Grammy Winning Songwriter Jesse Harris on Fear, Norah Jones, and Willie Nelson's Studio Style

When Norah Jones sings one of your songs, and you win a Grammy in the process, it might seem like you have it made. However, when songwriter and veteran performer Jesse Harris won that award for penning “Don’t Know Why”, which jazz star Jones covered on her blockbuster 2002 breakthrough album Come Away With Me, his excitement and sense of accomplishment were swiftly followed by a more unexpected emotion: fear. Ahead of his Dec 21-22 shows at Blue Note Beijing, Harris tells us why that was the case, what it’s been like to worth with Jones, Bright Eyes, and Willie Nelson, and what audiences can expect from his gig in the Chinese capital.

What should audiences expect at your Beijing show?
I’ll play a lot of new songs from my last two records (2017’s Music for Chameleons and 2018’s Aquarelle), and a few of the big records I’ve done with Norah [Jones].

What’s she like to work with?
At the moment were aren’t playing that much together, but we’re good friends. She’s sung a lot of my songs for her albums, and she’s played piano and done vocals on a lot of my records, and we’ve worked on movie projects together.

She’s just a unique, great talent. A great singer, and has her own style of piano playing. There’s just something about her voice that makes people swoon. I just love her voice, having her sing on any song always makes it better.

How did she end up singing “Don’t Know Why” on her breakthrough LP, for which you won a songwriting Grammy?
We were friends hanging out a lot, and one day she sang a song of mine on piano. It sounded so good I encouraged her, and together we started a group that played in a lot of jazz clubs in New York. She loved singing “Don't Know Why” but nobody knew it would be so important.

What was it like to win that Grammy?
It was exciting! I had a record deal before, but nothing I’d done ever came near that kind of exposure. And it was a little frightening.

Why frightening?
Well, it’s a strange feeling to have that many people in the world looking at you, when the day before nobody did. And suddenly everyone knows who you are, and wondering what you’re going to do next. It’s cool, but if you’re not ready it’s overwhelming.

That’s not your only big name collaboration. A few years later you played guitar on indie rock star Bright Eyes' I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning.
Yes, that was another instance of working on something you never know will have such an impact at the time. We spent about a week in Nebraska, in the middle of winter when it was beyond freezing cold. And [frontman] Conor [Oberst] was trying to do something different for him: capture live performance, make it very acoustic and loose. He was in such a great place musically, I love that record.

A few years after that you worked on a soundtrack for the Ethan Hawke film The Hottest State. And that album was special because it featured a host of stars covering your songs – Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Feist, Cat Power, M. Ward, The Black Keys, Bright Eyes, Norah Jones, and more. What was that like?
It was wonderful, the only shame was the film didn't catch the public eye. It kind of all just went by. If the movie had done better, it would've changed everything for me. That’s too bad. But it was a great film regardless, and I love the soundtrack.

It must be mind-blowing to have Willie Nelson sing your song.
Yes, and I was there with him during the session. That was unforgettable. He came in and had heard the song before, but needed to learn it quick. Then he said, “Let’s do it,” and played it live. He did three takes and we chose the second one, and he said, “Thanks very much,” and it was over and out.

A real pro!
One hundred percent. And when you listen to that track there’s not a single overdub. It’s was amazing.  

What’s next for you?
I have an instrumental group called Cosmo, and we’re in the midst of recording an album. It’s not free improv or jazz, it has a structure, but because it is all instrumental there still is more freedom in there. It’s interesting, not quite like anything I’ve worked on before. Usually, onstage I’m the one at the mic with the guitar, but this time I can be in the band, and it’s more of a group effort. It’s really fun for me.

Jesse Harris will perform at Blue Note Beijing on Dec 21-22. Tickets are RMB 120 - RMB 320. For more information, click here.

Never miss a gig: Click here for a huge list of live shows in the city, updated daily.

Photos: culturecreature.com, broadwayworld.com, Getty