The Drum Legend on Herbie Hancock's Head Hunters, Chick, Quincy, Changing Partners
Harvey Mason Sr. is a legend. As the drummer who helped Herbie Hancock create the groundbreaking Head Hunters album — widely regarded as one of the greatest jazz-funk records ever made — he helped change the direction of music in 1973. His subsequent career as one of the most recorded and respected session drummers in Los Angeles only added to a legacy that spans five decades.
In this conversation with Elmo, Harvey traces the arc of a remarkable career — from his early years developing his approach to the instrument, to the defining sessions that made him a first-call player in Hollywood and beyond, to his relationships with Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Quincy Jones, and some of the greatest musicians and producers who ever lived.
They also talk about Harvey's current role as Chairman and CEO of the Recording Academy — the stewardship of a major music institution, the challenges of the moment, and what he believes the GRAMMYs need to be for the next generation of artists.
"Head Hunters wasn't just a record. It was a new language — and we were making it up as we went."
Harvey's early years and the specific teachers, records, and influences that shaped his concept of the drums — the jazz foundation, the funk absorption, and the feel that made him one of the most distinctive voices on the instrument.
The full story of the Head Hunters sessions — how the album came together, what Herbie was hearing in his head, and what it was like to be part of creating a record that would change the relationship between jazz and funk forever.
What it was like to be a first-call session drummer in Los Angeles at the height of the recording studio era — the sessions, the players, the culture, and the professionalism required to work at that level day after day.
Harvey's relationships and recordings with Chick Corea and the jazz world — the musical conversations, the creative demands, and what those experiences added to his understanding of groove and composition.
Stories from sessions and collaborations with Quincy Jones — what made Quincy such an extraordinary producer, the specific lessons Harvey took from those experiences, and what the Q sessions taught him about the relationship between feel and production.
Harvey's perspective on leading the Recording Academy — the challenges of running a major music institution, what he believes the GRAMMYs need to become, and his vision for how the institution can serve the full breadth of contemporary music.
Harvey walks through the Head Hunters sessions in detail — who was in the room, what the creative process felt like, and the specific moment when he knew they were making something that had never been made before.
The story of how Harvey became a first-call session drummer in Los Angeles — the early gigs, the reputation-building, and what it meant to be trusted by the best producers and artists in the industry to come in and play it right the first time.
Harvey on Quincy Jones — a portrait of one of the greatest musical minds in history, told by someone who spent time in his sessions and absorbed his approach to production up close.
The recording sessions with Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea — two of the great piano geniuses of any era, and what it was like to serve their music while also bringing his own voice to every track.
Harvey's reflections on the Vic Firth connection — stories about studying with one of the great drum educators, and how that relationship shaped the technical foundation of his career.
A candid conversation about the Recording Academy — what Harvey has learned in his role as Chairman and CEO, what he wants to change, and his vision for what the GRAMMYs can be for the next generation of artists and music creators.
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