Beloved Jazz Pianist Barry Harris Dies at 91

By Tadi Abedje Published: December 8, 2021

Beloved Jazz Pianist Barry Harris Dies at 91

FILE - In this Friday, Jan. 13, 2006 file photo, Jazz legends pose for a group portrait of National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters of the past and present, in New York. At foreground right is writer Nat Hentoff. His son, Tom Hentoff, said his father died on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2017, from natural causes at his Greenwich Village apartment. He was 91. Also in the photo are, from left, front row: Clark Terry, Frank Foster, James Moody, Chico Hamilton, Roy Haynes and jazz writer Nat Hentoff; middle row: John Levy, Nancy Wilson, Chick Corea, Barry Harris, Tony Bennett, Jim Hall, Slide Hampton and David Baker; top row: Ron Carter, Bob Brookmeyer, Ray Barretto, Buddy DeFranco, Paquito D'Rivera, McCoy Tyner and Freddie Hubbard. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

In Summary

He was known as a brilliant performer and teacher and perfected the art of bebop.

Pianist Barry Harris, who was known as someone who preserved the art of bebop in his seven-decade career as a performer and teacher, passed away on Dec. 8 due to complications with COVID-19, according to NPR. He was 91 years old and was living in Weehawken, New Jersey.

Harris was born in Detroit, Michigan, on Dec. 15, 1929, to Melvin and Bessie Harris. While in high school, he played dances until he found his real passion when he was 17 years old. Harris listened to a bebop record called “Webb City,” which featured pianist Bud Powell, saxophonist Sonny Stitt and trumpeter Fats Navarro, according to NPR.

After learning Powell’s solo note-for-note, he made his first record in 1950 in Toledo, Ohio. Then in 1952, he recorded with trombonist Frank Rosolino for the Dee Gee label in Detroit, according to NPR.

Harris would leave his hometown to take his talents to New York where he became known as a musician’s musician. His catalog of musical recordings include Chasin’ The Bird, Barry Harris Plays Tadd Dameron, For The Moment, Live at Maybeck Recital Hall, Vol. 1 & 2 and Live from New York, Vol. 1.

In honor of his work, Harris received awards such as the Recognition of Excellence in Jazz Music and Education, an Award for Excellence in the Arts, the Family Award for Musical Excellence, an honorary doctoral degree in the arts and the Award for the Preservation and Proliferation of “The Jazz Heritage.”

He is survived by his daughter Carol Geyer and her husband Keith Geyer, who reside in metro Detroit, according to NPR.