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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. During this time, The Three Sounds recorded regularly for Blue Note and Verve.^[1]

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.

Harris' "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

• 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)
• Tone Tantrum (1977)
• Soular Energy (with the Ray Brown Trio) (1984)
• Listen here! (1989)
• Bam Bam Bam (with the Ray Brown Trio) (1989)
• Black and Blue (1991)
• Live at Maybeck Recital Hall, Vol. 23 (1993)
• Funky Gene's (1994)
• In His Hands (1996)
• 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)
• Another Night in London (Gene Harris Quartet), Resonance label (2010)

References

External links

• Gene Harris discography
• Gene Harris Jazz Festival
• Biography (Allmusic via VH1)
• Gene Harris on Resonance Records