In 2000, he was profiled in the film Barry Harris - Spirit of Bebop. Harris appeared in the 1989 documentary film, Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser (produced by Clint Eastwood), performing duets with Tommy Flanagan. He held music workshop sessions in New York City for vocalists, students of piano and other instruments. įrom the 1990s onwards, Harris collaborated with Howard Rees on videos and workbooks documenting his harmonic and improvisational systems and teaching process. Between 19, he led the Jazz Cultural Workshop on 8th Avenue in New York. In Japan, he performed at the Yubin Chokin concert hall in Tokyo over two days, and his performances were recorded and compiled into an album released by Xanadu Records. He substituted for Monk in rehearsals at the New York Jazz Repertory Company in 1974. ĭuring the 1970s, Harris lived with Monk at the Weehawken, New Jersey home of the jazz patron Baroness Pannonica de Koenigswarter. Between 19, he worked extensively with Coleman Hawkins at the Village Vanguard. After moving to New York City, he worked as an educator and performed with Dexter Gordon, Illinois Jacquet, Yusef Lateef and Hank Mobley. Harris performed with Cannonball Adderley's quintet and on television with them. In 1956, he toured briefly with Max Roach, after Richie Powell, the band's pianist and younger brother of Bud Powell, died in a car crash. He was based in Detroit through the 1950s and worked with Miles Davis, Sonny Stitt, and Thad Jones, and substituted for Junior Mance in the Gene Ammons band. He performed for dances in clubs and ballrooms. He described Powell's style as being the "epitome" of jazz. In his teens, he learned bebop largely by ear, imitating solos by Powell. Having picked the latter, he was influenced by Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell. His mother, a church pianist, asked him if he was interested in playing church music or jazz. Harris took piano lessons from his mother at the age of four. Harris was born in Detroit, Michigan on December 15, 1929, to Melvin Harris and Bessie as the fourth of their five children. Barry Harris at the Jazz Cultural Theater in New York City on July 21, 1984