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PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This audio program is a recording of NARIP’s Music Producer Pitch Session with top music producer and 6-time Grammy award-winning Harvey Mason, Jr.

You will hear his reactions and live feedback to cues and song snippets, and the key components of a hit. This is invaluable to understand his needs, interests and preferences, and you will hear exactly what he is looking for now and for ongoing projects, and the types of artists he chooses to work with and how he identifies and develops their talents. You will also hear his submission preferences, what works and what doesn’t, and most important, WHY.

NARIP PROGRAM NUMBER: P491
PROGRAM DATE: April 23, 2019
PROGRAM TIME: 3 hours, 35 minutes, 07 seconds (3:35:07)
QUESTIONS? Call 818-769-7007 or contact NARIP
SOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION

• NARIP
• @NARIP
• #NARIPSessions
• Harvey Mason Media
• @HarveyMasonJr

About The Speaker

Harvey Mason Jr. has not only penned and produced songs for industry legends like Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross and Elton John, but also for today’s superstars including Justin Bieber, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and Chris Brown. Simultaneously, Harvey has been instrumental in producing memorable music for many of the biggest musical films from the past decade. Everyone from Beyoncé and Jennifer Hudson in Dreamgirls, Whitney Houston in Sparkle, to the eclectic casts in Pitch Perfect and SING, Dr. Dre and Ice Cube in Straight Outta Compton and Mary J. Blige and Ne-Yo in The Wiz Live! have called on Harvey to deliver music of the highest standards for blockbuster musical productions.

Harvey was born in Boston, Massachusetts where his parents attended the prestigious Berklee College of Music. Harvey’s father, Harvey Mason, Sr., is a noted jazz drummer and founding member of the group Fourplay. Mason Jr. grew up in Los Angeles where he tagged along to his father’s recording sessions with the likes of Quincy Jones, Carole King, The Brothers Johnson and Herbie Hancock. Harvey wrote his first song, “Love Makes It Better” for Grover Washington, Jr. at the age of eight. Besides being a gifted musician, Harvey was also a skilled athlete and attended the University of Arizona on a basketball scholarship, playing in the 1988 Final Four with teammates Sean Elliott and Steve Kerr.

Harvey’s first success came when he wrote the song “Truthfully” for Brandy’s 1998 release Never Say Never. He then joined forces with Rodney Jerkins’ Darkchild Entertainment and continued to write and produce hits for the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Destiny’s Child, Toni Braxton, Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson. In 2000, Mason Jr. formed the production company, The Underdogs, whose first hit was Tyrese’s “I Like Them Girls.” He continued to top the R&B charts with hits for B2K, Marques Houston, Ruben Studdard, Joe, Ciara and Omarion, making history in 2009 with the number one hit, “No Air” featuring Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown, and again in 2012 with Chris Brown’s “Turn Up the Music.”

In 2006, Harvey produced the soundtrack for the movie musical Dreamgirls where his work on Jennifer Hudson’s rendition of “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going” helped earn her an Academy Award for her performance. His work on Dreamgirls was the first to produce three Oscar-nominated songs from the same film in the same year. In 2008, Harvey Mason Media produced the major motion picture More Than a Game documenting the incredible journey of LeBron James’ high school basketball team. The movie garnered a second-place People’s Choice Award at the prestigious Toronto Film Festival. Harvey also composed the score to the film and served as Executive Producer on the soundtrack Music Inspired by More Than a Game, released on his label Mason Music through Interscope Records.

In 2012, Harvey was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for the song “The Living Proof” from The Help which featured Mary J. Blige. Then sadly, he was the last producer to work with Whitney Houston when he produced the songs “His Eye Is on the Sparrow” and “Celebrate” for the movie Sparkle. Later in 2012, Harvey produced the a cappella vocal performances for the hit film Pitch Perfect featuring Rebel Wilson and Anna Kendrick. In 2014, he produced the music for Get On Up, the film about the life and music of the legendary James Brown. With the addition of Hailee Steinfeld, Harvey again joined the cast of Pitch Perfect 2 to produce new a cappella hits for the movie’s 2015 sequel. In the summer of 2015, Harvey arranged and produced all the legendary N.W.A. music for the theatrical release of Straight Outta Compton. Most recently, he wrote and produced music for the top-rated NBC broadcast of The Wiz Live! and produced over 50 songs for the animated musical SING from Universal/Illumination Entertainment. Currently, Harvey is in production for Pitch Perfect 3 and the musical reworking of the 80’s classic, Valley Girl for MGM.

Harvey proudly serves as a board member and advocacy leader for The Recording Academy and its Producers and Engineers Wing. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees for his Alma mater, the University of Arizona. Harvey donates his time and resources to several charitable organizations including GRAMMY in the Schools, MusicCares Foundation, Ronald McDonald House, the American Cancer Society, and Los Angeles Children’s Hospital. Harvey received the Spirit of Excellence Award in 2012 by the T.J. Martell Foundation for his philanthropic efforts.