Barry Harris, a Jazz Man for the Ages

The maestro Barry Harris has made his transition. He is esteemed around the world and there is no doubt that his impact will continue to be felt. Irrespective of nation, creed, race, station or gender, Barry Harris’ gift for teaching and sharing his vast knowledge of jazz was unmatched. His mastery of the art of jazz piano and performance, peerless. His warmth as teacher and mentor was a light, drawing the shyest student to the most polished professional into his welcoming, masterly orbit, like a moth to flame.

Whether a novice student of jazz performance or a seasoned professional, each individual was humbled by Barry’s unique ability to discover the fault lines as well as the beauty to be mined within each unique human being, as he shared his valuable lessons learned over the decades.

Barry was effective in his teaching because he knew how to perfect improvement and awareness of music’s nuances that is essential for growth within each individual musician or singer. His further expansion on innovative uses for the 6th diminished scale in voicings significantly helped expand upon modern harmonic approaches to jazz world-wide.

The end of an era has arrived . We are sad for sure. But we surely can rejoice, knowing that Barry lived a full, productive life of beauty, art, and service to others. He will now join James Reese Europe and Louis Armstrong as among the most significant and influential ambassadors of the music we call jazz in the world.

Barry Harris shall always have the love and respect of those whose lives he’s touched throughout the world.