Gene Harris

Gene Harris (September 1, 1933, Benton Harbor, Michigan – 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. He was mostly retired to Boise, Idaho starting in the late 1970s, although he performed regularly at the Idanha Hotel there. Then, 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. Gene's "Ode to Billie Joe" is known as a jazz classic. 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.

Discography

The following is an incomplete discography:

* "Gene Harris Trio" (1955)
* "Introducing the Three Sounds" (1958)
* "Genie In My Soul" (1959)
* "Feelin' Good" (1960)
* "The Three Sounds" (1962)
* "Live at the Lighthouse" (1967)
* "Elegant Soul" (1968)
* "Live at the It Club" (1970)
* "Astral Signal" (1974)
* "Nexus" (1976)
* "In a Special Way" (1976)
* "Soular Energy" (with the Ray Brown Trio) (1984)
* "Listen here!" (1989)
* "Black and Blue" (1991)
* "Live at Maybeck Recital Hall, Vol. 23" (1993)
* "Funky Gene's" (1994)
* "Down Home Blues" (1997, with Jack McDuff)
* "Tribute to Count Basie (With the All-Star Big Band)" (1997)
* "It's The Real Soul with special guest Frank Wess"
* "Alley Cats - Live" (1999)
* "Live in London" (2008)

External links

* [http://www.music-city.org/Gene-Harris/discography/ Gene Harris discography]
* [http://www2.boisestate.edu/geneharris/home.html Gene Harris Jazz Festival]
* [http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/harris_gene/bio.jhtml Biography] (All Music Guide via VH1)
* [http://www.resonancerecords.org/geneharris Gene Harris on Resonance Records]