Listen Here – 1969
Eddie Harris
The tenor’s two most famous compositions
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Eddie Harris (1934-96) was a masterful tenor-saxophonist whose tone when playing acoustically was sometimes reminiscent of Stan Getz.
However Harris was also quite original, being able to hit very high notes with little effort, an innovator with his electronic sax, a master of circular breathing, and a versatile and often-funky player who also had a strong wit.
His two most famous originals were the funky “Listen Here” (a catchy one-chord vamp) and the adventurous “Freedom Jazz Dance.”
With his group at the 1969 Montreux Jazz Festival which includes pianist Jodie Christian, bassist Melvin Jackson, and drummer Billy Hart, Harris jams on “Listen Here” before concluding the performance with the melody of “Freedom Jazz Dance.”
At around the three-minute mark, one can see guitarist Jeff Beck in the audience enjoying the music.
-Scott Yanow
Ella Fitzgerald