Steve Harris

I’m a trustee of NYJO and head up NYJO’s Communications Committee…

…and I’ve always loved cars – as a consequence I ended up spending half-a-lifetime working for major car companies – initially Ford of Europe and later Renault UK. It was a great career – trouble is, the higher up the corporate ladder you go, the less involvement you have with the stuff that you’re really interested in…

So eventually I left to freelance on various car-related marketing and business consultancy projects – doing the stuff I found really interesting – and, as a result, was invited to join the marketing agency Crazy Horse, as the Account Director responsible for developing their below-the-line (non-advertising) automotive business.

Whatever you’ve heard about working in an agency – well it’s all true, and then some… Despite that, however, weI managed to develop a sizeable number of commercially successful Aftersales marketing and communications programmes for the likes of Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Hyundai and Proton. And the nice thing about a marcoms programme is, if it’s done right, you can actually measure just how successful it’s been…

An entirely different set of circumstances led to an invitation for me to join a working party, convened by the British Society of Rehabilitation Medicine, to develop National Clinical Guidelines for patient rehabilitation following acquired brain injury. This project (now completed) and a subsequent, currently ongoing, one for the National Institute for Health Research, about ways the NHS can provide cost-efficient long-term neuro-rehabilitation services, has involved me in developing, and making presentations to, MPs’ Working Parties and audiences of medical professionals at the Royal College of Physicians.

None of which explains my interest in the music – that’s really down to my Dad. When I was a lot younger than I am now he took me to see the Count Basie Band, who were then promoting ‘The Atomic Mr Basie’ at the Walthamstow Granada – an establishment that once rivalled the nearby dog-racing Stadium as an Art Deco architectural masterpiece.

(Believe it or not, Walthamstow was once a music hothouse, nurturing the young jazz talents of Evan Parker and Sir John Dankworth amongst others – just don’t mention E17…)

Anyway, back in the Granada – my Dad and I were seated in the second row, eyes just about level with the floor of the stage when, muffled behind the curtain, the band started playing. As the heavy velvet curtain rose, a shock-wave of newly-released sound rolled off the stage, pinning us to our seats. The spotlights sparkling off the monogrammed music stands and glittering off the instruments, the musicians dressed in their matching shiny blue suits, the incredible brass sound and, under it, that insistent Basie beat – all made an indelible impression. So – later in the concert – did the innovative trio singing of Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks and Annie Ross. It was a truly magical evening, and one which, without question, kicked off my life-long love affair with big band jazz.

In addition to my involvement with NYJO, I also co-promote – along with Ian Fielding and NYJO alumnus Jay Craig – Jazz@TheManor in Ruislip, London’s only regular Sunday lunchtime showcase for some of the biggest and best names in British Big Band Jazz…

I’m married to Ann, who has a seriously glam job in TV, we have two ‘grown-up and gone-away’ sons, Peter and Robin, and a black miniature schnauzer called Phoebe.

I currently work part-time for a large retail car dealership and I’m also a co-director of my wife’s TV production company. When I’m not working, editing/writing for the NYJO website or writing newsletters and reviews promoting J@TM, I race regularly in a national karting championship, fly a Cherokee PA28 and go for long walks with Ann & Phoebe in the Chilterns, where we usually end up eating in one of the nice country pubs that do real ale…