"Little" Benny Harris (April 23, 1919 in New York City – May 11, 1975 in San Francisco) was an American bebop trumpeter and composer.
A self-taught musician, in the mid-1930s Benny Harris was already playing with Thelonious Monk. In later years, he participated in some of the jam sessions that gave birth to the bebop jazz style. Reportedly,[1] it was Harris that persuaded Dizzy Gillespie of Charlie Parker's ability by playing one of Parkers's improvisations to Gillespie.
Harris is better known for his compositions than as an instrumentalist. These pieces include "Ornithology" (a signature Charlie Parker tune), "Crazeology", "Reets and I" (a Bud Powell favorite), and "Wahoo".[3]
benny, harris, little, april, 1919, york, city, 1975, francisco, american, bebop, trumpeter, composer, self, taught, musician, 1930s, already, playing, with, thelonious, monk, later, years, participated, some, sessions, that, gave, birth, bebop, jazz, style, r. Little Benny Harris April 23 1919 in New York City May 11 1975 in San Francisco was an American bebop trumpeter and composer A self taught musician in the mid 1930s Benny Harris was already playing with Thelonious Monk In later years he participated in some of the jam sessions that gave birth to the bebop jazz style Reportedly 1 it was Harris that persuaded Dizzy Gillespie of Charlie Parker s ability by playing one of Parkers s improvisations to Gillespie Harris s first major gig was in 1939 with Tiny Bradshaw 2 He played with Earl Hines on and off from 1941 to 1945 and worked the 52nd Street bebop circuit in New York City in the 1940s where he collaborated with Benny Carter John Kirby Coleman Hawkins Don Byas and Thelonious Monk 3 He was with Boyd Raeburn from 1944 to 1945 and Clyde Hart in 1944 3 he and Byas worked together again in 1945 He played less in the late 1940s though he appeared with Dizzy Gillespie in 1949 and Charlie Parker in 1952 2 Michael Cuscuna reports that Harris was still performing around New York in 1957 at the Blue Morocco jazz club in the Bronx entertaining relationships with fellow musicians such as Tina Brooks 4 However he appears to have never recorded again Harris is better known for his compositions than as an instrumentalist These pieces include Ornithology a signature Charlie Parker tune Crazeology Reets and I a Bud Powell favorite and Wahoo 3 Discography editDon Byas Jazz Free and Easy Regent 1957 Dizzy Gillespie The Complete RCA Victor Recordings Bluebird 1995 Earl Hines Piano Man Bluebird 1989 Charlie Parker Fiesta Verve 1957 Bud Powell Bebop Pablo 2004 Boyd Raeburn Boyd Meets Stravinski Savoy 1955 References edit Steven Strunk in The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz Macmillan Reference Ltd 1988 a b Scott Yanow Benny Harris at AllMusic a b c Larkin Colin ed 1992 The Guinness Who s Who of Jazz First ed Guinness Publishing p 191 ISBN 0 85112 580 8 Cuscuna Michael True Blue Tribute to Tina Brooks Biography Hardbop Retrieved August 23 2021 nbsp This article about a jazz trumpeter from the United States is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Benny Harris amp oldid 1213488682, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
