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, 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 Records.
Harris retired to Boise in the late 1970s, but continued to perform regularly at the Idanha Hotel. The double-bassist Ray Brown convinced him to go back on tour in the early 1980s. Harris 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. The singer Niki Haris is his daughter.
Contents
Discography
As leader/co-leader
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, 1989) – 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)
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.