chesterharlan.com

Chester Harlan

Welcome to the website of guitarist and composer Chester Harlan

Biography

English

Chester Harlan was born in Alassio, a coastal town in Liguria, where he spent his early years immersed in figurative arts and cinema. He grew up in a family deeply connected to cinema, which had a profound influence on him, shaping his appreciation for the power of film, painting, art, and visual expression. His strong passion for visual arts also brought him to write music for theater, such as for the play Aliocha ou le Secret du Vent, created by Sylvie Borten for the Gaité Theater in Paris.He grew up in Rome, where he began studying piano, before moving to Paris, where he continued his secondary education and pursued jazz guitar and improvisation under the guidance of master improviser Pierre Cullaz.He studied at the American School of Modern Music and, in parallel, attended the Sorbonne University, enrolling in the Faculty of Philosophy. In 1994, he was admitted to the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he focused on composition and earned his Bachelor's Degree in 1997.That same year, he moved to Brooklyn, New York, where he continued developing a personal musical language deeply rooted in jazz and enriched by a diverse range of musical influences, from contemporary sounds to global rhythms. During his time in New York, he also worked with Brazilian singer Céu.In 1998, Chester spent several months in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where the country’s vibrant culture and rich musical heritage left a profound mark on him. Back in Paris, he joined the sextet of Argentinean singer Barbara Luna, with whom he recorded the album India Morena and performed in several festivals throughout Europe and the Americas, including an opening in Seattle for Peter Gabriel, as well as performances in Singapore, New Caledonia, and at the Sydney Opera House in Australia. During his time in Paris, he also collaborated with Tricky of Massive Attack.In 2002, Chester released his debut album, Gardenias, recorded with a French quintet. The album blends a diverse array of influences, from jazz to Brazilian instrumental music and pop, crafting a dynamic soundscape that highlights interaction and improvisation.The Gardenias project began in 1995 while Chester was studying at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, when he first started composing for a jazz quintet. Over time, the project evolved, incorporating additional elements that pushed the music to a more orchestral level. Chester’s vision for the project was to connect music with various cultures, experimenting with unconventional approaches. His collaborations with musicians from all over the world brought this vision to life. After moving back to Paris, he recorded the album with some of the most talented musicians of their generation.In 2015, he collaborated with the École des hautes études en sciences sociales (EHESS) and French anthropologist Richard Rechtman, composing a series of works for solo classical guitar for the project Les Vivantes.In Italy, Chester has worked as a composer and guitarist with actor Giuseppe Cederna, and later, in Berlin, he began an intense performance collaboration with renowned vibraphonist Oli Bott.In 2019, he produced Atlantika, an album by Brazilian artist Carolina Sá, recorded in Rio de Janeiro. The project merges Brazil's musical essence with a global fusion of sounds, blending tropical rhythms with contemporary elements, and explores themes related to the cultural richness and dynamism of the Brazilian musical landscape.Driven by a deep passion for improvisation and pedagogy, Chester Harlan continues to explore new approaches and concepts in jazz improvisation.

Italiano

Chester Harlan è nato ad Alassio, una città costiera in Liguria, dove ha trascorso i suoi primi anni immerso nelle arti figurative e nel cinema. Cresciuto in una famiglia profondamente legata al cinema, ha respirato fin da piccolo la forza evocativa del cinema, della pittura, dell’arte e di ogni forma di espressione visiva. La sua forte passione per le arti visive lo ha portato anche a scrivere musica per il teatro, come nel caso dello spettacolo Aliocha ou le Secret du Vent, creato da Sylvie Borten per il Teatro della Gaité a Parigi.Cresciuto a Roma, ha iniziato a studiare il pianoforte, per poi trasferirsi a Parigi, dove ha proseguito gli studi secondari e si è dedicato alla chitarra jazz e all’improvvisazione sotto la guida del maestro improvvisatore Pierre Cullaz.Chester ha studiato all'American School of Modern Music e, parallelamente, ha frequentato l'Università della Sorbona, iscrivendosi alla Facoltà di Filosofia. Nel 1994 è stato ammesso al Berklee College of Music di Boston, dove si è concentrato sulla composizione e ha conseguito il suo Bachelor’s Degree nel 1997.Nello stesso anno, si è trasferito a Brooklyn, New York, dove ha continuato a sviluppare un linguaggio musicale personale, profondamente radicato nel jazz e arricchito da una vasta gamma di influenze musicali, dai suoni contemporanei ai ritmi globali. Durante il suo soggiorno a New York, ha anche collaborato con la cantante brasiliana Céu.Nel 1998, Chester ha trascorso diversi mesi a Rio de Janeiro, in Brasile, dove la cultura vibrante e l'eredità musicale ricca del paese lo hanno profondamente influenzato. Tornato a Parigi, ha unito il suo talento al sestetto della cantante argentina Barbara Luna, con la quale ha registrato l’album India Morena e ha suonato in vari festival in Europa e nelle Americhe, incluso un concerto di apertura a Seattle per Peter Gabriel, oltre a performance a Singapore, Nuova Caledonia e all'Opera House di Sydney, in Australia. Durante il suo soggiorno a Parigi, ha anche collaborato con Tricky dei Massive Attack.Nel 2002, Chester ha pubblicato il suo album d'esordio, Gardenias, registrato con un quintetto francese. L'album fonde una vasta gamma di influenze, dal jazz alla musica strumentale brasiliana e al pop, creando un paesaggio sonoro dinamico che enfatizza l'interazione e l’improvvisazione.Il progetto Gardenias è nato nel 1995, quando Chester stava studiando al Berklee College of Music di Boston e ha iniziato a comporre per un quintetto jazz. Nel tempo, il progetto è evoluto, incorporando ulteriori elementi che hanno spinto la musica a un livello più orchestrale. La visione di Chester per il progetto era quella di connettere la musica con diverse culture, sperimentando approcci non convenzionali. Le sue collaborazioni con musicisti provenienti da tutto il mondo hanno dato vita a questa visione. Dopo il suo ritorno a Parigi, ha registrato l'album con alcuni dei musicisti più talentuosi della loro generazione.Nel 2015, ha collaborato con l'École des hautes études en sciences sociales (EHESS) e con l'antropologo francese Richard Rechtman, componendo una serie di opere per chitarra classica solista per il progetto Les Vivantes.In Italia, Chester ha lavorato come compositore e chitarrista con l'attore Giuseppe Cederna e, successivamente, a Berlino, ha iniziato una intensa collaborazione di performance con il rinomato vibrafonista Oli Bott.Nel 2019, ha prodotto Atlantika, un album dell'artista brasiliana Carolina Sá, registrato a Rio de Janeiro. Il progetto fonde l’essenza musicale del Brasile con una fusione globale di suoni, mescolando ritmi tropicali con elementi contemporanei, esplorando temi legati alla ricchezza culturale e dinamica del panorama musicale brasiliano.Spinto da una profonda passione per l’improvvisazione e la pedagogia, Chester Harlan continua a esplorare nuovi approcci e concetti nell’improvvisazione jazz.

Français

Chester Harlan est né à Alassio, une ville côtière de Ligurie, où il a passé ses premières années immergé dans les arts visuels et le cinéma. Issu d'une famille intimement liée au septième art, il a été profondément marqué par la puissance du cinéma, de la peinture et des arts visuels dans leur capacité à exprimer l'invisible. Sa passion pour les arts visuels l’a également conduit à composer de la musique pour le théâtre, comme dans le cas du spectacle Aliocha ou le Secret du Vent, créé par Sylvie Borten pour le Théâtre de la Gaîté à Paris.Ayant grandi à Rome, il a commencé par étudier le piano, avant de s’installer à Paris, où il a poursuivi ses études secondaires et s’est consacré à la guitare jazz et à l’improvisation sous la direction du maître improvisateur Pierre Cullaz.Chester a étudié à l’American School of Modern Music tout en suivant des cours à l’Université de la Sorbonne, où il s’est inscrit à la faculté de philosophie. En 1994, il est admis au Berklee College of Music à Boston, où il se spécialise en composition et obtient son Bachelor’s Degree en 1997.La même année, il s’installe à Brooklyn, New York, où il continue de développer un langage musical personnel, profondément enraciné dans le jazz et enrichi par un large éventail d’influences, allant des sons contemporains aux rythmes du monde. Durant son séjour à New York, il collabore également avec la chanteuse brésilienne Céu.En 1998, Chester passe plusieurs mois à Rio de Janeiro, au Brésil, où la culture vibrante et le riche héritage musical du pays l’influencent profondément. De retour à Paris, il rejoint le sextet de la chanteuse argentine Barbara Luna, avec laquelle il enregistre l’album India Morena et joue dans de nombreux festivals en Europe et aux Amériques, dont un concert d’ouverture à Seattle pour Peter Gabriel, ainsi que des performances à Singapour, en Nouvelle-Calédonie et à l’Opera House de Sydney, en Australie. Pendant cette période à Paris, il collabore également avec Tricky de Massive Attack.En 2002, Chester publie son premier album, Gardenias, enregistré avec un quintette français. Cet album mêle un large éventail d’influences, du jazz à la musique instrumentale brésilienne en passant par la pop, créant un paysage sonore dynamique mettant en valeur l’interaction et l’improvisation.Le projet Gardenias voit le jour en 1995, alors que Chester étudie au Berklee College of Music à Boston et commence à composer pour un quintette jazz. Avec le temps, le projet évolue, intégrant de nouveaux éléments qui portent la musique vers une dimension plus orchestrale. La vision de Chester est de relier la musique à différentes cultures en expérimentant des approches non conventionnelles. Ses collaborations avec des musiciens du monde entier ont donné vie à cette vision. De retour à Paris, il enregistre l’album avec certains des musiciens les plus talentueux de leur génération.En 2015, il collabore avec l’École des hautes études en sciences sociales (EHESS) et l’anthropologue français Richard Rechtman, composant une série d’œuvres pour guitare classique solo pour le projet Les Vivantes.En Italie, Chester travaille comme compositeur et guitariste avec l’acteur Giuseppe Cederna, puis, à Berlin, il entame une collaboration intense en concert avec le célèbre vibraphoniste Oli Bott.En 2019, il produit Atlantika, un album de l’artiste brésilienne Carolina Sá, enregistré à Rio de Janeiro. Le projet fusionne l’essence musicale du Brésil avec une palette sonore globale, mêlant rythmes tropicaux et éléments contemporains, explorant des thèmes liés à la richesse et à la dynamique de la scène musicale brésilienne.Porté par une passion profonde pour l’improvisation et la pédagogie, Chester Harlan continue à explorer de nouvelles approches et concepts dans le domaine de l’improvisation jazz.

Next Concerts

2025-06-21: Rome (Italy) – Pier Paolo Pozzi, Chester Harlan & Paolo Innarella
2025-07-04: Budapest (Hungary) – w/ Zsolt Bende
2025-07-05: Budapest (Hungary) – w/ Zsolt Bende

Past concerts

7 Lézards (Paris, France), Alliance Française (Florianópolis, Brazil), Art Kfé Jazz Club (Paris, France), Bab Ilo Jazz Club (Paris, France), Bebop Jazz Club (Rome, Italy), Berklee Performance Center (Boston, USA), Biarritz Festival (Biarritz, France), Big Mama (Rome, Italy), Café Laurent (Paris, France), Duc de Lombards (Paris, France), EHESS – École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (Paris, France), Florianópolis Jazz Festival (Florianópolis, Brazil), Gaia Art (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), Gazarte Jazz Club (Athens, Greece), Half Note Jazz Club (Athens, Greece), Il Torrione Jazz Club (Bassiano, Italy), Italian Embassy of Ouagadougou (Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso), Jazz On The Dniepr (Dnipro, Ukraine), Jazzclub-Kunstfabrik Schlot (Berlin, Germany), La Rochelle Festival (La Rochelle, France), Le Baiser Salé (Paris, France), Madeleine Jazz Club (São Paulo, Brazil), Marciac Jazz Festival (Marciac, France), Monte Sant’Angelo Festival (Monte Sant’Angelo, Italy), New Morning (Paris, France), Olho Na Rua (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), Petit Théâtre Du Bonheur (Paris, France), Porto Alegre Jazz Festival (Porto Alegre, Brazil), Sculler's Jazz Club (Boston, USA), Sunset / Sunside (Paris, France), Sydney Opera House (Sydney, Australia), Taganana Blues (Frascati, Italy), Triboz Jazz Club (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), Womad Festival (Adelaide, Australia), Womad Festival (Prague, Czech Republic), Womad Festival (Seattle, USA), and Womad Festival (Singapore).

Collabs

Alfonso Pacin (Argentina), Anat Cohen (Israel), Andreas Weiser (Germany), Antonio Sanchez (Mexico), Arash Kalathbari (France/Iran), Argentum (Ukraine), Barbara Luna (Argentina), Ben Zwerin (France/USA), Bernardo Bosisio (Brazil), Bruno Migliari (Brazil), Carolina Sá (Brazil), Cengiz Baysal (Turkey), Céu (Brazil), Enrico Bracco (Italy), Federico Casagrande (Italy), Federico Puppi (Italy/Brazil), Francesco Bearzatti (Italy), Francesco Mendolia (UK/Italy), Francesco Poeti (Italy), Francesco Ponticelli (Italy), Franz Bauer (Germany), Gary Kelly (USA), Giuseppe Cederna (Italy), GP Cremonini (Italy), Gustavo Amarante (Brazil), Henrique Band (Brazil), Jefferson Lescowich (Brazil), John Betsch (USA), Juancho Herrera (Venezuela), Karl Jannuska (Canada), Manu Dibango (Cameroon), Manu Koch (Switzerland), Marcello Allulli (Italy), Marcos De Andrade Nimrichter (Brazil), Martin Lillich (Germany), Mathias Duplessy (France), Matthias Hanselmann (Germany), Mauro Gargano (Italy), Mike Zwerin (USA), Nico Morelli (Italy), Ofer Ganor (Israel), Oli Bott (Germany), Oscar Marchioni (Italy), Pablo Ablanedo (Argentina), Paolo Innarella (Italy), Pier Paolo Pozzi (Italy), Renato Massa (Brazil), Riccardo Ascani (Italy), Roberto Lo Monaco (Italy), Roberto Michelangelo Giordi (Italy), Stéphane Mercier (Belgium), Tricky-Massive Attack (UK), Vincent Bourgeyx (France), Vox Populi (France), Yoni Zelnik (Israel).

Jazz Academy

With over 25 years of experience, Chester Harlan, a guitarist, composer, and Berklee College of Music graduate, has devoted his career to the art of musical improvisation, with a particular focus on fostering creativity. His teaching method offers a step-by-step journey that not only deepens the student's understanding of the instrument and its technical intricacies but also unlocks their inner musician, empowering them to express themselves freely through music.Stay up to date with the latest research, insights, and explorations of jazz improvisation by following his Substack page, The Modern Improviser. Chester also offers private lessons in his studio in Rome, Italy, where he continues to teach and inspire musicians of all levels.For inquiries about lessons and masterclasses, please send an email here.