Harvey’s musical journey is eclectic and spans the East, West, electric and acoustic instruments, ensembles and solo voices. Harvey has a wide range of musical styles, including jazz, world, punk, funk, funk, funk, and avant-garde. He plays the six- and seven-string guitars, the oud, and the Turkish cumbus. Harvey is always curious about the guitar’s sound range and pushes it to its full potential. Harvey uses texture and time to highlight the guitar’s potential. He reimagines it as a horn or orchestra. Harvey was recently featured on Guitar Moderne. Guitar Player Magazine selected his composition “Listen” as Editor’s Pick. His score for Utopians was premiered at the Berlin Film Festival 2011. It had “one the longest lasting guitar improvisations ever since (Neil Young) Dead Man.” Harvey’s new solo album of standards for guitar, Roundabout, is a departure from the jazz guitar tradition and creates a unique sound. Valdes seamlessly plays multiple voices and complex counterpoint using a finger-style approach and a sense for felt time. His playful approach to harmony allows for many spontaneous re-compositions that are based on an improvisational approach. Harvey’s unique voice shines through on each track. Roundabout, as a whole, uses a pianoic approach to fundamentally reshape jazz standards. Harvey elevates the interpretation possibilities of the guitar by doing this. Harvey is a member of his own trio, which includes Sana Nagano on violin, and Joe Hertenstein drums. Exploring the energy and potential of a jazz/rock approach that uses polyrhythm, atonality, compositional elements and improvisation. Harvey was an oud player and worked extensively with Middle Eastern Balkan Jazz Ensemble (Anistar), developing a repertoire that combines Middle Eastern traditions with jazz improvisation. Harvey was also an Associate Artist in The Wooster Group’s experimental theatre company. He played electric guitar in Francesco Cavalli’s 1641 baroque opera La Didone. The production was a huge success and was seen in Europe, as well as extended runs at Redcat Theater in Los Angeles and St. Ann’s Warehouse. Harvey teaches guitar and oud in both the NYC and Eastern music styles. TrueFire.com features Harvey as a featured instructor. Guitar Player Magazine describes it as “the largest and most comprehensive online guitar instruction on the planet.” He is open to all musical tastes and encourages creativity. Harvey has a BFA in Jazz and Contemporary Music from The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. His lessons included lessons with Reggie Workman and Vic Juris as well as Jack Wilkins, Reggie Workman and Najeeb Shaheen. Visit www.harveyvaldes.net
