Harry South

Harry South (Sept 7, 1929 – March 12, 1990) born in Fulham, London, was an English jazz pianist, composer, and arranger, who later moved into film and television soundtrack work.

He came to prominence in the 1950s, subsequently playing with many of the most important musicians on the British jazz scene of that decade, notably Joe Harriott, Dizzy Reece, Tony Crombie, and Tubby Hayes.

In 1954, he was in the Tony Crombie Orchestra, together with Dizzy Reece, Les Condon (tp), Joe Temperley, Sammy Walker (ts), Lennie Dawes (bs), and Ashley Kozak (b).

On returning from a 9-month stint in Calcutta, India, with the Ashley Kozak Quartet, he spent four years with the Dick Morrissey Quartet, where he was active both writing and arranging material for their subsequent four albums.

He also formed his own jazz big band in 1966, featuring many of the finest jazz musicians and soloists in the UK such as Hayes, Dick Morrissey, Phil Seamen, Keith Christie, Ronnie Scott and Ian Carr, and recorded a fine album for Mercury Records.

In the mid-1960s, he began working with British rhythm & blues singer and organist Georgie Fame, recording the acclaimed album "Sound Venture" together. At that time he was also composing and arranging for Humphrey Lyttelton, Buddy Rich, Sarah Vaughan, and Jimmy Witherspoon. He also worked as musical director to Annie Ross.

He later branched out into session work, writing themes and incidental music for television and music libraries. His theme tune for the 1970s ITV police drama, "The Sweeney", remains iconic to this day.

He is also credited with the arrangements for Emerson, Lake and Palmer's "Works Vol. 1" (1977). In 1981 he again arranged for Annie Ross and Georgie Fame in a collaboration on what was to be Hoagy Carmichael's last recording, "In Hoagland".

He died on March 12 1990 in Lambeth London, England.

In 2001, National Youth Jazz Orchestra released a dedicated CD in his honour entitled "Portraits - The Music Of Harry South".

Discography

* "Tony Crombie And His Orchestra" (1954) Decca DFE6247
* "Have You Heard?" - Dick Morrissey Quartet (1963)
* "There and Back" - Dick Morrissey Quartet (live 1964/1965 – released 1997)
* "Storm Warning!" - Dick Morrissey Quartet (live Nov. 1965)
* "Presenting the Harry South Big Band" - Harry South Big Band - (January 1966) - Mercury 20081MCL
* "Here and Now and Sounding Good!" - Dick Morrissey Quartet (September 1966)
* "Sound Venture" - Georgie Fame and The Harry South Big Band Album (October 1966)
* "In Hoagland" – Hoagy Carmichael/Georgie Fame/Annie Ross (1981)

External links

*imdb name|0816043|Harry South
* [http://vzone.virgin.net/davidh.taylor/south.htm Harry South at the British Bebop website]