Craig S. Harris (born September 10, 1953) is an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a majo ...

trombonist, who started working with

Sun Ra Le Sony'r Ra (born Herman Poole Blount, May 22, 1914 – May 30, 1993), better known as Sun Ra, was an American jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, and poet known for his experimental music, "cosmic" philosophy, prolific ou ...

in 1976. He also has worked with

Abdullah Ibrahim Abdullah Ibrahim (born Adolph Johannes Brand on 9 October 1934 and formerly known as Dollar Brand) is a South African pianist and composer. His music reflects many of the musical influences of his childhood in the multicultural port areas of Cap ...

, David Murray,

Lester Bowie Lester Bowie (October 11, 1941 – November 8, 1999) was an American jazz trumpet player and composer. He was a member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians and co-founded the Art Ensemble of Chicago. Biography Born in t ...

Cecil Taylor Cecil Percival Taylor (March 25, 1929April 5, 2018) was an American pianist and poet. Taylor was classically trained and was one of the pioneers of free jazz. His music is characterized by an energetic, physical approach, resulting in complex ...

, Sam Rivers,

Muhal Richard Abrams Muhal Richard Abrams (born Richard Lewis Abrams; September 19, 1930 – October 29, 2017) was an American educator, administrator, composer, arranger, clarinetist, cellist, and jazz pianist in the free jazz medium. He recorded and toured the Uni ...

, and

Charlie Haden Charles Edward Haden (August 6, 1937 – July 11, 2014) was an American jazz double bass player, bandleader, composer and educator whose career spanned more than 50 years. In the late 1950s, he was an original member of the ground-breaking ...

. He has recorded since 1983 as leader for

India Navigation India Navigation was an American record company and independent record label that specialized in avant-garde jazz in the 1970s and 1980s. It was founded by Bob Cummins, a corporate lawyer who helped jazz musicians with legal matters. Its catalogu ...

Soul Note Black Saint and Soul Note are two affiliated Italian independent record labels. Since their conception in the 1970s, they have released albums from a variety of influential jazz musicians, particularly in the genre of free jazz. History Black S ...

and

JMT JMT may refer to: * JMT Records, a German record label * Jedi Mind Tricks, an American hip hop group * Jesus myth theory * John Michael Talbot (born 1954), an American musician * John Muir Trail, in California * John Muir Trust, a Scottish charitab ...

. For the latter he recorded with two groups. The Tailgater's Tales was a quintet with clarinetist

Don Byron Donald Byron (born November 8, 1958) is an American composer and multi-instrumentalist. He primarily plays clarinet but has also played bass clarinet and saxophone in a variety of genres that includes free jazz and klezmer. Biography His mother ...

, trumpeter Eddie Allen, Anthony Cox on double bass, and

Pheeroan akLaff Pheeroan akLaff (born Paul Maddox January 27, 1955) is an American jazz drummer and percussionist. He began playing in his hometown of Detroit, Michigan and Ann Arbor, with R & B keyboardist Travis Biggs, funk keyboardist Nimrod “The Grinder� ...

on drums. His large ensemble Cold Sweat was a tribute to the music of James Brown. He is a graduate of the music program of

State University of New York at Old Westbury The State University of New York College at Old Westbury (SUNY at Old Westbury) is a public college in Old Westbury, New York, with portions in the neighboring town of Jericho, New York. It enrolls just over 5,000 students. History The State Un ...

, and was influenced by its founder and director

Makanda Ken McIntyre Makanda Ken McIntyre (born Kenneth Arthur McIntyre; also known as Ken McIntyre) (September 7, 1931 – June 13, 2001) was an American jazz musician, composer and educator. In addition to his primary instrument, the alto saxophone, he played flu ...

. Harris's move to New York City in 1978 established him with trombonists Ray Anderson,

Joseph Bowie Joseph Bowie (born October 17, 1953) is an American jazz trombonist and vocalist. The brother of trumpeter Lester Bowie, Joseph is known for leading the jazz-punk group Defunkt and for membership in the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble. Career Bowi ...

, and

George E. Lewis George Emanuel Lewis (born July 14, 1952) is an American composer, performer, and scholar of experimental music. He has been a member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians ( AACM) since 1971, when he joined the organization ...

.Craig Harris Bio
He first played alongside another of his teachers at SUNY, baritone saxophonist Pat Patrick, in Sun Ra's Arkestra for two years. Harris than embarked on a world tour with South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim (Dollar Brand) in 1981. While on tour in Australia, Harris discovered the indigenous Australian wind instrument the

didgeridoo The didgeridoo (; also spelt didjeridu, among other variants) is a wind instrument, played with vibrating lips to produce a continuous drone while using a special breathing technique called circular breathing. The didgeridoo was developed by ...

, which he added to the collection of instruments he plays.

Discography

As leader

* ''Aboriginal Affairs'' (India Navigation, 1983) * ''

Black Bone ''Black Bone'' is an album by American jazz trombonist and composer Craig Harris recorded in 1983 and released on the Italian Soul Note label.

'' (Soul Note, 1984) * ''Tributes'' (OTC, 1985) * ''

Shelter Shelter is a small building giving temporary protection from bad weather or danger. Shelter may also refer to: Places * Port Shelter, Hong Kong * Shelter Bay (disambiguation), various locations * Shelter Cove (disambiguation), various locat ...

'' (JMT, 1987) * ''

Blackout in the Square Root of Soul ''Blackout in the Square Root of Soul'' is an album by trombonist Craig Harris and Tailgater's Tales which was recorded in 1987 and released on the JMT label.Shimada, T.JMT label discography accessed October 3, 2014 Reception The AllMusic review ...

'' (JMT, 1988) * '' Cold Sweat Plays J. B.'' (JMT, 1989) * '' 4 Play'' (JMT, 1990) * ''

F-Stops ''F-Stops'' is an album by American jazz trombonist and composer Craig Harris recorded in 1993 and released on the Italian Soul Note label.

'' (Soul Note, 1994) * ''Istanbul'' (Doublemoon, 1998) * ''Souls Within the Veil'' (Aquastra Music, 2005)

As sideman

With

* ''

Blues Forever ''Blues Forever'' is an album by Muhal Richard Abrams, released by the Italian label Black Saint in 1982 and featuring performances of seven of Abrams compositions by an eleven-member big band. Critical reception The AllMusic review by Ron Wynn ...

'' (Black Saint, 1982) * ''

Rejoicing with the Light ''Rejoicing with the Light'' is an album by Muhal Richard Abrams. It was released on the Italian Black Saint label in 1983 and features performances of five of Abrams' compositions by a fourteen-member orchestra. Reception The AllMusic review by ...

'' (Black Saint, 1983) * ''

Song for All ''Song for All'' is an album by Muhal Richard Abrams which was released on the Italian Black Saint/Soul Note, Black Saint label in 1997 and features performances of eight of Abrams' compositions by Abrams, Eddie Allen (jazz musician), Eddie Allen ...

'' (Black Saint, 1997) With David Murray * ''

Murray's Steps ''Murray's Steps'' is an album by David Murray released on the Italian Black Saint label in 1982. It feature his Octet consisting of Murray, Henry Threadgill, Bobby Bradford, Lawrence "Butch" Morris, Craig Harris, Curtis Clark, Wilber Morris ...

'' (Black Saint, 1983) * ''

Live at Sweet Basil Volume 1 ''Live at Sweet Basil Volume 1'' is an album by David Murray released on the Italian Black Saint label in 1984 and the first to feature his Big Band.

'' (Black Saint, 1985) * ''

Live at Sweet Basil Volume 2 ''Live at Sweet Basil Volume 2'' is an album by David Murray released on the Italian Black Saint label in 1984 and the second to feature his Big Band.

'' (Black Saint, 1985) * '' New Life'' (Black Saint, 1987) * ''

David Murray Big Band ''David Murray Big Band conducted by Lawrence "Butch" Morris'' is an album by David Murray released on the DIW/Columbia Records label in 1991. It features performances by Murray, Hugh Ragin, Graham Haynes, Rasul Siddik, James Zollar, Craig Harr ...

'' (DIW, 1991) * ''

Hope Scope ''Hope Scope'' is an album by David Murray (saxophonist), David Murray's Octet recorded in 1987 and be released on the Italian Black Saint/Soul Note, Black Saint label in 1991.Picasso Pablo Ruiz Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and theatre designer who spent most of his adult life in France. One of the most influential artists of the 20th century, he is kn ...

'' (DIW, 1993) * '' South of the Border'' (DIW, 1995) * '' Dark Star: The Music of the Grateful Dead'' (Astor Place, 1996) * ''

Fo Deuk Revue ''Fo Deuk Revue'' is an album by David Murray released on the Canadian Justin Time label. Recorded in 1996 and released in 1997, the album features performances by Murray with Darryl Burgee, Ousseynou Diop, Assane Diop, Craig Harris, Robert Irvi ...

'' (Enja, 1997) * ''

Octet Plays Trane ''Octet Plays Trane'' is an album by the David Murray Octet, released in 2000 on Justin Time. The musicians include Murray, Rasul Siddik, Hugh Ragin, Craig Harris, James Spaulding, Ravi Best, D. D. Jackson, Mark Johnson and Jaribu Shahid. The ...

'' (Justin Time, 2000) * ''

Yonn-Dé ''Yonn-Dé'' is an album by David Murray released on the Canadian Justin Time label. Recorded in 2001 and released in 2003 the album features performances by Murray and the Gwo-Ka Masters.Now Is Another Time ''Now Is Another Time'' is an album by saxophonist David Murray's Latin Big Band released on the Canadian Justin Time label. Reception The Allmusic review by Glenn Astarita awarded the album 4½ stars stating "Murray is in top form, evidenced ...

'' (Justin Time, 2003) * ''

Perfection Perfection is a state, variously, of completeness, flawlessness, or supreme excellence. The term is used to designate a range of diverse, if often kindred, concepts. These have historically been addressed in a number of discrete disciplines, n ...

'' with

Geri Allen Geri Antoinette Allen (June 12, 1957 – June 27, 2017) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and educator. In addition to her career as a performer and bandleader, Allen was also an associate professor of music at the University of Pittsburgh ...

and

Terri Lyne Carrington Terri Lyne Carrington (born August 4, 1965) is an American jazz drummer, composer, producer, and educator. She has played with Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Clark Terry, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Joe Sample, Al Jarreau, Yellowjackets, and ma ...

(Motema, 2016) * ''Blues for Memo'' (Motema, 2018) With

* '' Live at Montreux'' (Saturn Research, 1976) * ''

Cosmos The cosmos (, ) is another name for the Universe. Using the word ''cosmos'' implies viewing the universe as a complex and orderly system or entity. The cosmos, and understandings of the reasons for its existence and significance, are studied in ...

'' (Cobra, 1976) * ''

Unity Unity may refer to: Buildings * Unity Building, Oregon, Illinois, US; a historic building * Unity Building (Chicago), Illinois, US; a skyscraper * Unity Buildings, Liverpool, UK; two buildings in England * Unity Chapel, Wyoming, Wisconsin, US; a ...

'' (Horo, 1978) * ''Sleeping Beauty'' (El Saturn, 1979) * ''

Strange Celestial Road ''Strange Celestial Road'' is an album by jazz composer, bandleader and keyboardist Sun Ra and his Arkestra, recorded in New York in 1979 and originally released on the Rounder label.

'' (Rounder, 1980) * ''A Quiet Place in the Universe'' (Leo, 1994) With others *

Ahmed Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah (born Leroy Bland; May 10, 1946) is an American jazz trumpeter who was a prominent member of Sun Ra's band. Biography He began playing the trumpet at age 13 in his native New York City. One of the first groups he performed with wa ...

, ''

Traveling the Spaceways ''Traveling the Spaceways'' is an album by trumpeter Ahmed Abdullah. A tribute to his former employer, Sun Ra, it was recorded on February 27, 2004, at Clinton Studios in New York City, and was released later that year by Planet Arts Records. On t ...

'' (Planet Arts, 2004) *

Ayibobo Ayibobo is a band from New York City, United States that is Jean-Paul Bourelly's side project. ''Ayibobo'' is one spelling of a Haitian Creole word that means "amen". MusicHound described the band as combining "Haitian singers and drummers with ...

, ''Freestyle'' (DIW, 1993) *

Billy Bang Billy Bang (September 20, 1947 – April 11, 2011), born William Vincent Walker, was an American free jazz violinist and composer. Biography Bang's family moved to New York City's Bronx neighborhood while he was still an infant, and as a ...

, ''Hip Hop Be Bop'' (ITM, 1993) *

, ''

I Only Have Eyes for You "I Only Have Eyes for You" is a romantic love song by composer Harry Warren and lyricist Al Dubin, written for the film '' Dames'' (1934) when Dick Powell introduced it. Several successful recordings of the song were made in 1934; later, there w ...

'' (ECM, 1985) *

Dollar Brand Abdullah Ibrahim (born Adolph Johannes Brand on 9 October 1934 and formerly known as Dollar Brand) is a South African pianist and composer. His music reflects many of the musical influences of his childhood in the multicultural port areas of Cap ...

, ''African Marketplace'' (Elektra, 1980) * Dollar Brand, ''At Montreux'' (Enja, 1980) *

, ''

Bug Music Bug Music was an influential independent music publisher in Los Angeles, California. The company was founded in 1975 by Dan Bourgoise to represent the catalogue of musician Del Shannon. Their clients included Johnny Cash and Rosanne Cash, Los L ...

'' (Nonesuch, 1996) *

Carla Cook Carla Cook is a Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist. Biography Cook was drawn to a life of music at an early age. As a student at Cass Technical High School she played string bass in the school orchestra, studied piano and voice on weekends, and ...

, ''Dem Bones'' (Maxjazz, 2001) * Paulinho da Costa, ''

Sunrise Sunrise (or sunup) is the moment when the upper rim of the Sun appears on the horizon in the morning. The term can also refer to the entire process of the solar disk crossing the horizon and its accompanying atmospheric effects. Terminology ...

'' (Victor, 1984) * Joseph Daley, ''The Seven Deadly Sins'' (Jaro, 2010) *

Lena Horne Lena Mary Calhoun Horne (June 30, 1917 – May 9, 2010) was an American dancer, actress, singer, and civil rights activist. Horne's career spanned more than seventy years, appearing in film, television, and theatre. Horne joined the chorus of th ...

, '' Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music'' (Qwest, 1981) *

Joseph Jarman Joseph Jarman (September 14, 1937 – January 9, 2019) was an American jazz musician, composer, poet, and Shinshu Buddhist priest. He was one of the first members of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians and a member of the ...

, ''

Earth Passage - Density Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surface ...

'' (Black Saint, 1981) *

The Roots The Roots are an American hip hop band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The Roots serve as the house band on NBC's '' The Tonight Show Starring Jimm ...

, ''

The Roots Come Alive ''The Roots Come Alive'' is a live album from the group The Roots. It was recorded in Zurich, Switzerland; New York City; and other places and released November 2, 1999. An enhanced double-CD edition containing six extra tracks, music videos ...

'' (MCA, 1999) *

Sekou Sundiata Sekou Sundiata (August 22, 1948 – July 18, 2007) was an African-American poet and performer, as well as a teacher at The New School in New York City. Famous students include musicians Ani DiFranco and Mike Doughty. His plays include ''The ...

, ''LongStoryShort'' (Righteous Babe, 2000) *

Warren Smith Warren Smith may refer to: Music * Warren Smith (jazz trombonist) (1908–1975), American trombonist * Warren Smith (jazz percussionist) (born 1934), American jazz percussionist * Warren Smith (singer) (1932–1980), American rockabilly singer Spo ...

, ''Dragon Dave Meets Prince Black Knight from the Darkside of the Moon'' (Porter, 2011) *

Henry Threadgill Henry Threadgill (born February 15, 1944) is an American composer, saxophonist and flautist. He came to prominence in the 1970s leading ensembles rooted in jazz but with unusual instrumentation and often incorporating other genres of music. He ...

, '' When Was That?'' (About Time, 1982) * Henry Threadgill, ''

Just the Facts and Pass the Bucket ''Just the Facts and Pass the Bucket'' is an album by Henry Threadgill released on the About Time label in 1983. The album features six of Threadgill's compositions performed by Threadgill with Craig Harris, Olu Dara, Fred Hopkins, Diedre M ...

'' (About Time, 1983) *

World Saxophone Quartet The World Saxophone Quartet is an American jazz ensemble founded in 1977, incorporating elements of free jazz, R&B, funk and South African jazz into their music. The original members were Julius Hemphill (alto and soprano saxophone, flute), Oli ...

, ''

Experience Experience refers to conscious events in general, more specifically to perceptions, or to the practical knowledge and familiarity that is produced by these conscious processes. Understood as a conscious event in the widest sense, experience invol ...

'' (Justin Time, 2004) * World Saxophone Quartet, ''

Political Blues ''Political Blues'' is an album by the jazz group the World Saxophone Quartet released by the Canadian Justin Time label. The album features performances by Hamiet Bluiett, Jaleel Shaw, Oliver Lake and David Murray, with guests Craig Harris ...

'' (Justin Time, 2006)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Harris, Craig S. American jazz composers American jazz trombonists Male trombonists Avant-garde jazz musicians Free jazz trombonists People from Hempstead (village), New York 1953 births Living people India Navigation artists State University of New York at Old Westbury alumni Jazz musicians from New York (state) 21st-century trombonists American male jazz composers 21st-century American male musicians JMT Records artists Black Saint/Soul Note artists