John Harriman is a jazz pianist, arranger and composer. His music is contemporary and dynamic with influences drawn from mainstream, modern and latin jazz.
John's life in music began early on. He came from a large musical family and there was always music at home. His parents had moved from his mother's birthplace in Ireland to settle in Tunbridge Wells in Kent following the second world war. His father was a fine pianist and keen music lover. His brothers were choristers and his sister a singer guitarist. At the tender age of 7 John started singing as a choir boy at Westminster Cathedral in London.
He rose to become Head Chorister of Westminster Cathedral Choir and featured as a singer on radio and TV at home and abroad. From Westminster he was chosen to be a soloist by the Royal Opera and toured Europe with the Royal Opera Group performing the Benjamin Britten church parable Operas. He was at these times surrounded by illustrious names in the musical world and for example remembers going to the swimming pool with among others the legendary cellist Mstislav Rostopovich!. As often happens to boy singers his musical life changed when his voice broke. As a classically trained pianist his musical drive turned to his piano playing. He progressed through the Associated Board of Music grades to the highest level and performed in regional music festivals.
John's first encounters with jazz came in his teens. A particular memory was seeing the Oscar Peterson trio on the BBC TV 625 lines programme and being fascinated by Oscar's improvisation. John set about learning jazz piano in his spare time, whilst also developing interest in the progressive rock scene which was influential at the time. John studied law at Liverpool University and following graduation moved to California. There he played in the clubs and bars and community bands and also attended classes at the Dick Grove Music Workshops in Los Angeles. He continued his professional training at the University of California at Berkeley and became a US lawyer. John then embarked on a demanding career in international finance. Professional music activity succumbed to the pressures of time and ceased for two decades. He and his Spanish born wife and family lived in London and New York and made a permanent home in Wadhurst outside Tunbridge Wells on the borders of Kent and Sussex in England.
John recently started to become active once more in the music scene. He continues to develop his playing and technique, largely self-taught though he has had some studies with the revered UK jazz pianist John Taylor. John Harriman's profile as a jazz pianist is growing. He has played at a range of jazz venues in the south-east of England including London's 606 club and with several leading jazz artists. John leads the jazzmode piano trio for whom he arranges material and composes and he plays as sideman with a number of different jazz groups and vocalists. John is also a part time church organist.