Gene Harris (born Eugene Haire, September 1, 1933 – January 16, 2000) was an American jazz pianist known for his warm sound and blues and gospel-infused style, 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 Records.Bogdanov, Vladimir, et al. (2002) All Music Guide to Jazz, p. 558. Backbeat Books. .

Harris retired to Boise in the late 1970s, but continued to perform regularly at the Idanha Hotel. The double-bassist Ray Brown convinced him to go back on tour in the early 1980s. Harris 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. The singer Niki Haris is his daughter.

Discography As leader/co-leader Year recorded Title Label Year released Personnel/Notes1958Introducing the 3 Sounds Blue Note 1959 With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)1958–1959Bottoms Up! Blue Note 1959 With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)1959LD + 3 Blue Note 1959 With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums); plus Lou Donaldson (alto sax)1959Good Deal Blue Note 1960 With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)1960Blue Hour Blue Note 1961 With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums); plus Stanley Turrentine (tenor sax)1960Moods Blue Note 1961 With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)1960Feelin' Good Blue Note 1961 With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)1960Here We Come Blue Note 1962 With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)1960It Just Got to Be Blue Note 1963 With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)1961Hey There Blue Note 1962 With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)1961–1962Babe's Blues Blue Note 1986 With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)1962Out of This World Blue Note 1966 With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)1962Black Orchid Blue Note 1964 With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)1959,1962 Standards Blue Note 1998 With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)1962Blue Genes Verve 1963 With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)1962Anita O'Day & the Three Sounds Verve 1963 With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums); plus Anita O'Day (vocals)1962The Three Sounds Play Jazz on Broadway Mercury 1963 With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)1963Some Like It Modern Mercury 1963 With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums)1964Live at the Living Room Mercury 1964 With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums); in concert1965Three Moods Limelight 1965 With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums); plus some tracks with trombones added and some with strings added, all arranged by Julian Lee1965Beautiful Friendship Limelight 1965 With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Bill Dowdy (drums); plus some tracks with horns or strings arranged by Julian Lee1966Today's Sounds Limelight 1966 With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Kalil Madi (drums); in concert1966Vibrations Blue Note 1967 With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Kalil Madi (drums)1967Live at The Lighthouse Blue Note 1967 With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Donald Bailey (drums); in concert1968Coldwater Flat Blue Note 1968 With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Donald Bailey (drums); plus Oliver Nelson Orchestra1968Elegant Soul Blue Note 1968 With The Three Sounds: Andy Simpkins (bass), Carl Burnett (drums); plus orchestra1969Soul Symphony Blue Note 1969 With The Three Sounds: Henry Franklin (bass), Carl Burnett (drums); plus orchestra1970Live at the 'It Club' Blue Note 1996 With The Three Sounds: Henry Franklin (bass), Carl Burnett (drums); in concert1970Live at the 'It Club' Volume 2 Blue Note 2000 With The Three Sounds: Henry Franklin (bass), Carl Burnett (drums); in concert1971The 3 Sounds Blue Note1971 With Monk Higgins (organ), Fred Robinson and Albert Vescovo (guitar), Luther Hughes (electric bass), Carl Burnett (drums), Bobbye Porter Hall (conga), Paul Humphrey (percussion); plus unknown (vocals)1972Gene Harris of the Three Sounds Blue Note 1972 With Sam Brown and Cornell Dupree (guitar), Ron Carter (bass), Freddie Waits (drums), Johnny Rodriguez (conga), Omar Clay (percussion, vibes)1973Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow Blue Note 1973 Trio, with Johnny Hatton (bass, electric bass), Carl Burnett (drums, percussion)1974Astral Signal Blue Note 1975 With various personnel (see listing's page)1975Nexus Blue Note 1975 With various personnel (see listing's page)1976In a Special Way Blue Note 1976 With various personnel (see listing's page)1977Tone Tantrum Blue Note 1977 With various personnel (see listing's page)1981Live at Otter Crest Jazzizz; Bosco; Concord 1981 Trio, with John Heard (bass), Jimmie Smith (drums); in concert1982Hot Lips JAM 1982 Quartet, with Ron Escheté (guitar), John Heard (bass), Jimmie Smith (drums)1984?Nature's Way JAM 1984 Quartet, with Ron Escheté (guitar), Luther Hughes (bass), Paul Humphrey (drums) 1985The Gene Harris Trio Plus One Concord 1986 Quartet, with Ray Brown (bass), Mickey Roker (drums), plus Stanley Turrentine (tenor sax); in concert 1987Tribute to Count Basie Concord 1988 With big band (Gene Harris All Star Big Band) 1989?Listen Here! Concord 1989 Quartet, with Ron Escheté (guitar), Ray Brown (bass), Jeff Hamilton (drums) 1989Live at Town Hall, N.Y.C. Concord 1989 With big band (Philip Morris Superband); in concert 1990At Last with Scott Hamilton Concord 1990 Quintet, with Scott Hamilton (tenor sax), Herb Ellis (guitar), Ray Brown (bass), Harold Jones (drums) 1990World Tour 1990 Concord 1991 With big band (Philip Morris Superband); in concert 1991Black and Blue Concord 1991 Quartet, with Ron Escheté (guitar), Luther Hughes (bass), Harold Jones (drums) 1992Like a Lover Concord 1992 Quartet, with Ron Escheté (guitar), Luther Hughes (bass), Harold Jones (drums) 1992Gene Harris at Maybeck Concord 1993 Solo piano; in concert 1992Brotherhood Concord 1995 Quartet, with Ron Escheté (guitar), Luther Hughes (bass), Paul Humphrey (drums) 1993?A Little Piece of Heaven Concord 1993 Quartet, with Ron Escheté (guitar), Luther Hughes (bass), Paul Humphrey (drums); in concert 1994?Funky Gene's Concord 1994 Quartet, with Ron Escheté (guitar), Luther Hughes (bass), Paul Humphrey (drums) 1995It's the Real Soul Concord 1996 Quintet, with Ron Escheté (guitar), Luther Hughes (bass), Paul Humphrey (drums), plus Frank Wess (tenor sax, flute); in concert1996?In His Hands Concord 1997 With Jack McDuff (organ), Ron Escheté (guitar), Luther Hughes (bass), Paul Humphrey (drums); plus Niki Haris and Curtis Stigers (vocals)1996?Down Home Blues Concord 1997 With Jack McDuff (organ), Ron Escheté (guitar), Luther Hughes (bass), Paul Humphrey (drums); plus Niki Haris and Curtis Stigers (vocals) 1996Live in London Resonance 2008 Quartet, with Jim Mullen (guitar), Andrew Cleyndert (bass), Martin Drew (drums); in concert 1996Another Night in London Resonance 2010 Quartet, with Jim Mullen (guitar), Andrew Cleyndert (bass), Martin Drew (drums); in concert 1998?Live with The Philip Morris All-Stars Concord 1998 With Sweets Edison (trumpet), Stanley Turrentine (tenor sax), Kenny Burrell (guitar); plus Ernie Andrews (vocals) 1998Alley Cats Concord 1999 With Ernie Watts (tenor sax, alto sax), Red Holloway (tenor sax), Jack McDuff (organ), Frank Potenza (guitar), Luther Hughes (bass), Paul Kreibich (drums); plus Niki Haris (vocals); in concert

Compilations The Best of The Three Sounds (with The Three Sounds) (Blue Note, 1993) Gene Harris: The Concord Jazz Heritage Series (Concord, 1998) The Blue Note Years (with The Three Sounds) (Blue Note, 1999) Gene Harris: The Best of the Concord Years (Concord, 2000)[2CD] The Complete Blue Hour Sessions (The Three Sounds with Stanley Turrentine) (Blue Note, 2000)[2CD] Big Band Soul (with the Gene Harris Superband) (Concord, 2002)[2CD] – contains Live At Town Hall, N.Y.C. + World Tour 1990 Swingin' the Blues (Recall, 2002)[2CD] Ballad Essentials (Concord, 2003) Live From New York To Tokyo (with the Ray Brown Trio) (Concord, 2003)[2CD] – live contains The Red Hot Ray Brown Trio + Bam Bam Bam Instant Party (Concord, 2004)

As a member The Blue Note All-Stars, Blue Note Live at The Roxy (Blue Note, 1976) – live Concord Jazz All Stars, The 20th Concord Festival All-Stars (Concord, 1988)

As sideman With The Ray Brown Trio Soular Energy (Concord, 1985) – rec. 1984 Don't Forget the Blues (Concord, 1986) The Red Hot Ray Brown Trio (Concord, 1987) – live rec. 1985 at the Blue Note Bam Bam Bam (Concord, 1989) – live at the Fujitsu-Concord Jazz Festival Black Orpheus (Evidence, 1989) Mr. Blue (Denon, 1989) – also with Takashi Ohi Summer Wind: Live at The Loa (Concord, 1990) – live rec. 1988 Moore Makes 4 (Concord, 1990) – also with Ralph Moore Three Dimensional (Concord, 1991) Georgia on My Mind (All Art [Japan], 1991)

With others Nat Adderley, Branching Out (Riverside, 1958) James Clay, A Double Dose of Soul (Riverside, 1960) Melvin Rhyne, Organ-izing (Jazzland, 1960) various artists, 'S Wonderful: Concord Jazz Salutes Ira Gershwin (Concord, 1979) Milt Jackson Quartet, Soul Route (Pablo, 1984) – rec. 1983 Ernestine Anderson, When the Sun Goes Down (Concord, 1984) Benny Carter, A Gentleman and His Music (Concord, 1985) Junko Mine, Love Me Tender (All Art [Japan], 1986) B.B. King, Live at The Apollo (GRP, 1990) – live various artists, Concord Jazz Festival: Live 1990 (Concord, 1990) – live various artists, Concord Jazz Festival: Live 1990, Third Set (Concord, 1990) – live various artists, A Concord Jazz Christmas (Concord, 1991) various artists, Jazz Celebration: Tribute to Carl Jefferson (Concord, 1992) various artists, Fujitsu-Concord 25th Jazz Festival (Concord, 1993) various artists, Fujitsu-Concord 26th Jazz Festival (Concord, 1994) Mary Stallings, I Waited for You (Concord, 1994) Frank Wess, It's the Real Soul (Concord, 1996) Jack McDuff, Down Home Blues (Concord, 1997) Niki Haris, Dreaming A Dream (BMG, 1997) Marian McPartland, Just Friends (Concord, 1998)

Honors The Gene Harris bandshell in Boise's Ann Morrison park is named in his honor. The Gene Harris Jazz Festival is an annual event in Boise that brings together the best of Boise jazz and education in memory of the city's most famous jazz musician.

References

External links Official website (archived) Gene Harris discography Gene Harris Jazz Festival Biography (Allmusic via VH1) Gene Harris on Resonance Records