Gene Harris
American jazz pianist
Gene Harris
Birth name Eugene Haire Born (1933-09-01 ) September 1, 1933Benton Harbor, Michigan , U.S.Died January 16, 2000(2000-01-16) (aged 66)Boise, Idaho , U.S. Genres Jazz , blues , soul jazz Occupation Musician Instrument(s) Piano, keyboards, Hammond B3 Years active 1955–2000 Labels Blue Note , Concord Jazz Website www .geneharris .org
Musical artist
Gene Harris (born Eugene Haire , September 1, 1933 – January 16, 2000) was an American jazz pianist known for his warm sound and blues and gospel infused style that is known as soul jazz .
From 1956 to 1970, he played in The Three Sounds trio with bassist Andy Simpkins and drummer Bill Dowdy . During this time, The Three Sounds recorded regularly for Blue Note and Verve .[ 1]
He mostly retired to Boise, starting in the late 1970s, although he performed regularly at the Idanha Hotel there. Ray Brown convinced him to go back on tour in the early 1980s. He played with the Ray Brown Trio and then led his own groups, recording mostly on Concord Records , until his death from kidney failure in 2000.[ 2] One of his most popular numbers was his "Battle Hymn of the Republic ," a live version of which is on his Live at Otter Crest album, published by Concord.[citation needed ] The singer Niki Haris is his daughter.
Discography
As leader/co-leader
Year recorded
Title
Label
Year released
Personnel/Notes
1958
Introducing the 3 Sounds
Blue Note
1959
With The Three Sounds : Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)
1958– 1959
Bottoms Up!
Blue Note
1959
With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)
1959
LD + 3
Blue Note
1959
With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums); plus Lou Donaldson (alto sax)
1959
Good Deal
Blue Note
1960
With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)
1960
Blue Hour
Blue Note
1961
With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums); plus Stanley Turrentine (tenor sax)
1960
Moods
Blue Note
1961
With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)
1960
Feelin' Good
Blue Note
1961
With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)
1960
Here We Come
Blue Note
1962
With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)
1960
It Just Got to Be
Blue Note
1963
With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)
1961
Hey There
Blue Note
1962
With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)
1961– 1962
Babe's Blues
Blue Note
1986
With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)
1962
Out of This World
Blue Note
1966
With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)
1962
Black Orchid
Blue Note
1964
With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)
1959, 1962
Standards
Blue Note
1998
With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)
1962
Blue Genes
Verve
1963
With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)
1962
Anita O'Day & the Three Sounds
Verve
1963
With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums); plus Anita O'Day (vocals)
1962
The Three Sounds Play Jazz on Broadway
Mercury
1963
With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)
1963
Some Like It Modern
Mercury
1963
With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)
1964
Live at the Living Room
Mercury
1964
With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums); in concert
1965
Three Moods
Limelight
1965
With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums); plus some tracks with trombones added and some with strings added, all arranged by Julian Lee
1965
Beautiful Friendship
Limelight
1965
With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums); plus some tracks with horns or strings arranged by Julian Lee
1966
Today's Sounds
Limelight
1966
With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Kalil Madi (drums); in concert
1966
Vibrations
Blue Note
1967
With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Kalil Madi (drums)
1967
Live at The Lighthouse
Blue Note
1967
With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Donald Bailey (drums); in concert
1968
Coldwater Flat
Blue Note
1968
With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Donald Bailey (drums); plus Oliver Nelson Orchestra
1968
Elegant Soul
Blue Note
1968
With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Carl Burnett (drums); plus orchestra
1969
Soul Symphony
Blue Note
1969
With The Three Sounds: Henry Franklin (bass), Carl Burnett (drums); plus orchestra
1970
Live at the 'It Club'
Blue Note
1996
With The Three Sounds: Henry Franklin (bass), Carl Burnett (drums); in concert
1970
Live at the 'It Club' Volume 2
Blue Note
2000
With The Three Sounds: Henry Franklin (bass), Carl Burnett (drums); in concert
1971
The 3 Sounds
Blue Note
1971
With Monk Higgins (organ), Fred Robinson and Albert Vescovo (guitar), Luther Hughes (electric bass), Carl Burnett (drums), Bobbye Porter Hall (conga), Paul Humphrey (percussion); plus unknown (vocals)
1972
Gene Harris of the Three Sounds
Blue Note
1972
With Sam Brown and Cornell Dupree (guitar), Ron Carter (bass), Freddie Waits (drums), Johnny Rodriguez (conga), Omar Clay (percussion, vibes)
1973
Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow
Blue Note
1973
Trio, with Johnny Hatton (bass, electric bass), Carl Burnett (drums, percussion)
1974
Astral Signal
Blue Note
1975
With various personnel (see listing's page)
1975
Nexus
Blue Note
1975
With various personnel (see listing's page)
1976
In a Special Way
Blue Note
1976
With various personnel (see listing's page)
1977
Tone Tantrum
Blue Note
1977
With various personnel (see listing's page)
1981
Live at Otter Crest
Jazzizz; Bosco; Concord
1981
Trio, with John Heard (bass), Jimmie Smith (drums); in concert[ 3]
1982
Hot Lips
JAM
1982
Quartet, with Ron Escheté (guitar), John Heard (bass), Jimmie Smith (drums)[ 3]
1984?
Nature's Way
JAM
1984
Quartet, with Ron Escheté (guitar), Luther Hughes (bass), Paul Humphrey (drums)[ 3]
1985
The Gene Harris Trio Plus One
Concord
1986
Quartet, with Ray Brown (bass), Mickey Roker (drums), plus Stanley Turrentine (tenor sax); in concert[ 3]
1987
Tribute to Count Basie
Concord
1988
With big band (Gene Harris All Star Big Band)[ 3]
1989?
Listen Here!
Concord
1989
Quartet, with Ron Escheté (guitar), Ray Brown (bass), Jeff Hamilton (drums)[ 3]
1989
Live at Town Hall, N.Y.C.
Concord
1989
With big band (Philip Morris Superband); in concert[ 3]
1990
At Last with Scott Hamilton
Concord
1990
Quintet, with Scott Hamilton (tenor sax), Herb Ellis (guitar), Ray Brown (bass), Harold Jones (drums)[ 3]
1990
World Tour 1990
Concord
1991
With big band (Philip Morris Superband); in concert[ 3]
1991
Black and Blue
Concord
1991
Quartet, with Ron Escheté (guitar), Luther Hughes (bass), Harold Jones (drums)[ 4]
1992
Like a Lover
Concord
1992
Quartet, with Ron Escheté (guitar), Luther Hughes (bass), Harold Jones (drums)[ 4]
1992
Gene Harris at Maybeck
Concord
1993
Solo piano; in concert[ 4]
1992
Brotherhood
Concord
1995
Quartet, with Ron Escheté (guitar), Luther Hughes (bass), Paul Humphrey (drums)[ 4]
1993?
A Little Piece of Heaven
Concord
1993
Quartet, with Ron Escheté (guitar), Luther Hughes (bass), Paul Humphrey (drums); in concert[ 4]
1994?
Funky Gene's
Concord
1994
Quartet, with Ron Escheté (guitar), Luther Hughes (bass), Paul Humphrey (drums)[ 4]
1995
It's the Real Soul
Concord
1996
Quintet, with Ron Escheté (guitar), Luther Hughes (bass), Paul Humphrey (drums), plus Frank Wess (tenor sax, flute); in concert[ 5]
1996?
In His Hands
Concord
1997
With Jack McDuff (organ), Ron Escheté (guitar), Luther Hughes (bass), Paul Humphrey (drums); plus Niki Haris and Curtis Stigers (vocals)[ 5]
1996?
Down Home Blues
Concord
1997
With Jack McDuff (organ), Ron Escheté (guitar), Luther Hughes (bass), Paul Humphrey (drums); plus Niki Haris and Curtis Stigers (vocals)[ 5]
1996
Live in London
Resonance
2008
Quartet, with Jim Mullen (guitar), Andrew Cleyndert (bass), Martin Drew (drums); in concert
1996
Another Night in London
Resonance
2010
Quartet, with Jim Mullen (guitar), Andrew Cleyndert (bass), Martin Drew (drums); in concert
1998?
Live with The Philip Morris All-Stars
Concord
1998
With Sweets Edison (trumpet), Stanley Turrentine (tenor sax), Kenny Burrell (guitar); plus Ernie Andrews (vocals)[ 5]
1998
Alley Cats
Concord
1999
With Ernie Watts (tenor sax, alto sax), Red Holloway (tenor sax), Jack McDuff (organ), Frank Potenza (guitar), Luther Hughes (bass), Paul Kreibich (drums); plus Niki Haris (vocals); in concert[ 5]
Compilations
The Best of The Three Sounds (with The Three Sounds ) (Blue Note, 1993)
Gene Harris: The Concord Jazz Heritage Series (Concord, 1998)
The Blue Note Years (with The Three Sounds ) (Blue Note, 1999)
Gene Harris: The Best of the Concord Years (Concord, 2000)[2CD]
The Complete Blue Hour Sessions (The Three Sounds with Stanley Turrentine ) (Blue Note, 2000)[2CD]
Big Band Soul (with the Gene Harris Superband) (Concord, 2002)[2CD] – contains Live At Town Hall, N.Y.C. + World Tour 1990
Swingin' the Blues (Recall, 2002)[2CD]
Ballad Essentials (Concord, 2003)
Live From New York To Tokyo (with the Ray Brown Trio) (Concord, 2003)[2CD] – live contains The Red Hot Ray Brown Trio + Bam Bam Bam
Instant Party (Concord, 2004)
As a member
The Blue Note All-Stars, Blue Note Live at The Roxy (Blue Note, 1976) – live
Concord Jazz All Stars, The 20th Concord Festival All-Stars (Concord, 1988)
As sideman
With The Ray Brown Trio
Soular Energy (Concord, 1985) – rec. 1984
Don't Forget the Blues (Concord, 1986)
The Red Hot Ray Brown Trio (Concord, 1987) – live rec. 1985 at the Blue Note
Bam Bam Bam (Concord, 1988) – live at the Fujitsu-Concord Jazz Festival
Black Orpheus (Evidence, 1989)
Mr. Blue (Denon , 1989) – also with Takashi Ohi
Summer Wind: Live at The Loa (Concord, 1990) – live rec. 1988
Moore Makes 4 (Concord, 1990) – also with Ralph Moore
Three Dimensional (Concord, 1991)
Georgia on My Mind (All Art [Japan], 1991)
With others
Nat Adderley , Branching Out (Riverside , 1958)
James Clay , A Double Dose of Soul (Riverside, 1960)
Melvin Rhyne , Organ-izing (Jazzland , 1960)
various artists, 'S Wonderful: Concord Jazz Salutes Ira Gershwin (Concord, 1979)
Milt Jackson Quartet, Soul Route (Pablo , 1984) – rec. 1983
Ernestine Anderson , When the Sun Goes Down (Concord, 1984)
Benny Carter , A Gentleman and His Music (Concord, 1985)
Junko Mine, Love Me Tender (All Art [Japan], 1986)
B.B. King , Live at The Apollo (GRP , 1990) – live
various artists, Concord Jazz Festival: Live 1990 (Concord, 1990) – live
various artists, Concord Jazz Festival: Live 1990, Third Set (Concord, 1990) – live
various artists, A Concord Jazz Christmas (Concord, 1991)
various artists, Jazz Celebration: Tribute to Carl Jefferson (Concord, 1992)
various artists, Fujitsu-Concord 25th Jazz Festival (Concord, 1993)
various artists, Fujitsu-Concord 26th Jazz Festival (Concord, 1994)
Mary Stallings , I Waited for You (Concord, 1994)
Frank Wess , It's the Real Soul (Concord, 1996)
Jack McDuff , Down Home Blues (Concord, 1997)
Niki Haris , Dreaming A Dream (BMG, 1997)
Marian McPartland , Just Friends (Concord, 1998)
Honors
The Gene Harris bandshell in Boise's Ann Morrison park is named in his honor.
The Gene Harris Jazz Festival is an annual event in Boise that brings together the best of Boise jazz and education in memory of the city's most famous jazz musician.
References
^ Bogdanov, Vladimir, et al. (2002) All Music Guide to Jazz , p. 558. Backbeat Books. ISBN 0-87930-717-X .
^ Ratliff, Ben (January 18, 2000). "Gene Harris, 66, a Jazz Pianist Who Played Bebop and Soul" . The New York Times . ISSN 0362-4331 . Retrieved May 23, 2020 .
^ a b c d e f g h i Cook, Richard ; Morton, Brian (1992). The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD, LP & Cassette (1st ed.). Penguin . p. 486. ISBN 978-0-14-015364-4 .
^ a b c d e f Cook, Richard ; Morton, Brian (1996). The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD (3rd ed.). Penguin . p. 588. ISBN 978-0-14-051368-4 .
^ a b c d e Cook, Richard ; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin . pp. 656– 657. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0 .
External links
Years given are for the recording(s), not first release, unless stated otherwise.
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