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Les Harris Jr.

Les Harris Jr. grew up in Newburyport, MA and is a 1983 graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Les is currently a music faculty member at the University of New Hampshire (since 1989), the University of Southern Maine (since 1990), and Phillips Exeter Academy (since 1989),teaching drums and ensembles. Les is the son of retired Berklee College of Music professor and jazz drummer Les Harris Sr. The elder Harris studied drums with George Lawrence Stone and was the house drummer at George Wein's Storyville Club in Boston during the late 50's as a member of the Boots Mussulli Quartet featuring Toshiko Akiyoshi on piano and Gene Cherico on bass. Les Harris Sr. taught at Berklee from 1967- 1995.

Les Harris Jr. began playing the drums at a young age under the tutelage of his father. He was sitting in with jazz greats Herb Pomeroy, Bob Wilber, Dave McKennna, John LaPorta, and Teddy Wilson by the time he was 14 and began playing professionally at the age of 15, working Friday nights with pianist/vocalist Annie Bosteels and trumpeter Dick Creeden at The Sportsman's Lodge in Newburyport, MA.

While attending Berklee, Les studied with Joe Hunt and Robert Kaufman and upon graduation, he studied extensively with legendary drummer and educator Alan Dawson. From 1983-1995, Les was the drummer with the jazz vocal group, "The Ritz", appearing on seven recordings,(five on the Denon label, two on Pausa). As a member of The Ritz, Les performed at The Sea Jazz Festival in Finland, The Blue Note Jazz Clubs in Tokyo, Fukuoka, Jakarta and NYC, The New Morning Club in Paris, George Wein's "Newport Jazz Festival in Japan" as well as engagements in Singapore, Italy, Germany, Morrocco, Vienna, and throughout the United States and Canada.

Les has toured with the Artie Shaw Orchestra,(under the direction of Dick Johnson), and with tenor saxophone great Scott Hamilton, including performances with Scott at The Subway Club in Cologne and the Montreal Jazz Festival. In the early 90's, Les worked frequently with Diana Krall and her trio in Boston and in 2001 he worked with Cheryl Bentyne, of The Manhattan Transfer, including performances with Cheryl at Benaroya Hall in Seattle and Birdland in NYC.

Les was a member of the late Seacoast Jazz great Tommy Gallant's Trio for over ten years as well as the late Jim Howe's Trio for ten more. Throughout his 30 plus year career in music, Les has had the opportunity to play with some of the best known artists in jazz, including Clark Terry, Milt Jackson, Phil Woods, Art Farmer, Annie Ross, Teddy Wilson, Hank Jones, Milt Hinton, Ray Brown, Marian McPartland, Jimmy Heath, Ken Peplowski, Al Grey, Marshall Royal, Buddy DeFranco, Bud Shank, Harry Allen, James Moody,Rufus Reid, Benny Green, Charlie Mariano, Mark Murphy, Sheila Jordan and Geoff Keezer.

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Album Review

Chris Humphrey: The Voice of Clark Terry

Read "The Voice of Clark Terry" reviewed by Nicholas F. Mondello


With the possible exception of Louis Armstrong, Clark Terry was probably the most unique trumpet “stylist" in jazz history. Hearing one note you would bet the farm that it was CT. Chris Humphrey's The Voice of Clark Terry, Vol. 1 is a marvelously unique salute. This recording presents a dozen Terry-composed originals. They are sung superbly by Humphrey with brilliant original lyrics provided by drummer Les Harris, Jr. As an additional treat, Humphrey s(w)ings “vocalesed" lyrics— again ...

341
Album Review

New Guitar Summit: Shivers

Read "Shivers" reviewed by Mike Perciaccante


The second album from the triumvirate of virtuoso guitarists J. Geils, Duke Robillard and Gerry Beaudoin is another set of vintage jazz-blues in which the three guitarists improvise while prodding, teasing and pushing each other to greater heights. While only four of the tracks are originals written by one or more members of the group, each track fits comfortably within the swing-bop-jazz-blues context of the album.

On Shivers the three are joined by yet another brilliant guitarist, Randy ...

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Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

The Voice of Clark...

Phreydom Music
2022

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Shivers

Stony Plain Records
2008

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The Snapper

From: The Voice of Clark Terry
By Les Harris Jr.

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