Swinging, lyrical jazz piano with rich harmonies and nuances. Billâs other influences include Oscar Petersen, Tommy Flanagan, Reuben Brown, Fred Hersch, Cedar Walton, Stanley Cowell, Red Garland, McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, Art Tatum and Keith Jarrett.

15 MP3 Songs
JAZZ: Mainstream Jazz, JAZZ: Contemporary Jazz

Show all album songs: Holiday Improvisations Songs


Details:
In the Washington, DC area, pianist Bill Harris is a jazz favorite. Bill is listed in Washingtonian Magazineâs "Best of Jazz in DC" and is winner of the Hennessy Cognac âBest of DC Jazz Competitionâ. His many performance venues include the Smithsonian, Blues Alley, the World Bank, the IMAX JAZZ Café, the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles, Snug Harbor in New Orleans and numerous jazz festivals. Billâs musical direction for the Smithsonianâs Museum of Natural History IMAX JAZZ Café helped launch the successful inaugural year of the venue.

His compact discs titled "Invitation", "Solo + One", "Encompass Quartet" (Albert "Tootie" Heath is featured) and "Holiday Improvisations" have all received critical acclaim.

Bill Harris is originally from Long Island, NY and has resided in the DC metro area since 1965. He started piano studies in Acton, MA in 1963 and continued with numerous teachers including local masters John Eaton and Les Karr. He also attended jazz piano master classes in New York City taught by jazz legend Barry Harris.

Billâs other major influences include Bill Evans, Tommy Flanagan, Wynton Kelly, Reuben Brown, Fred Hersch, Cedar Walton, Hank Jones, Stanley Cowell, Red Garland, McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, Art Tatum and Keith Jarrett, among others.

âBill Harris is a master" â John Eaton

"An appealing combination of lucidity, logic and lyricism marks Harris's playing" - The Washington Post