RECENTLY

HISTORY

PRESENTLY

FOR FUN

REVIEWS

Sean Harkness speaks the language of guitars from the inside out - as a solo Artist on Windham Hill Records (BMG), with 22 years of experience as a sideman, and six years as a Luthier’s assistant.  He’s recorded on numerous commercial releases with all kinds of guitars and basses, toured both nationally and internationally, and benefited from artist endorsements provided by Taylor Guitars , Walden Guitars, B-band pickup systems, and Stylus Pick.  

RECENTLY  Harkness has been a regular substitute for the guitar chair in Disney's Lion King on Broadway.  He has also assumed the role of in-house Musical Director for KMA Studios in the Brill Building in Times Square.

Sean has had the opportunity to travel regularly to Japan where there is an enthusiastic interest in his music.  

This June 21st, Okinawa's Rinken Records released Sean's new CD 'Urakaji' in Japan.  It is a solo guitar CD with Sean's arrangements of Rinken's music, recorded in Okinawa this past February.  Japan's version of the Wall Street Journal, the Nihon Keizai Shinbun, gave the CD a very favorable review!

In 1999 Harkness performed all the guitars and bass on a greatest-hits CD (ironically titled 'Debut') by the long time Japanese hit maker Kei Ogula.  He then went on a seven-week tour of Japan onstage with the Broadway musical “Swing!”  “Thirty-eight sold out shows was a real thrill, but I'd have to say that climbing Mount Fuji was the real highlight of that trip”, says Harkness.   

Sean’s music appears on compilations there as well, and currently there are discussions for a Japanese release of his CD ‘Trio of One’. 

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HISTORY    At age 11 Sean first started playing, taking private lessons with Brian Keane.  Within six months, he had a steady gig performing with a trio (w/ Peter McNeal [drums]; Mike Kach [keys]; and later w/ Will Vaughan [keys] and Tim Williams [gtr]) at the Downtown Cabaret Theatre of Bridgeport, CT on Saturday afternoons.  

At age 17, after six years of myriad gigs (including a kickin' original Southern Rock band 'Southern Wind' with Mike Kach and Chris Roberts), studies with Sal Salvador, High School Chorus [Tony Inzero, cond.] and Jazz Ensemble [Joe Grasso, cond.], plus early experiences in recording studios, he then went on to study at Berklee College of Music in Boston. 

Immediately after college [and that bartending gig in Boston’s Back Bay…] Harkness went to Europe with guitarist Kevin Ansell, which led to a year and a half of performing all over Europe busking on the streets and performing in ALL kinds of venues. 

Upon return to the States he moved to Burlington, VT where he really began to flourish performing with the top bands in the area (including ‘Zero Gravity’ and ‘Anne’s Band’ at club Metronome).  Zero Gravity and Rina Bijou would regularly jam with members of Phish and the Aquarium Rescue Unit (whose members are now with Phil Lesh and the Allmans, etc..).  He worked with well-respected guitar builder/repairman Chip Wilson (formerly of Borys guitars - now one of New Orleans' finest solo musicians), and taught many guitar students.  

It was during this time, through classical studies with Randall Plourde at Evergreen Programs (802-862-6674), that he learned how to properly ‘touch’ the guitar and find each instrument’s true voice, as well as his own. 

While in Vermont Sean had the opportunity to be an opening act for many nationally touring acts such as Dave Mason, Tuck and Patti, the Subdudes, and Adrian Belew.  The Lane Series at University of Vermont featured Harkness in a special event called ‘Local Guitar Heroes’.  This was the beginning of Sean’s serious pursuit as a solo Artist.   

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PRESENTLY  Harkness made the musical pilgrimage to New York City in ’94.  Here he has played in pit orchestras for numerous musical theatre productions and recorded with other artists and singer/songwriters on local, national and international levels.  

In 96 he signed on with Windham Hill Records as a solo Artist, released 2 solo CD’s, and continues to participate in the annual Winter Solstice Tours.  He has performed and recorded with Tuck & Patti, Will Ackerman, Liz Story, Michael Manring, Paul McCandliss, David Arkenstone, Lisa Lynne, Bobby Sherman; shared stages with Odetta, Louden Wainwright III, Richie Havens, Alex Bugnon, Elements, Dave Samuels; appeared on recordings with Paco De Lucia, Michael Hedges, Russ Freeman, Snuffy Walden, Alex de Grassi, Vicente Amigo, Jay Beckenstien, and of course, George Winston.   

He continues to reside in NYC while frequently traveling for recording dates and performances of all kinds. 

FOR FUN Sean enjoys SCUBA diving, motorcycle riding, cooking and eating spicy and adventurous foods, skiing, and Vintage Sports Car racing (with his father!).

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