunity.
Ok, so on with the interview.
A scene from behind Harry's Hammond.
Hello Harry:
I hope all is well with you. First off I want to thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to answer a few questions for us in regards to your music and the goings on with you, it's deeply appreciated.
A bunch of us from "The Scene" had the pleasure of seeing your father at "The Wachovia Center" in Philadelphia, PA on June 6, 2007. I must say the show was absolutely amazing both sonically and visually! Please tell your father how much Philadelphia enjoys his music and the music he has created with Pink Floyd. His music really touches us on many levels.
Which brings me around to my first question.
Larry:
Can you describe what it feels like to be in front of all those people playing such a timeless piece of music such as "Darkside Of The Moon" to that end with your father at the helm?
Harry:
I'm in a very privileged position to be playing this music. It's a fantastic album and it's a lot of fun to play. It's certainly my favourite of the two sets that we play. Contrary to what some people might think, it can actually be less exciting playing to large numbers of people than to a small crowd of say a hundred people or less. There's an intimacy that you get when the audience is smaller that you just don't get when on a big stage in a big venue.
Larry:
Which is a good segway into my next question. How long have you been touring with Roger? It must be nice to be able to share such a love for music together I imagine it's a nice bonding experience.
Harry:
I've been in the band since 2002.
Larry:
I would like to discuss your Eastcote Session 2006. I must say your piano playing is very good. Songs like "Lydia" are very reminiscent of traditional jazz. So your obviously a real Jazzo, what got you into jazz? What is it about that style of music that inspires you? And what other piano players are you into, who are some of your influences?
Harry:
I first got into jazz when I heard some music on the radio when I was about seventeen. It was a jazz blues and the piano playing was unlike anything I had ever heard before. It just did something to me that I'd never felt before, I can't describe it except to say that it felt really good. The piano player was Oscar Peterson. There are a lot of things that I love about jazz but to pinpoint one or two particular aspects I would have to say the harmony. There is such rich harmony in jazz (coming primarily from the piano) that you just don't get in other types of music. It is the use of extensions (9th, 11th and 13th)in jazz that give this unique sound. The sharpening or flattening of these extensions further colours the harmonic palette that can be achieved. My favourite piano players and also the ones who inspire me the most, in no particular order, are:
Oscar Peterson
Bill Evans
Bobby Timmons
Keith Jarrett
Randy Newman
At the moment I'm studying a set of Master Class DVD's by Barry Harris who has perfected a teaching method that is absolutely invaluable to any player who wishes to learn the jazz language, regardless of instrument.
Larry:
Does your father share in your love for Jazz? He must be very impressed with your musical abilities.
Harry:
He does love jazz, although doesn't listen to it that often. He loves Ray Charles particularly. I would hope that he's impressed with my ability, the fact that I'm still a member of his band leads me to believe that he is.
Larry:
So when can we see an album in the stores from the "Harry Waters Quartet"?
Harry:
is last year has been very busy. I did the Eastcote Session and a home session in between touring but haven't yet had the chance to get an album together. I'll write some more songs when I'm back home and hopefully record an album before too long.
Larry:
I see that Ian Ritchie is a part of your quartet how did the two of you meet? I often go on Ian's website and read his tour diaries and it looks like while on the road any chance he can meet up with some fellow jazz musicians and play he does, is it the same for you while on tour?
Harry:
Ian and I actually first met years ago when I was about eight or nine. He produced the album Radio Kaos so was around the house a lot. It wasn't until about twenty years or so later that he played the tin whistle on a gig we did at The Royal Albert Hall for the Countryside Alliance. We made contact but didn't start playing together until about a year later when we ran into each other at our local computer shop. By that time I had been teaching myself jazz for about a year and was ready to start playing with some other people. So that meeting came at just the right time.
We both try and get to jam sessions as often as they are available when on the road. New York was particularly good for that.
Larry:
Besides your love for Jazz what other styles of music inspire you?
Harry:
Besides jazz I listen to mainly Heavy Metal. I've always been into rock music, Led Zeppelin, King Crimson, Black Sabbath but in the last 10 years or so I've been listening to a lot of good metal, System of a Down, Isis, Norma Jean, Lamb of God, Meshuggah. I love a good heavy sound, Meshuggah are just amazing. I also find a lot of interesting rhythmical stuff going on in metal that you often don't find in other genres of music.
Larry:
I am a huge fan of "Ozric Tentacles" and it's interesting because I always thought that "Pink Floyd" must have had an influence on their music because both styles are very experimental and very inner conscious music that evokes alot mental imagery. Besides touring with Ozric was there ever any talk of you playing on some of their studio material?
Harry:
The Ozrics had just finished recording an album when I joined so I missed the boat on that one. I just joined the band for one tour when Seaweed (regular keyboard player) was unavailable.
Larry:
I understand your a big "Grateful Dead" fan did you ever get a chance to meet with any of them and jam?
Harry:
I met Bob Weir once. Norbert Statchel who played tenor sax with us 5 years ago put me in touch with Jay Lane, a drummer, who played with an early incarnation of Primus called Sausage, another excellent band. He was in London playing with Rat Dog, Bob's band, and I went along and met them all. Funnily enough they did a Floyd cover that night, Matilda Mother.
Larry:
How are your lessons going at "The Royal Academy of Arts" and how has that experience helped you as a musician?
Harry:
I have been learning with a great teacher. She has basically been filling in holes in my technique. I never studied classical music when I learned so have a number of bad things have wormed there way into my playing, such as my hand and finger position. She is helping me to get rid of them and facilitate faster and easier playing.
Larry:
What is in your CD player right now what are you listening to these days?
Harry:
I listen to a lot of metal and rock, a fair amount of classical music, and primarily jazz.
Larry:
Can you describe your touring rig with us?
Harry:
I use a Kurzweill K2600 and a Hammond C3.
Larry:
Besides the organ parts during the tour what are bits and pieces are you playing? Are you playing any of the synthesizer parts during the show and if so what songs?
Harry:
I play a fair bit of keys during the show. I play wurly during Cigar and Numb, some synth brass in Wish You Were Here and of course the piano in Great Gig, which is the best bit of the night for me.
Larry:
In your downtime what do you do to relax?
Harry:
I have one vice in this life and it's games, particularly video games. I spend most of my time playing/studying chess,poker,backgammon and whichever video game I happen to be playing at the time. At the moment I'm playing Eve Online and Supreme Commander. I also watch a lot of DVD's, comedy shows mainly, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Futurama, Kids in the Hall. I love animals so go to a lot of zoo's and aqauriums.
Larry:
What's next for Harry Waters? What direction do you see yourself heading and what can we expect down the road from you?
Harry:
Well hopefull sometime in the not too distant future I'll release and album. That's my next goal so hope to achieve it before too long.
Harry I want to thank you again for taking the time out to do this interview. You are a very talented fellow and we would like to spread the word out.
Good luck on the rest of your tour.
Cheers...
Portal
He sounds like a real down to earth kind of person...especially for being the son of Rodger Waters Fame....I will be looking forward to hearing his new album...It's funny how he likes Heavy Metal music...being a Jazz musician.... 
