JEANETTE HARRIS - SUMMER RAIN

The way Jeanette Harris sees it, summer rain is sensual, an ideal backdrop for love at first sight. Oozing saxuality, she wrote and produced her fourth album, Summer Rain, as the soul-jazz soundtrack for romance. To enhance the experience, she created a Summer Rain perfume that will be available soon after the record is released April 2nd on J&M Records. A mid-tempo R&B sax and guitar groove, “Just Keep Holding On” will arrive at radio ahead of the storm forecasters expect to generate steadily growing showers of airplay accompanied by warm winds of critical praise.

Summer Rain features Harris, who was classically trained on both saxophone and piano, playing alto sax, flute, keyboards and drum programming. She wrote or co-wrote eleven new songs and recorded a moving rendition of Luther Vandross’ classic “Here & Now.” Her rainmakers are producer-songwriter-keyboardist Chuck Cymone, guitarist Darrell Crooks, keyboardists and drum programmers George Freeman and Andrew Dorsette, saxophonist Marcus Anderson, soul crooner Joel Bowers, and Harris’ brother, Michael, who contributed as a producer and songwriting partner. Harris has an amiable relationship with melodies and is capable of crafting compelling cosmopolitan grooves, instantly appealing hooks, sultry, cuddle-up close urban ballads, funky rhythm tracks, throbbing electronic dance floor fillers, and gospel-tinged inspirationals. She sagely lets her sax emote in the service of the song with the horn moving the narrative along free from grandstand theatrics.

“The music of Summer Rain is all about a positive vibe. It’s about staying in love - never falling out of love, feeling good, being faithful and always following a positive route. Great things have happened for me in the last year. I’ve learned what’s really important in life – my family and my music,” shared Harris, who already has a dozen concert dates booked this spring to support the album release with more to be added.

As for the “Summer Rain” fragrance, she said, “I've been working on this project for a few months and finally came up with a scent that I'm digging. I love perfume and I think people of all ages will enjoy my smooth, sensual perfume, which adds another dimension to the love story."

Harris spent a year playing in Teena Marie’s band in the final year before the legendary R&B vocalist passed away. She credits her stint with Marie for teaching her how to be “a strong, professional female leader.” The Fresno, CA-born and based musician earned a scholarship to attend the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Harris landed on the Billboard charts with her version of Stevie Wonder’s “All I Do,” which appeared on her third album, Saxified (2010). Last year, she co-penned a track, “The Best Is Yet To Come,” with Grammy-winning guitarist Norman Brown for his Grammy-nominated collection of duets, “24/7,” with saxophonist Gerald Albright. On stage, Harris has impressed on U.S. shores and at festivals in Europe and Japan - whether she was backing R&B vocalists Howard Hewett and Deniece Williams or playing her own set opening for Babyface, KEM, Phil Perry, Kirk Whalum, Najee and The Rippingtons.

www.jeanetteharrisband.com.