Eddie Harris, composer/saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist. For more of his music, click on the image above

Saxophonist and composer Eddie Harris was born on October 20, 1934 in Chicago, Illinois. Harris, along with Nat King Cole, Bo Diddley, Dinah Washington, and other classic Chicago artists, studied under Walter Dyett at DuSable High School. Harris consistently recorded throughout the ‘60s and ‘70s, including the commercially succesful Electrifying Eddie Harris, in which he pioneered the use of the electric sax.

Personnel:

• Eddie Harris, tenor sax
• Jodie Christian, piano
• Melvin Jackson, bass
• Billy Hart, drums

Eddie Harris – October 20, 1934 – November 5, 1996

A jazz baby if ever there was one, Harris was born in Chicago. His father was born in Cuba and his mother was born in New Orleans. Like legions of other jazz greats, he was a student of DuSable High School’s “Captain” Walter Dyett. He played a key role in introducing the electric piano and electric sax to the jazz toolkit. The tune here – “Listen Here” – started out as a single and made it to No. 11 on the R&B charts and and No. 45 on the Hot 100.

Here’s an excellent rendition of one of his compositions that made it to the top of the
R&B charts.