NOTABLE PRESS

FOR SPEAKEASY


“Stunning Originals. Great backing and excellent material, “Speakeasy” is a superb recording”. -JAZZ & BLUES REPORT




“Sensual and deliciously devilish, Paula Harris pulls out all the stops on ‘Speakeasy’ and presents a comprehensive and genuine story about real women making decisions and enduring detours along the road to authentic love and fulfilling lives in today's environment. Harris' music demonstrates the goal is definitely worthwhile.” -All ABOUT JAZZ MAGAZINE-Walter Atkins




“‘Speakeasy’ is an album of excellent music where the past and present day intersect” -CASHBOX MAGAZINE




“It’s not often an album leaves me breathless, but it just happened with ‘Speakeasy’. Five Stars!” -GO MAGAZINE- CANADA




“As powerful as anything I’ve ever heard. Just WOW! You will love this album. In the same league as Dinah Washington and Nina Simone, It deserves to be a classic.”- MAKING A SCENE MAGAZINE




“Paula brings this album from the place where jazz and blues live in complete harmony The originals are on par with the masters of the genres. This is an artist that transcends all boundaries. I believe jazz and blues enthusiasts alike will love this album. This is “Top-shelf”! The more I listen to it, The more impressed I become. It is truly timeless.” -MUSIC CRITIC, Bill Wilson




“Speakeasy is an album that combines the passion and conviction of blues with the sophistication and complexity of jazz. Something totally different but top-shelf for jazz and blues lovers” -ROOTSTIME MAGAZINE- BELGIUM




“The dense smoky alto of Paula Harris, spicy and deep, elegant and true at the same time,encircles itself around fusions of blues and jazz selections, that although fresh and new, evoke the vibe of yesteryear when the two genres lived comfortably side by side”- MACALLE BLUES-ITALY




“Paula Harris has lots of sass and spice in her delivery, sounding a lot like vintage Della Reese on this album that features mostly her own material and lyrics. Her voice can be husky and bluesy, crystalline and gospel, to deep and desultory. (Paula is) fun as all get out and she’s got some dirt under her nails!” -JAZZ WEEKLY




“She belongs in the rare space of singers who know how to combine blues and jazz perfectly. Delicate and sensual, "Speakeasy" brings us a natural- born singer with a magnificent voice and an prodigious talent. We welcome this impressive work from an artist who makes the border that exists, often wrongly, between blues and jazz- Disappear. Bravo!”- ZICAZAC MAGAZINE- FRANCE




“A powerful, effective and brilliant album where past and present are intertwined.”- SOUND GUARDIAN MAGAZINE- BOSNIA



FOR PAULA AND TURNING ON THE NAUGHTY




"She looks like an elegant Southern Belle, but is anything but when she lets loose with her impudent, soulful, funky, humorous and passionate delivery!"- SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE




"It is completely right to celebrate a singer like Paula Harris as the rightful heir of a singer like Etta James" -AT THE CROSSROADS




"A seemingly unlimited range, the lung capacity of a mythical entity, and Ruth Brown-caliber self assuredness. "- MONTEREY WEEKLY




"A  thin vanilla coating on a dark chocolate soul"- LOU RAWLS




Classically trained, Paula Harris has sung with symphonies, she's performed jazz and pop. Now at an age when most aspiring musicians are thinking about hanging it up, she is roaring out of the blues gate. There is a reason for her self-confidence. She has the kind of chops than can handle a soft ballad or shout down a 12 pc soul band"-DAN AYKROYD ( Aka Elwood Blues)




"My GOD! What a voice!"-WILLIAM SHATNER




"She's a sassy singer with a remarkably wide range, near perfect intonation and amazing breath control. She knows the value of subtlety when the material calls for it and she achieves an uncanny balance between tenderness and virtuosity" -LIVING BLUES




"Paula Harris was a knock-out at the San Jose Jazz Summerfest! She and her band enthralled the crowd and were one of the highlights of our annual festival"  -SAN JOSE JAZZ - DIRECTOR, Bruce Labade




"(Paula) Reminded me a great deal of the likes of Billy Holiday or Sarah Vaughan. There is a  lightness and contrasting depth to Ms Harris' singing that gives her an outstanding edge over many of her contemporaries who have only two modes, quiet and what  Taj Mahal accurately described as "Shouting in Key" -BLUES BLAST MAGAZINE




"Paula gives you chills. Think smoky clubs from yesteryear with a piano and singer in a long dress who's lips shine in the spotlight while her velvet voice fills the air"- IL BLUES MAGAZINE -ITALY




Turning on the Naughty harkens back to days of great women blues singers and listening to Paula Harris is it easy to hear why! She's perfect for those who love their blues funky, jazzy, sassy and exciting!-  BLUES CONNECTIONS




Ms Harris is a superb vocalist, songwriter and interpreter of the music she sings. Her ability to take center stage and hold attention is amazing indeed. Her live performances are heady, slinky, and downright sexy! She mixes funk, blues, and jazz with sheer joy and ample attitude. There is no disappointment when this lady sings the blues!"- BLUES 411




For music lovers who  are into some heavy blues with a whole lotta soul and R&B stirred in and some of the most outstanding vocals in today's music world, Paula Harris is a must! This lady and her band are serious about what they do!" -BLUES 'N BOOGIE RADIO 




"Paula captures the blues with flawless phrasing an a freedom of expression that ignites the audience. Her unique vocal ability pushes the boundaries and seeing her perform will make you a believer"

BLUES JOURNALIST- Dorothy Hill (AKA the Grande Dame of Norcal Blues)




"I've done a lot of recording but my work on Paula's "Turning on and Naughty" album is something I am actually very proud of"- MIC GILLETTE,  Founding member of Tower of Power and internationally acclaimed trombonist




"If Etta James fronted the Tower of Power and they were a funky blues band it would sound a lot like Paula Harris" -WRITER/COLUMNIST- Adam Josepf




"Paula is one of the finest modern blues voices and her interpretation is impeccable" -WILLIAM BELL- Stax recording artist, WC handy Award winner, Blues Hall of Fame Winner




"Harris versatile pitch-perfect voice may have carried effortlessly to the back of the arena without amplifiers. Her stage presence is natural and polished, with shakin-all-over dance moves, a flirty personality, and a contagious smile indicative of a performer who appears to be having the best time of her life. But the highest point, even for Harris, may have been the tribute she did to her "main influence" Etta James. "Damn Your Eyes", soulful and haunting, drew applause well before she was finished" -MONTEREY HERALD- Front Page article




"It's not difficult to figure out why she is enjoying this success. one listen tells the story. Brimming with scorching vocal work, Harris is a powerhouse who also knows how to use subtleties and who delivers one riveting performance after another." -SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS