Eddie Harris: Harmonic Genius

Long underrated in the pantheon of jazz greats, Eddie Harris (born 1943; died 1996) was an eclectic and imaginative saxophonist whose career was marked by a hearty appetite for experimentation. For quite some time, he was far more popular with audiences than with critics, many of whom denigrated him for his jazz-pop, rock-and funk- influenced fusion, outside improvisations, bizarre electronic effects, new crossbreeding of traditional instruments, blues crooning, and even comedy. Look him up. Needless to say, I buy EH records and tonight lets check-in on some recent acquisitions from his late '60s work. And as usual, we'll check out new releases, recent acquisitions and works from the archive.

Playlist

• Thelonious Monk "Esistrophy (Theme)" from Live at the It Club-Complete (Columbia) 01:00
• Kahil El'Zabar "Eddie Harris" from A Time For Healing (Spiritmuse Records) 02:30
• Eddie Harris "1974 Blues" from Silver Cycles (Atlantic) 10:24
• Eddie Harris "Free Speech" from Free Speech (Atlantic) 14:52
• Erroll Garner "Blue and Sentimental" from 7" Single (Atlantic) 24:51
• Sexmob "Blue and Sentimental" from Dime Grind Palace (Ropeadope Records) 27:52
• Tyshawn Sorey Trio "In What Direction Are You Headed?" from Continuing (Pi Recordings) 35:25
• Lee Morgan Trio "Speed Ball" from The Gigolo (Blue Note) 46:11
• Eddie Harris "Lovely Is Today" from Plug Me In (Atlantic) 52:40
• Eddie Harris "Is There A Place for Us" from High Voltage (Atlantic) 57:05
• Eddie Harris "More Soul, Than Soulful" from Cool Sax Warm Heart (Atlantic) 1:03:01
• Javier Nero Jazz Orchestra "The Blues Reincarnated" from Kemet (The Black Land) (Outside In Music) 1:08:22
• Yu Nishiyamna "A Lotus in the Mud" from A Lotus in the Mud (Outside In Music) 1:17:58
• Gene Ammons "Glue Gene" from Blue Gene (Prestige) 1:26:39
• Billie Holiday "(Hush Now) Don't Explain" from Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do (CBS) 1:40:33
• Duke Ellington And His Orchestra "C Jam Blues" from Duke Ellington and His Orchestra Featuring Paul Gonsalves (Fantasy) 1:43:33
• Sarah Buechi, Franz Hellmuller, Rafael Jerjen "Moon River" from Moon Trail (Intakt Records) 1:49:43
• Tim Berne, Aurora Nealand, Hank Roberts "Oceans And" from Moon Trail (Intakt Records) 1:54:27