User:Kharonharrison76

Kharon H Harrison

A child protege of Billy Higgins, Kharon Harrison has been making music since he was two. He was born on June 16, 1976 in Culver City, California. He actually began playing piano before switching to drums.

Harrison credits Faye Haley and Kim Haley-Taylor, his maternal grandmother and mother for there constant nurturing and unconditional love. "My grandmother brought me my first kit, paid for all my lessons and let us rehearse in the house". Haley even gave her grandson several exotic instruments she had collected during a trip to Brazil. Ironically, she passed away the same time as Higgins. Having lost these two solid pillars in short order, 2001 proved to be a particularly difficult year for Harrison.

Kharon has two siblings by the name of Endia and Khaliq Taylor and a son Kalum who plays the drums as well. Kharon grew up near Baldwin Hills, he was drawn to Locke High School's fabled music department. Under the guidance of Reggie Andrews, Kharon carefully honed his skills. "I met a lot of cats from the inner city and we formed the L.A. City Multi-School Band", recalls Kharon. The nucleus of the gifted unit included Terrace Martin, Donald Vega, Isaac Smith and Wali Ali Jr.

In addition, Mr.Harrison studied piano and percussion at the prestigious Colburn School of Music as well as privately with Ndugu Chancler. His mentor was no-nonsense, taskmaster who expected his students to master the rudiments. Kharon dutifully practiced six hours a day.

Billy Higgins was a surrogate father who also encouraged him to stay in school and away from drugs and gangs. In 1980, they initially met at The Day of the Drum Festival at Watts Towers. Barely a year later, Higgins and Harrison appeared on ABC's Good Morning America, to do a tribute to Willie Bobo. During his introduction, the five-year old boy boldly scolded an embarrassed host, "I'm not coming out until you get my name right".

Harrison and Higgins grew closer. "I talked to Billy each and every day, no matter where he was in the world", said Kharon. Meanwhile at home, the mean streets were frequently unforgiving. Kharon learned this lesson first-hand when he revealed, "One night, during a sis at the Conga Room, somebody got killed and we didn't even know it".

Other primary influences included Elvin Jones, Tootie Heath, Earl Palmer, Max Roach, Art Blakey, Lawrence Marable, Clarence Johnston, Clayton Cameron, Fritz Wise, Cornell Fauler and Stevie Wonder.

Mr.Harrison has performed with Horace Tapscott, Nolan Shaheed, Robert Turner, George Duke, Jackie McLean, Sheila E., Nate Morgan, Ravi Coltrane, Gerald Wilson, H.B. Barnum, Dizzy Gillespie, DR. Art Davis, Michael Session, Jesse Sharps, Joe Sample, Milt Jackson, Patrice Rushen, Ella Fitzgerald, Herbie Handcock, Jill Scott, Anita Baker, Chaka Khan and Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and a host of others.

Kharon's career has transcended all boundaries. He has done sound designs for Quincy Jones and David Salzman (Q.D.E.) produced tracks for MAD TV. His ultimate goal is to score movies. Kharon has also galloped the globe, appearing in Japan, Thailand, Amsterdam, France, Germany, The Philippines and South Africa. The world is his stage Not bad for a kid who grew up in a store-front joint on Degnan.

Selected Credits:

1994 Pharcyde (Whole Album) Delicious Vinyl

1995-2001 Various Artist Neo Soul Unplugged BET TV

2000 Tupac Shakur/Dogg Pound (Numerous Recordings) Death Row

2004-2009 Pharoah Sanders Live Imported Label

2008 Snoop Dogg Fatherhood ETV

2008-2010 Leon Mobley (Da Lion Roars Whole Album) Djembe Records

This is a selected few