Gene Harris (September 1, 1933, Benton Harbor, Michigan – January 16, 2000) was an American jazz pianist known for his warm sound and blues and gospel infused style that is 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.
He was mostly retired to Boise, Idaho, starting in the late 1970s, although he performed regularly at the Idanha Hotel there. Then, Ray Brown convinced him to go back on tour in the early 1980s. He 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.
Harris's rendition of "Ode to Billie Joe" is known as a jazz classic. One of his most popular numbers was his "Battle Hymn of the Republic," a live version of which is on his Live at Otter Crest album, published by Concord.
1974 Astral Signal
1975 Nexus
1976 In A Special Way
1977 Tone Tantrum
1981 Live At Otter Crest
1986 The Gene Harris Trio Plus One
1988 The Gene Harris All Star Big Band - Tribute To Count Basie
1989 Gene Harris & The Philip Morris Superband - Live At Town Hall, N.Y.C
1989 Gene Harris Quartet - Listen Here!
1990 Gene Harris & The Philip Morris Superband - World Tour 1990
1990 Gene Harris, Scott Hamilton - At Last
1991 Gene Harris Quartet - Black And Blue
1992 Gene Harris Quartet - Like A Lover
1993 Gene Harris Quartet - A Little Piece Of Heaven
1994 Gene Harris Quartet - Funky Gene's
1995 Gene Harris & The Philip Morris All-Stars - Live
1996 Gene Harris, Jack McDuff - (Down Home) Blues
1996 Live In London
1996 The Gene Harris Quartet - It's The Real Soul
1998 Alley Cats
2000 The Best Of The Concord Years (2 CD)
2003 Ballad Essentials
2010 Gene Harris Quartet - Another Night in London
2013 The Gene Harris Quartet - Brotherhood
