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Jesse Harris
Watching the Sky
Mercer Street Records
"I'm light as a feather/And my song has just begun," sings Jesse Harris on his new album Watching The Sky. He's not kidding—this fifteen-track collection finds Harris at the height of his powers, his musical finesse as fresh and vibrant as ever. The light reggae of "On A Day" suggests a more meditative UB40; the banjo-flecked "While We Slept" is spare and quietly stunning and the rhythmic "What You Wanted" brings to mind the later work of Joe Henry. Flanked by two horn sections (one from the Bahamas and the other from New York), and percussive wonder Mauro Refosco, Harris' arrangements are informed by everything from Brazilian music to reggae to New Orleans jazz. Longtime collaborator Norah Jones shows up to sing harmony on the utterly lovely "It Will Stay With Us"; "Light As A Feather" sways beautifully away and "I Think You're Hiding Something" is loaded with sneaky, shuffling rhythms. Produced by Terry Manning (Jason & The Scorchers, Lenny Kravitz), Watching The Sky is Harris' finest work yet—he leans into the album's many rhythms and croons away with a confidence that is both lustrous and effortless.
—Alex Green
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