Craig Harris

Craig S. Harris (born September 10, 1953) is a jazz trombonist and composer who has been a major figure in the jazz avant-garde movement since his stint with Sun Ra in 1976. Subsequently, Harris has worked with such notable jazz artists as Abdullah Ibrahim, David Murray, Lester Bowie, Cecil Taylor, Sam Rivers, Muhal Richard Abrams and Charlie Haden. Harris has also recorded since 1983 as leader for labels like India Navigation, Soul Note and JMT. For the latter he recorded with two different groups: the Tailgaters Tails was a quintet with clarinetist Don Byron, trumpeter Edward E. J. Allen, Anthony Cox on bass and Pheeroan akLaff on drums. His large ensemble project Cold Sweat was a tribute to the music of James Brown.

Harris was born in Hempstead, New York. He is a graduate of the music program of State University of New York College at Old Westbury, and was profoundly influenced by its founder and director Makanda Ken McIntyre. Harris's move to New York City in 1978 quickly established him in the forefront of young trombonists, including Ray Anderson, George Lewis and Joseph Bowie.^[1]

He first played alongside another of his teachers at SUNY, baritone saxophonist Pat Patrick, in Sun Ra's Arkestra for two years. Harris than embarked on a world tour with South African pianist/composer Abdullah Ibrahim (Dollar Brand) in 1981. While on tour in Australia Harris discovered the Indigenous Australian wind instrument, the didgeridoo, which he added to the collection of instruments he plays.

Discography

As leader

• Aboriginal Affairs (India Navigation, 1983)
• Black Bone (Soul Note, 1984)
• Tributes (OTC, 1985)
• Shelter (JMT, 1986) with Tailgators Tales
• Blackout in the Square Root of Soul (JMT, 1987) with Tailgators Tales
• Cold Sweat Plays J. B. (JMT, 1989) with Cold Sweat
• 4 Play (JMT, 1990) with Cold Sweat
• F-Stops (Soul Note, 1993)
• Istanbul (Doublemoon, 2003) with The Nation of Imagination and Barbaros Erköse
• Souls Within the Veil (Aquastra Music, 2005)

As sideman

With Muhal Richard Abrams

• Blues Forever (Black Saint, 1981)
• Rejoicing with the Light (Black Saint, 1983)
• Song for All (Black Saint, 1995)

With Ray Anderson, George Lewis and Gary Valente

• Slideride (Hathut, 1994)

With Ayibobo

• Freestyle (DIW, 1994)

With Billy Bang

• Hip Hop Be Bop (ITM, 1993)

With Lester Bowie

• I Only Have Eyes for You (ECM, 1985)

With Don Byron

• Bug Music (1996)

With Carla Cook

• Dem Bones (Maxjazz, 2001)

With Lena Horne

• Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music (Qwest, 1981)

With Dollar Brand

• African Marketplace (1979)
• Dollar Brand Live at Montreux (1980)

With Joseph Jarman & Don Moye

• Earth Passage - Density (Black Saint, 1981)

With David Murray

• Murray's Steps (Black Saint, 1982)
• Live at Sweet Basil Volume 1 (Black Saint, 1984)
• Live at Sweet Basil Volume 2 (Black Saint, 1984)
• Hope Scope (Black Saint, 1987)
• New Life (Black Saint, 1988)
• David Murray Big Band (Columbia/DIW, 1991)
• Picasso (DIW, 1992)
• South of the Border (DIW, 1995)
• Dark Star: The Music of the Grateful Dead (Astor Place, 1996)
• Fo Deuk Revue (Justin Time, 1996)
• Octet Plays Trane (Justin Time, 2000)
• Yonn-Dé (Justin Time, 2002)
• Now Is Another Time (Justin Time, 2003)

With The Roots

• The Roots Come Alive (MCA/Universal, 1999)

With Sekou Sundiata

• Blue Oneness of Dreams (1997)
• Long Story Short (2000)

With Sun Ra

• Live at Montreux (Inner City, 1976)
• Cosmos (Cobra, 1976)
• Unity (Horo, 1977)
• Strange Celestial Road (Rounder, 1980)

With Henry Threadgill

• When Was That? (About Time, 1982)
• Just the Facts and Pass the Bucket (About Time, 1983)

With the World Saxophone Quartet

• Experience (Justin Time, 2003)
• Political Blues (Justin Time, 2006)

With The Young Lions

• A Concert of New Music Played by Seventeen Exceptional Young Musicians – The Kool Jazz Festival June 30, 1982 (Elektra Musician, 1982)

References