Illinois native Harish Raghavan is one of New York's most in-demand bassists, described as “riveting to watch, a picture of control and total commitment.”
Having lived in New York for over a decade he has held the bass chair in numerous bands including: Ambrose Akinmusire, Walter Smith III, Eric Harland, Taylor Eigsti, Gretchen Parlato, Logan Richardson, Kurt Elling, Vijay Iyer, and Charles Lloyd.
His earliest memories of music come from studying the Mridangam and the drum set at age eight. Developing a strong rhythmic foundation paid off when he switched to the electric bass at sixteen, replacing it with the double bass a year later.
Harish’s career, which has spanned more than fifteen years, began when he situated himself in Los Angeles’ vibrant music scene after being accepted into USC to further his studies on the bass with John Clayton and, later on, Robert Hurst. There he would develop his own individual sound, discover a love for teaching, and meet long-time friends and frequent collaborators.
His debut album, Calls for Action features an entirely new program of music penned by Raghavan and a standout band comprised of New York’s finest up and coming players. It was released late fall 2019 on Whirlwind Records.
Despite a busy touring schedule, Harish continues to teach privately as adjunct faculty at The New School and instructor at jazz workshops around the world. He currently resides in Brooklyn, NY.
