Emanuel Harrold – A Visionary Drummer Making Music For A Bigger Purpose

Time flies and so does the plane.

High and far in the sky, aside of the brightest stars (of jazz)

In his mind, he keeps praising the most precious times spent with his loved-ones

In his mind, he keeps praying for that time he’ll be home again, with friends and family… 

And you can read in the glaze of his eyes,

How much he’s looking forward to that Special Time.

This is while touring with Gregory Porter, that Grammy Award-winning drummer, composer, and producer Emanuel Harrold releases his new single, Special Time. 

Inspired by the distance that keeps him away from home.

The track features Saunders Sermons II, Grammy Award Winning Trombonist & vocalist, who’s worked with Maxwell, Jay Z, Diddy, and Tedeschi Trucks Band.

This is the second single, after True Need, uplifting Rap/Jazz song, fusing smooth Jazz with old school rap flow and meaningful lyrics on Black History, Faith, Freedom and Truth, straight from Harrold’s forthcoming EP, set to drop in the Fall.

Emanuel Harold has always been conscious about the story of his community,

As he enjoys Jazz’ inheritance and shares it with his listeners from his experience, with the will to inspire.

He’s dedicated to his city, as implies one of his most uplifting singles, titled In My City.

“America’s true classical music is jazz. It perfectly expresses what we have gone through as a people in this country.” As he states for magazine STL.

Just like Gregory Porter, Harrold’s music brings you something even spiritual, for his goal seems to make music that’s bigger than him – “no man is bigger than Human”.

For Special Time, the listener can feel every piece of this track, blended with neo-soul flavors, felt in Saunders’ vocals, and a tastes for hip-hop, felt along the groove of the bass line and the play of drums. Harrold is from that new school jazz style, that’ll mix hints of Gospel, neo-soul and hip-hop.

The mellow tuning produces a soothing atmosphere and instruments actually translates the melting feelings of the composer ; the of trombone sounds like a sigh, longing for home and love.

Before the release of the EP, Harrold is currently on tour with fellow Grammy winner, Gregory Porter who recently came in Lyon, France, at Le Radiant, with a band previously discovered on Sounds So Beautiful, Uptown Lovers, as the opening act.

The interesting point about the fact that he came to Lyon, is that this place attracts a whole lot of inspiring musicians:

Last year, we met and interviewed Ryan Kilgore, discovered as Stevie Wonder’s saxophonist.

What is more, this year, drummers and other instrumentalists had the chance to attend acclaimed drummer Aaron Spears in Lyon too.

The common point with Kilgore, Spears and Harrold, is that they all consider their music as bigger than themselves, and that their purpose is to teach and share their knowledge and passion about music and a career with the Youth.

Indeed,

He’s taught multiple drum seminars at colleges and universities including the Australian Institute of Music.

Harrold’s mission is to nurture the Desire of a better Tomorow in opportunities for youth, music and business , as he says on Twitter.

That’s why you can see him giving master classes and running drums clinics, where he can share the way he sees music.

One thing striking is the way he’s connected to the ones he’s playing with – he knows Gregory Porter for years – and his tuning made in a way to best support and follow the vocalist, even highlight and embellish the words and emotions.

Working with Porter and contributing to let him win the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album is a significant proof.

Music runs through the veins of this St. Louis native; his grandfather had a drum and bugle corps and his grandmother was a gospel recording artist.

After winning two Grammy awards for his work with Gregory Porter and playing over 2,000 shows at acclaimed venues such as, Buckingham Palace, the Sydney Opera House, Jimmy Kimmel, Jay Leno, Tavis Smiley, the North Sea Jazz Festival and the Berlin Philharmonic, and touring over 50 countries.

He’s now preparing to drop his debut EP.

Keep up with Emanuel Harrold as he continues to release more music and tour across North America and Europe!