David Harness_
David Harness is one of the most popular DJ/producers in the San Francisco Bay Area club scene and a rising star within the wider dance music community. Harness was recently described as a man who ‘lives, breathes and emanates everything that is beautiful about deep house music and Classic Garage’.
With personal influences varying from Barry White and the Love Unlimited Orchestra, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Quincy Jones, the Jackson Five, Stevie Wonder, Parliament Funkadelic, the Isley Brothers and First Choice among others - it's easy to see why funk and soul have always been strong elements in Harness’ sound.
In 1990, David Harness began DJ’ing at After Dark in his hometown of Monterey, California. As his popularity grew, he was invited to establish a residency at Tilt and the Sound Factory in San Francisco. In 1994, David opened and DJ’d at the popular club Lift at Club Dv8 (today known as Temple) in San Francisco. His success as a club DJ led to a DJ spot on commercial radio and he also joined the popular radio show ‘Your Mama’s House’ on the San Francisco Bay Area’s number one radio station 106KMEL FM.
During this time, Harness played a key role in exposing the masses to House Music in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 1995 David Harness kicked off a seven-year residency at San Francisco's legendary Club Universe - San Francisco’s hottest Saturday night party.
Here David had the opportunity to play alongside and become close friends with many legendary DJs including Frankie Knuckles, Tony Humphries, Little Louie Vega, Tedd Patterson, Dave Morales, Danny Tenaglia, Simon Dunmore & Aaron Ross, Marques Wyatt, Miguel Migs, Mark Farina and Kaskade, Quentin Harris, Dennis Ferrer, DJ Spen, Timmy Regisford, Doc Martin, Osunlade, Danny Krivit, Joe Clausell, Derrick Carter Mr. V, Kenny Dope, DJ Spinna - to name but a few.
A growing popularity accelerated David’s natural progression into production and in 1998, Harness released a CD for Universe Sounds and Twisted America, ‘Welcome to the Universe’. This innovative CD, recorded live from Club Universe, reflects San Francisco’s unique sound and introduced the world to David Harness. Recognizing his talent, Twisted America quickly signed him to produce his first single, 'Get It Together', for a Twisted America compilation entitled 'A Little Bit of the Old, A Lot of the New'.
In 1999, David started Taboo in San Francisco's Mission District. Taboo started out of David's love of House Music and his desire to provide a showcase for Bay Area talent as well as internationally known DJs. Now in Oakland, this ongoing monthly party attracts a loyal crowd of House Heads from around the San Francisco Bay Area and the further afield. September 2000, David launched DHJ Productions and has established himself as a respected producer and remixer. To date, David has worked on projects featuring artists such as Mary J. Blige, Luther Vandross, Aretha Franklin, Simply Red, Alicia Keys, Floetry, Donnie McClurkin, India Arie, *NSYNC, and Donnell Jones, Ann Nesby, Anane, Barbara Tucker, Inaya Day, Shea Soul, Dawn Tallman, Heidi Vogel, Yoko Ono, Roland Clark, as well as remixing for labels Defected, Kings Street, Vega Records, Foliage, Quantize Recordings, Making Moves, Tribe Records, Look At You, Yellorange/Tony. Records, Chez, Slaag, Bargrooves. Harness is currently a partner in the Moulton Music label and divides his production time between his solo work and co-productions with Harlum Muziq.
David Harness the DJ has performed at Coachella, Southport Weekender, Suncebeat, Outside Lands, Pride Festival, Nextaid Benefit, Macy's Passport, and countless clubs and event around the globe. David continues to maintain a bust DJ schedule in the SF Bay Area and produces several events at Mighty, Fag Fridays, Mars Bar, as well as frequent spots at Soul Together (London) and other events around the world. David has received some great recognition with awards from The Monterey Weekly (1995), San Francisco Goldie Award (1995), Chicago/ Music Plant Dirty Dozen Award (2001), Nitevibe Top 10 DJ Dream Team (06, 07,08), & 2011 nomination for SF Pride Grand Marshall. David Harness has appeared in articles and interviews for Billboard Magazine, Paper Magazine, Surface, XLR8R, Streetsounds, Sweater, HX, Next, URB, DJ Mag, 5magazine, Gloss, Odyssey, The BAR, and the SF Bay Guardian; His passion, talent and creativity has definitely created a new page in the history of House Music as well as given him the deep respect of his peers, partygoers and music lovers and connoisseurs all over the world.
