Harry Beckett
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Harry Beckett (born May, 30, 1935 as Harold Winston Beckett in St Michael Parrish, Barbados) is a British trumpeter and flugelhorn player.
Resident in the UK since 1954, Harry Beckett's reputation extends throughout Europe and the USA. In 1961, he played with Charles Mingus in the film All Night Long. In the late 1960's he has worked and recorded within the band of bass player and composer Graham Collier. Since 1970 he has been leading groups of his own, recording for Philips, RCA and Ogun Records amongst other labels.
He has been a key figure of important groups in the British free jazz/improvised music scene, including Ian Carr's Nucleus, the Brotherhood of Breath and The Dedication Orchestra, London Jazz Composers Orchestra, John Surman, Octet Django Bates Ronnie Scott's Quintet, Kathy Stobart,Charlie Watts, Stan Tracey's Big Band and Octet; Eiton's Dean's Ninesense. He has also recorded with Keef Hartley, Jah Wobble and worked with David Murray. He toured abroad with Johnny Dyani, Chris McGregor, Keith Tippett, John Tchicai, Joachim Kühn, Dudu Pukwana's Zila, George Gruntz's Bands, Pierre Dørge's New Jungle Band and Annie Whitehead's Robert Wyatt project.
In 1972 Beckett won the Melody Maker jazz Poll as Top Trumpeter in Britain. Harry's playing is regarded as inventive and very personal.
