Profile

Harlan Terson

Instrument
Bass

Harlan Terson was born in Chicago on January 3, 1951, and began playing electric bass in 1966. His influences include all styles of blues, soul, country and folk music. James Jamerson, Carole Kaye, Tommy Cogbill, and Duck Dunn are a few of his favorite bassists. After receiving a Bachelor of Arts in music from the University of Illinois-Chicago, he began playing professionally on the Chicago scene.

Terson's steady "in the pocket" groove has kept him working on the competitive Chicago blues circuit, and taken him overseas as well. He recorded and toured with Lonnie Brooks from 1976-1982. He has also appeared and recorded with many other artists, including the legendary Otis Rush, Bo Diddley, Magic Slim, Albert Collins, Sunnyland Slim, Johnny Littlejohn, Eddy Clearwater, Jimmy Rogers, Kim Wilson, Eddie Shaw, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Lurrie Bell, Jody Williams, Steve Freund, Tad Robinson, Dave Specter and the Bluebirds, Mojo and the Bayou Gypsies, Chicago blues rockers, The Fabulous Fish Heads, and the Blue Coast Band. He did steady nights at the internationally famous Kingston Mines in Chicago for more than twenty years, and currently teaches at The Old Town School of Folk Music. He has recorded on the Alligator, Delmark, Evidence, Severn, and JSP labels. Harlan Terson endorses PGM and Lakland basses, Bag End Speakers, and GHS Strings.


Some Career Highlights

  • Lonnie Brooks Blues Band: Five recordings, two Grammy nominations, three European trips, including Hamburg, Germany, 1981 Blues Estafette in Utrecht, Holland (with Jimmy Rogers and Walter Horton), and 1982 Chicago Blues Giants tour (with Lefty Dizz, Eddie Shaw, Ken Saydak, and Melvin Taylor); Bulls Falls Blues Festival (2011)
  • Otis Rush band: One recording, 1988 European tour, including North Sea Jazz Festival; Blues 2000, Edinburgh, Scotland (2000); Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival, Annapolis, MD (2000); Fleet Bluesfest, Buffalo, NY (2000); Blue Note, Osaka & Tokyo, Japan (2000); Scandinavian Tour, including Ole Blues, Bergen, Norway, & Internationale Blues-Dage, Odense, Denmark (2001); Japan Blues Carnival (2001)
  • Chicago Blues Festival: Main stage appearances with Otis Rush (1988, 2001), Kim Wilson (1999), Ken Saydak & Zora Young (2003), Nora Jean Bruso (2004), Dave Specter with Jimmy Johnson; Sam Lay (2011); Paul Kaye (2012): Otis Rush Tribute (2016). Crossroads stage appearance with various artists (1996), Tad Robinson & Alex Schultz (2001), Front Porch Stage Paul Kaye (2015)
  • Tad Robinson: Three recordings, Queen City Blues Festival (Cincinnati, 1999), Canadian Tour (1999); Indy Jazz Festival, Indianapolis (2000, 2001); Notodden Blues Festival, Notodden, Norway (2000); Belgium Rhythm and Blues Festival, Peer, Belgium (2001), Tampa Bay Blues Festival (2010), Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival (2013), Sin City Blues & Soul Revival (2013); Mississippi Valley Blues Festival (2014)
  • Dave Specter and the Bluebirds: Six recordings; European tour, including Lucerne, Hildesheim, and Rheinberg festivals (1998); Geneva Blues Summit (2005); Mexico City Blues Festival (2006); Puebla (Mexico) Blues Festival (2007); (European Tour (2007); Three additional European Tours, including Lucerne Blues Festival (2010 and 2014), Warsaw Blues Night (2010), Armagh (Northern Ireland) Blues Festival (2014), Blues In Hell Festival, Norway (2014); Crossroads Blues Festivals (2013, 2015); European Tour with Tad Robinson (2017)
  • Trinidaddio Blues and Cultural Festival, Trinidad, Colorado: Tad Robinson & Alex Schultz, Katherine Davis (2000); Dave Specter & Steve Freund, Ken Saydak (2001);Tad Robinson & Alex Schultz, Craig Horton (2003); Ken Saydak, Bob Margolin (2005); Dave Specter, Steve Freund, & Ken Saydak (2006); Tad Robinson & Alex Schultz (2007); Ken Saydak (2008); Tad Robinson (2009); Dave Specter & Sharon Lewis (2011); Trinidaddio Allstars (2016); Tad Robinson (2017); Rockwell Avenue Blues Band (2019)
  • Steve Freund: Three recordings, Lugano Blues Festival (1989)

 

  • More than 60 commercial recordings
  • Joined Old Town School staff September, 1999
  • Four years with Chicago dance band Rhythm City
  • More than twenty years in various house bands at Chicago's Kingston Mines
  • Plus thousands of other appearances, spanning more than three decades
Photos
Comments
In an attempt to reduce spam, comments on content older than one year cannot be posted.
Recent Activity
Harlan Terson

Harlan Terson updated their profile

Harlan Terson

Harlan Terson uploaded a photo

Harlan Terson

Harlan Terson posted the photo album Harlan Terson