The Best of Eddie Harris

by Eddie Harris

Overview

Part of a massive Atlantic Jazz Anthology series in 1970, this LP-turned-CD was skimpy in its day, and now serves as the sketchiest of introductions to this bewilderingly eclectic saxophonist/inventor/pianist/bopper/balladeer/funkmeister. Even assuming the limited time frame, why were three of Eddie Harris' seven Atlantic albums up to that point (Mean Greens, The Tender Storm, Silver Cycles) not even represented, and where is that galvanic swinger "Sham Time"? That said, there is still an awful lot of great '60s jazz on this Best of Eddie Harris anyway: the funky-funky hit version of "Listen Here," two of its soulful successors, "Live Right Now" and "Movin' on Out"; the enduring pretzel-like "Freedom Jazz Dance"; a nice cover of "The Shadow of Your Smile"; and the lush, perhaps even tongue-in-cheek "Theme in Search of a Movie." Buy this only if you cannot afford the far-more-comprehensive two-CD box, Artist's Choice. ~ Richard S. Ginell

Product Details

Release Date:	01/31/1990
Label:	Atlantic / Rhino
UPC:	0075678137020
Rank:	7400

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Eddie Harris   Primary Artist,Vocals,Keyboards,Sax (Tenor),Electric Saxophone
Muhal Richard Abrams   Guest Artist,Piano (Electric)
Rufus Reid   Guest Artist,Bass
Ron Carter   Guest Artist,Bass
Cedar Walton   Guest Artist,Piano
King Curtis   Guest Artist,Sax (Tenor)
Snooky Young   Guest Artist,Trumpet
David Newmam   Guest Artist
Grady Tate   Drums
Joe Wohletz   Latin Percussion
Vivian Harrell   Vocals (Background)
Louis Spears   Bass
Bennie Powell   Trombone (Bass)
Felix Henry   Percussion
Mary Ann Stewart   Vocals (Background)
William James   Drums,Electric Bongos
Marilyn Haywood   Vocals (Background)
Richard Smith   Drums
Seldon Powell   Sax (Baritone)
Billy Higgins   Drums
Billy Hart   Drums
Jimmy Owens   Trumpet
Chuck Rainey   Guitar (Bass)
Jodie Christian   Piano
Joe Newman   Trumpet
Ronald Muldrow   Guitar
Ray Barretto   Latin Percussion
Ray Codrington   Trumpet
Mel Lastie   Trumpet
Melvin Jackson   Bass
Tom McIntosh   Trombone
Haywood Henry   Sax (Baritone)

Technical Credits

Charles Stepney   Composer
Joel Dorn   Producer
Tom Dowd   Engineer
Paul Francis Webster   Composer
Fred Seligo   Photography
Loring Eutemey   Cover Design
Bob Porter   Reissue Producer
Thad Jones   Composer
Geoffrey Haslam   Producer
Eddie Harris   Composer,Producer
Johnny Mandel   Composer
Phil Iehle   Engineer
Ronald Muldrow   Composer,Guitorgan
Nesuhi Ertegun   Producer
Marvin Lagunoff   Producer
Adrian Barber   Engineer
Arif Mardin   Producer,String Arrangements
Bruce Tergesen   Engineer
Bruce Swedien   Engineer,Remixing
William S. Fischer   Horn Arrangements