HARRIS/BARONE QUARTET
The Harris/Barone Quartet plays classic jazz favorites and cool jazz renditions of popular tunes. The group began in 2017 when Orlando area keyboardist Joe Barone and saxophonist Mike Harris decided to take advantage of the growing appetite for jazz in Lakeland and Winter Haven. Drummer Ken Shadrake and bassist Zach Greene joined to form the quartet.
The group’s energy and playful creativity bring a sense of fun to their performances. The players are often heard trading ideas and laughing at each other’s musical in-jokes. This fun-loving group persona is backed up by a commitment to professionalism and dependability. It’s easy to see why the Harris/Barone Quartet has quickly become an area favorite.
MIKE HARRIS
Sax
Mike has been playing saxophone in the central Florida area for thirty years while making a career in the Information Technology field, but about ten years he started working to sharpen his professional music chops. Today he plays in a variety of groups and settings, most recently forming the Harris/Barone Quartet with outstanding Orlando area pianist Joe Barone, drummer Ken Shadrake and bassist Zach Greene.
JOE BARONE
Keys
Joe has been performing professionally for over 40 years. His unique and enthusiastic style of Jazz piano brings joy and excitement to any listener. He has performed in many Jazz clubs and special events in New York, Ohio and now Florida. Joe is also an accomplished composer and arranger. His most recent composition project is a celebrated documentary movie project entitled "The JJ Project." Joe scored and performed the sound track for this 90-minute film that has been shown at film festivals throughout the country and won it's category in five of them. During his 30+ years as a Jazz educator, Joe has been sought after for his clinical and improvisation skills which he has used to pass the love of Jazz on to future generations.
KEN SHADRAKE
Drums
Ken has been playing drums since banging on his Scooby-Doo lunchbox in Catholic grade-school in suburban Cleveland, OH. After his hands healed from the nun's ruler marks, he learned to play drums legit and spent all of his spare time being a pit rat, theme park performer and band member/vocalist for every kind of music group imaginable. Playing combo jazz with the quartet has been a really cool change of pace for Ken.
ZACH GREENE
Bass
Zach started playing bass in middle school, becoming a full-time jazz devotee early in high school. He took a real interest in playing music professionally at the end of his high school career and decided to pursue an undergraduate degree in jazz. Zach studied with Richard Drexler at UCF and graduated with a degree in Jazz Studies in the spring of 2017. Today, Zach gigs around Central Florida as well as working on other musical endeavors.
