About Jesse
Originally from New York City, Jesse Harris began making records in the mid-1990s and has released more than 20 albums under his own name and with his instrumental group, Cosmo, as well as countless others with various projects and artists. In 2003, he won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year for his song “Don’t Know Why,” performed by Norah Jones. He also played guitar on that recording and contributed four other songs to the album. Since then, he has collaborated with, and had his songs recorded by, a long list of performers, including: Melody Gardot, Maya Hawke, John Zorn, Willie Nelson, Gaby Moreno, Julian Lage, Papooz, Smokey Robinson, Cat Power, Solomon Burke, Madeleine Peyroux, Gabi Hartmann, Petra Haden and others. A new album, If You Believed In Me, featuring orchestral arrangements by Maycon Ananias, plus guest appearances by Norah Jones, Jake Sherman and Marine Quéméré, is out now on Artwork Records.
Read Full Bio
Jesse Harris is a Grammy Award-winning songwriter, singer, guitarist, and producer. Originally from New York City, he began making records in the mid ’90s with Once Blue (EMI Records). Since then he has released more than 20 albums under his own name and his instrumental group Cosmo, as well as many others with various projects and artists.
In 2003 Harris received the Grammy Award for Song Of The Year for Norah Jones’ breakout hit “Don’t Know Why,” from her debut album, Come Away With Me, which has sold almost 30 million copies worldwide. It includes four other of his compositions: “Shoot The Moon,” “One Flight Down,” I’ve Got To See You Again,” and “The Long Day Is Over.” He plays guitar throughout the recording.
Since then, Jones and Harris have collaborated numerous times. She has been a guest on several of his albums, and he appears as guitarist on many of hers. He also contributed songwriting to her 2008 release, The Fall, and produced her version of his song “World Of Trouble” for the Ethan Hawke film The Hottest State. That soundtrack features not only Harris’ score, but new versions of his songs by Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Cat Power, Feist, The Black Keys, M. Ward, Brad Mehldau, Bright Eyes (on whose album I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning Harris also appears as guitarist) and others. Harris and Jones appear together in the Amy Poehler/Paul Rudd comedy They Came Together, performing his song, which he also produced, “It Was The Last Thing On Your Mind.”
Other artists who have recorded Harris’ songs include Smokey Robinson, George Benson, Pat Metheny, Kandace Springs, and Solomon Burke, on whose album Like A Fire Harris plays guitar and sings backing vocals.
Songwriting collaborations have included Maya Hawke, John Zorn, Madeleine Peyroux, Melody Gardot, Gaby Moreno, Papooz, and Lana Del Rey.
In 2020, Zorn and Harris released Songs For Petra, which features vocalist Petra Haden and the Julian Lage Trio (for whom Harris has produced two albums, Arclight and Modern Lore). Most recently, Zorn and Harris wrote a musical, Love Songs. A live album of the songs, featuring Haden, was released by Tzadik Records and a staged production is in development.
In 2022 Cosmo, Harris’ instrumental project, released the album, But When?, and in 2023, Spring Song.
Other production credits for Harris include albums for Papooz (2024’s Resonate), Maya Hawke, Gabi Hartmann and Sasha Dobson.
photo by Logan White. Please email for hi res version.
Full Discography
ALBUMS:
2025 – Jesse Harris – If You Believed in Me (Artwork Records)
2025 – Gabi Hartmann – La femme aux yeux de sel (Sony Masterworks France) – songwriter, producer, guitarist, drummer, engineer
2024 – Maya Hawke – Clipped Wings EP (Mom + Pop) – songwriter, guitarist
2024 – Jesse Harris – Ride On/Wild Horse – single – (Secret Sun Recordings)
2024 – Jesse Harris (feat. Anson Jones, Lisa Ducasse, Ëda Diaz and Lau Noah) – Petite Folie – EP – (Secret Sun Recordings)
2024 – Maryam Turkey – Ahlam EP – songwriter, producer, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist
2024 – John Zorn / Jesse Harris – Love Songs Live (Tzadik) – lyricist, producer, mixing engineer
2024 – Anson Jones – Unspoken (Secret Sun) – producer, songwriter, guitarist, drummer
2024 – Andrew Kamel – dreaming (Secret Sun) – producer, guitarist
2024 – Maya Hawke – Chaos Angel (Mom + Pop) – songwriter
2024 – Papooz – Resonate Augmented (Wide Awake) – songwriter, producer, guitarist
2024 – Gaby Moreno – Dusk (Cosmic Artists) – songwriter, guitarist
2024 – Gabi Hartmann – Little Song Lines – EP (Sony Masterworks France) – songwriter, guitarist
2024 – Papooz – Resonate (Wide Awake) – songwriter, producer, guitarist
2023 – Gabi Hartmann – Gabi Hartmann (Sony Masterworks France) – producer, songwriter, guitarist, engineer
2023 – Cosmo – Spring Song (Secret Sun)
2022 – Jesse Harris – Silver Balloon (Secret Sun)
2022 – Cosmo – But When? (Secret Sun)
2022 – Gabi Hartmann – Milles Rivages/Buzzing Bee – singles – (Sony Masterworks France) – producer, songwriter, guitarist
2022 – Jon Dryden – Trio (Secret Sun) – producer, songwriter
2022 – Gaby Moreno – Alegorìa (Metamorfosis) – songwriter
2022 – Todd Clouser – Time Is A Healer (Secret Sun) – producer, guitarist
2022 – Mads Jensen – Hot Drug Dealer/Iris – singles – (Secret Sun) – producer, songwriter, bassist, guitarist
2021 – Maya Hawke – Blue Hippo – single – (Mom + Pop) – songwriter, producer, bassist
2021 – Gabi Hartmann – Always Seem To Get Things Wrong – EP – (Asterios) – producer, songwriter, guitarist
2021 – Gaby Moreno – Maybe Today, Maybe Tomorrow – single – (Metamorfosis) – songwriter
2021 – Star Rover – The Springs – producer, bassist, keyboards
2021 – Jesse Harris & Vinicius Cantuaria – Surpresa (Sunnyside)
2021 – Norah Jones – … ‘Til We Meet Again (Blue Note) – songwriter, guitarist
2021 – Demira – Da Vinci (single) – songwriter
2020 – Jesse Harris – Everlasting Day (Secret Sun)
2020 – Melody Gardot – Sunset in the Blue (Universal) – songwriter
2020 – Various Artists – Angelheaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan and T. Rex (BMG) – singer, guitarist
2020 – John Zorn and Jesse Harris – Songs for Petra, featuring the Julian Lage Trio (Tzadik) – songwriter, producer, guitarist, keyboardist
2020 – Maya Hawke – Blush (Mom + Pop) – songwriter, producer, guitarist
2020 – Harrington, Gustin and Zahn – Tura Lura (Cascine) – producer, guitarist, keyboardist
2019 – Bill Frisell – Harmony (Blue Note) – songwriter
2019 – Jesse Harris – Songs Never Sung (Secret Sun)
2019 – Maya Hawke – To Love a Boy/Stay Open – singles (Secret Sun) – songwriter, producer, guitarist, pianist
2019 – Gabi Hartmann – Always Seem To Get Things Wrong – single (Secret Sun) – songwriter, producer, guitarist
2018 – Samia – Milk – single – (Grand Jury) – producer, piano, keys
2018 – Jesse Harris – Aquarelle (Secret Sun)
2018 – Kandace Springs – Indigo (Blue Note) – songwriter, guitarist
2018 – Julian Lage – Modern Lore (Mack Avenue) – producer, musician
2018 – Melody Gardot – Live In Europe (Universal) – songwriter
2017 – Tia – Amuleto – single (Warner Brasil) – guitarist
2017 – Lana Del Rey – Lust For Life (Polydor/Interscope) – songwriter
2017 – Ren – Love Song (Ren’s Records)- producer, songwriter, guitarist
2017 – Jesse Harris – Music For Chameleons (Sunnyside)
2016 – Kandace Springs – Soul Eyes (Blue Note) – songwriter, guitarist
2016 – Petra Haden and Jesse Harris – Seemed Like a Good Idea – Petra Haden Sings Jesse Harris (Sunnyside) – producer, songwriter, guitarist, singer
2016 – Julian Lage – Arclight (Mack Avenue) – producer
2015 – Tiago Iorc – Dia Especial – single (Som Livre) – producer, piano
2015 – Lizz Wright – Freedom & Surrender (Concord) – songwriter, guitarist
2015 – Forro in the Dark – Forro Zinho – Forro in the Dark Plays Zorn (Tzadik) – producer
2015 – Tomoyo Harada – Love Song Covers (Universal Japan) – songwriter, singer
2015 – John Zorn – The Song Project Live at Le Poisson Rouge (Tzadik) – songwriter, singer, guitarist
2015 – Melody Gardot – Currency of Man (Universal) – songwriter, guitarist
2015 – Jesse Harris with Star Rover – No Wrong No Right (Dangerbird)
2014 – John Zorn – The Song Project – limited edition vinyl 45s (Tzadik) – songwriter, singer, liner notes
2014 – Ex Cops – Daggers (Downtown) – songwriter
2014 – Tia – Esmeraldas (Warner Brasil) – producer, guitarist, keyboardist
2014 – Amanda Brecker – Way To Be (Universal Japan) – producer, guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter
2014 – They Came Together – Soundtrack EP (Lionsgate Records) featuring “It Was the Last Thing On Your Mind,” performed by Norah Jones – songwriter, producer, guitarist
2013 – Butter The Children – True Crime EP (Downtown) – producer
2013 – Tiago Iorc – Zeski (Som Livre) – guitarist, songwriter
2013 – Jesse Harris – Borne Away (Secret Sun)
2012 – Chiara Civello – Al Posto Del Mondo (Sony Music) – songwriter
2012 – Vinicius Cantuaria – Indio De Apartamento (Naïve) – songwriter, vocalist
2012 – Pierre Aderne – Bem Me Quer Mar Me Quer (Art House) – songwriter, guitarist
2012 – Alexia Bomtempo – I Just Happen To Be Here (Biscoito Fino) – guitarist
2012 – Wax Poetic – On A Ride, featuring Jovanotti (Nublu Records) – songwriter
2012 – Jesse Harris – Sub Rosa (Dangerbird)
2012 – Rosario Ortega – Viento Y Sombra (EMI Latin America) – producer, songwriter, guitarist
2012 – Melody Gardot – The Absence (Universal) – songwriter
2011 – Ila & The Happy Trees – Little World (Tube Jam) – guitarist
2011 – Maria Gadu – Mais Uma Pagina (Som Livre) – songwriter, guitarist, producer
2011 РMarisa Monte РO Que Voc̻ Quer Sabe De Verdade (EMI) Рguitarist
2011 – Amanda Brecker – Blossom (Universal) – producer, guitarist
2011 – Federico Aubele – Berlin 13 (ESL Music) – songwriter
2010 – Joshua Radin – The Rock And The Tide (Mom and Pop Records) – songwriter
2010 – Chico Pinheiro – There’s A Storm Inside, Featuring Dianne Reeves & Bob Mintzer (Sunnyside) – songwriter
2010 – Jesse Harris – The Secret Sun – 2010 – Single Version (Secret Sun Recordings)
2010 – Jesse Harris – Cosmo (Tzadik)
2010 – Jesse Harris – Through The Night (Mercer Street/Secret Sun)
2010 – Nikki Yanofsky – Nikki (Decca) – producer, guitarist, songwriter
2010 – Yuichi Ohata – Man Drawing The Light (Columbia Japan) – producer, guitarist, songwriter
2009 – Norah Jones – “Something Is Calling You “, bonus track to Deluxe Edition of Come Away With Me (Blue Note) – songwriter, guitarist
2009 – Norah Jones – The Fall (Blue Note) – songwriter, guitarist
2009 – Port Of Notes – Luminous Halo (Avex) – producer, guitarist
2009 – Forro In The Dark – Light A Candle (Natgeo) – songwriter, singer
2009 – Melody Gardot – My One And Only Thrill (Universal) – songwriter
2009 – The Verbs – Trip (Jay-Vee Records) – songwriter
2009 – Jesse Harris – Watching The Sky (Mercer Street)
2008 – Yuichi Ohata – Music From The Magic Shop (Warner Music Japan) – producer, guitarist
2008 – Jessie Baylin – Firesight (Verve) – songwriter
2008 – Priscilla Ahn – bonus track “We Were Free” (Blue Note) – songwriter, guitarist
2008 – Solomon Burke – Like A Fire (Shout Factory) – songwriter, guitarist, vocalist
2007 – Jesse Harris – Feel (Velour)
2007 – Miyuki Hatakeyama – Summer Clouds, Summer Rain (Avex Japan) – producer, songwriter, guitarist, vocalist
2007 – The Hottest State – Soundtrack, featuring Willie Nelson, Feist,Bright Eyes, Emmylou Harris, The Black Keys, M. Ward, Cat Power, Brad Mehldau, Norah Jones, Tony Scherr, and Rocha (Hickory) – songwriter, producer, guitarist, vocalist
2007 – Jessie Baylin – You (Hickory) – producer, songwriter, guitarist
2007 – Norah Jones – Not Too Late (Blue Note) – guitarist
2006 – Madeleine Peyroux – Half The Perfect World (Rounder) – songwriter
2006 – Sasha Dobson – Modern Romance (Secret Sun) – producer, songwriter, guitarist
2006 – Jesse Harris – Mineral (Secret Sun)
2006 – Richard Julian – Slow New York (Manhattan) – harmonica
2006 – Tristan Prettyman – Twenty-three (Virgin) – guitarist, songwriter
2005 – Lizz Wright – Dreaming Wide Awake (Verve) – songwriter
2005 – Johnathan Rice – Trouble Is Real (Warner Brothers) – guitarist, drummer, songwriter
2005 – Bright Eyes – Motion Sickness (Team Love) – guitarist
2005 – Bright Eyes – I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning (Saddle Creek) – guitarist
2004 – Madeleine Peyroux – Careless Love (Rounder) – songwriter
2004 – Jesse Harris and the Ferdinandos – While The Music Lasts (Verve)
2004 – Norah Jones – Feels Like Home (Blue Note) – guitarist
2003 – Ken Hirai – Ken’s Bar (Defstar Japan) – songwriter, guitarist
2003 – Once Blue – Reissue featuring 9 bonus tracks from 1997 unreleased second album (EMI Toshiba)
2003 – Ricky Fante – Rewind (Virgin) – songwriter, guitarist
2003 – Jesse Harris and The Ferdinandos – The Secret Sun (Verve)
2002 – Jesse Harris and The Ferdinandos – Without You (Bean)
2002 – Norah Jones – Come Away With Me (Blue Note) – songwriter, guitarist
2001 – Sean Wayland – The Colossus of Rhodes (DIW) – guitarist
2001 – Jesse Harris and The Ferdinandos – Crooked Lines (Bean)
2001 – Norah Jones – EP First Sessions (Blue Note) – songwriter, guitarist
1999 – Jesse Harris and The Ferdinandos – Self-titled (Bean)
1999 – Seamus Blake – Stranger Things Have Happened (Fresh Sounds New Talent) – guitarist
1999 – Marie Frank – Ancient Pleasures (BMG Denmark) – songwriter, guitarist
1996 – Jewel – Single “You Were Meant For Me” (Atlantic) – guitarist
1995 – The Hatters – You Will Be You (Atlantic) – guitarist
1995 – Lisa Loeb – Tails (Geffen) – guitarist
1995 – Once Blue – (EMI) – co-leader of band, songwriter, guitarist, singer
FILM / THEATRE / TV:
2016 – Hello, My Name is Doris (Roadside Attractions) – songwriter, guitarist, actor
2014 – They Came Together (Lionsgate Films) – songwriter, producer, guitarist, actor
2011 – Verano Maldito – Luis Ortega film (Argentina) – songwriter, singer, actor
2007 – Arrivals – stage play (Bank Street Theatre) – incidental music composer
2007 – The Hottest State – film (Think Films) – score composer, songwriter, guitarist, actor
1998 – Dragon Tales – TV show theme song – songwriter, guitarist
WRITING:
2016 – A Camp Story (3am Analog literary journal) – short story