Biography

Introduction

Ed Harcourt (born Edward Henry Richard Harcourt-Smith, 14 August 1977, Wimbledon, London, England) is an English singer-songwriter. Born the third son of a army officer, his family home is the manor house of Wootton, East Sussex. He is a great-nephew of the food author Elizabeth David and of Nicholas Ridley, Baron Ridley of Liddesdale, and a great-grand nephew of the one-time Mayor of Eastbourne, Roland Gwynne.

Harcourt's primary instrument is the piano, but he also plays numerous keyboard instruments as well as the guitar and percussion. When performing live he is most often accompanied by a band typically comprising a drummer (usually Raife Burchell), bassist (Ashley Dzerigian / Arnulf Lindner / Ali Friend), guitarist (usually Leo Abrahams or Ewan Warden), violinist (Gita Harcourt) and trumpeter (Hadrian Garrard / Gerry Atkins / Nick Etwell / Stewart Cole). He also sometimes performs solo.

In mid October 2007, Harcourt released the compilation album Until Tomorrow Then: The Best of Ed Harcourt, collecting material from the first seven years of his solo recording career. A tour of the UK followed.

Harcourt has opened for many artists over the years including R.E.M., Snow Patrol, Wilco, Beth Orton, The Gutter Twins, Divine Comedy, Supergrass, Norah Jones, Brian Jonestown Massacre and Neil Finn. Bands and artists who have supported him on his own tours include Magnet, The Magic Numbers, The Tiny, and Feist, as well as a wide variety of emerging British talents, notably Hush the Many (Heed the Few). He has performed with Patti Smith and her band as well as Marianne Faithful during the 2005 Meltdown.

He recorded several tracks with the French jazz trumpeteer Erik Truffaz for his album, Arkhangelsk, released in 2007. Harcourt also performed live with Truffaz's group to promote the album. In 2007 they also did a Take-Away Show video session shot by Vincent Moon.

Harcourt is now on Dovecote Records in the U.S.

Harcourt more recently opened for the Gutter Twins on their European tour as well as joining the group on stage to play guitar on some songs, most notably on their appearance on Later! with Jools Holland.

Discography

Albums

Here Be Monsters (25 June 2001)
From Every Sphere (17 February 2003)
Strangers (13 September 2004)
The Beautiful Lie (5 June 2006)
Lustre (2010)

Compilations

Elephant's Graveyard (8 August 2005)
- Digital download only album featuring B-sides and rarities
Until Tomorrow Then: The Best of Ed Harcourt (15 October 2007)
- Limited edition pressings include a bonus disc of unreleased material

Miscellaneous

Before going solo, Harcourt played the bass and keyboards for Snug. He has a side-project rock band known as Wild Boar.
Harcourt's collaborations include work with Jamie Cullum, Erik Truffaz, Rosie Thomas, Shivaree, Nada Surf, Dawn Kinnard, Tenebrous Liar, Seafood, Ron Sexsmith, Magne Furuholmen, Yusef Islam (formerly Cat Stevens), The Streets, New York Fund, and Brian Jonestown Massacre as well as tours and performances with a variety of artists including Neil Finn, KT Tunstall, Nada Surf, Tom McRae, Josh Rouse, The Magic Numbers, Jonna Lee and Sondre Lerche.^{[citation needed]}
Harcourt produced tracks on Jonna Lee's album 10 Pieces, 10 Bruises. He has also co-written with other artists such as Kristina Train, Paloma Faith, Alice & the Majesty, Liam Frost, The Boy Who Trapped The Sun, Josephine Oniyama, Lisa Mitchell, Sam Beeton, Lucinda Belle, The Langley Sisters & Sony BMG's Julian Perretta.^{[citation needed]}
He is married to the singer and musician Gita Harcourt-Smith, née Langley, singer and songwriter in The Langley Sisters.
He covered Vera Lynn's "We'll Meet Again" for the closing titles of the 2006 horror film Severance. He has had songs featured in Georgia Rule and Daltry Calhoun. He is currently working on the film score for S. Darko.