My Take
Harvey Mason is one of those drummers whose fingerprints are all over records you've loved for decades without necessarily knowing his name — and that's kind of a testament to how good he is. Born in Atlantic City and trained at Berklee, he played on some of the most landmark recordings of the 1970s, including Herbie Hancock's Headhunters sessions, which basically redefined what jazz-funk could be. His pocket is immaculate, never flashy for its own sake, always in service of the groove. And then he quietly built a second career as a smooth jazz institution through Fourplay, staying relevant across generations. The guy has range, taste, and an almost frustrating consistency — the kind of musician other musicians cite as an influence while casual listeners have no idea he exists. Pure craftsman energy.
Overview
Harvey William Mason (born February 22, 1947) is an American jazz drummer, record producer, and member of the band Fourplay. He was the original drummer for Herbie Hancock's band The Headhunters.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Harvey Mason
- Name (Japanese)
- ハーヴィー・メイソン
- Reading
- はーゔぃー・めいそん
- Born
- February 22, 1947 (age 79)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Pisces / Boar
- Origin
- Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- jazz musician / drummer / record producer / musician
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Atlantic City High School
- University
- Berklee College of Music
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.