[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16750]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       A TRIBUTE TO HARVEY MASON

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 20, 2007

  Mr. TOWNS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a masterful 
drummer and an all around great musician, Mr. Harvey Mason. Harvey 
Mason was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He began taking formal 
drum lessons at the age of 7, playing in school bands and finally 
buying his first drum set at age 16. Harvey Mason's talents were so 
captivating that an Atlantic City club owner obtained a special license 
allowing the teenager to play at the club hassle free.
  Harvey Mason continued his education at Berklee School of Music, 
later going on to the New England Conservatory of Music and studied 
performance, composing, arranging, percussion and mallets on a full 
scholarship.
  Harvey Mason toured Europe with the great Errol Garner before moving 
with his family to Los Angeles. He played with George Shearing and did 
one semester of practice teaching at Hoover High School in Glendale to 
complete his Bachelor's of Arts Degree. In 1986, Harvey went to 
Southwestern Law School and in 1988 to UCLA.
  Harvey Mason's precision time keeping and versatility have placed him 
as one of the most in-demand and most recorded session drummers of all 
time. He has been hired by a host of recording artists including: 
Barbara Streisand; James Brown; Herbie Hancock; Reba McIntyre; Sergio 
Mendes; and the London Symphony Orchestra.
  Harvey Mason signed a 5-year deal with Clive Davis at Arista Records 
in 1976 as a solo artist. There he recorded 5 stylistically diversified 
albums that captured the complete arc of his musical artistry. These 
albums showcased the writing, arranging, and performances by both A-
list artists and gifted newcomers including: Earth, Wind and Fire; 
Kenny Loggins; and Marvin Gaye. He has also composed songs recorded by 
artists ranging from Donald Byrd to the Brothers Johnson. He added to 
his credits a television commercial for Mattel Toys and a percussion 
piece for Quincy Jones' ``The Color Purple.''
  Harvey Mason is a founding member of the contemporary jazz group 
Fourplay, using this as a platform to flex his writing, playing and 
arranging skills with partners Bob James, Nathan East and Larry Carlton 
who later replaced Lee Ritenour.
  The accomplishments of Harvey Mason are many. It is difficult to sum 
them all up in such little time. However, today, though I cannot list 
them, I would like to recognize all of those achievements.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to this wonderfully 
gifted musician.

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