Billy Harper (born January 17, 1943) 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 major ...

saxophonist, "one of a generation of Coltrane-influenced tenor saxophonists" with a distinctively stern, hard-as-nails sound on his instrument.Chris Kelsey
Billy Harper Biography
''

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

Biography

He was born in

Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

, United States. In 1965, Harper earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the

University of North Texas The University of North Texas (UNT) is a public research university in Denton, Texas. It was founded as a nonsectarian, coeducational, private teachers college in 1890 and was formally adopted by the state 11 years later."Denton Normal School," ...

. Harper has played with some of jazz's greatest drummers; he served with

Art Blakey Arthur Blakey (October 11, 1919 – October 16, 1990) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. He was also known as Abdullah Ibn Buhaina after he converted to Islam for a short time in the late 1940s. Blakey made a name for himself in the 1 ...

's Messengers for two years (1968–1970); he played very briefly with

Elvin Jones Elvin Ray Jones (September 9, 1927 – May 18, 2004) was an American jazz drummer of the post-bop era. Most famously a member of John Coltrane's quartet, with whom he recorded from late 1960 to late 1965, Jones appeared on such widely celebrate ...

(1970), he played with

the Thad Jones/ Mel Lewis Orchestra The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra was a jazz big band formed by trumpeter Thad Jones and drummer Mel Lewis in New York in 1965.Lisik/Allen. 50 Years at the Village Vanguard:Thad Jone, Mel Lewis and the Village Vanguard Orchestra. Sky Deck M ...

in the 1970s, and was a member of

Max Roach Maxwell Lemuel Roach (January 10, 1924 – August 16, 2007) was an American jazz Jazz drumming, drummer and composer. A pioneer of bebop, he worked in many other styles of music, and is generally considered one of the most important drummers in h ...

's quartet from 1971–1978. In 1979, Harper formed his own group, touring with it and documenting its music on the recording ''

Billy Harper Quintet in Europe ''Billy Harper Quintet in Europe'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Billy Harper recorded in 1979 for the Italian Soul Note label. The album was the first release for the record label. Reception In a review for AllMusic, Jeff Schwachter ...

'', and he was featured as a soloist on a 1983 recording, ''Such Great Friends'', with virtuoso, visionary pianist and record producer

Stanley Cowell Stanley Cowell (May 5, 1941 – December 17, 2020) was an American jazz pianist and co-founder of the Strata-East Records label. Early life Cowell was born in Toledo, Ohio. He began playing the piano around the age of four, and became interest ...

. After a period of relative inactivity in the 1980s, Harper came back strong with another international tour, which ended with perhaps his most ambitious recording: the three-volume ''

Live on Tour in the Far East ''Live on Tour in the Far East'' is a live album led by saxophonist Billy Harper recorded in 1991 in Korea and released on the SteepleChase label.Randy Weston Randolph Edward "Randy" Weston (April 6, 1926 – September 1, 2018) was an American jazz pianist and composer whose creativity was inspired by his ancestral African connection. Weston's piano style owed much to Duke Ellington and Thelonious M ...

's ensembles. In 2013, they recorded their first album as a duo, entitled ''The Roots of the Blues''. A retrospective of Billy Harper's career would include the following among its highlights: The saxophonist performed on

Gil Evans Ian Ernest Gilmore Evans (né Green; May 13, 1912 – March 20, 1988) was a Canadian–American jazz pianist, arranger, composer and bandleader. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest orchestrators in jazz, playing an important role ...

' 1973 album ''

Svengali Svengali () is a character in the novel ''Trilby'' which was first published in 1894 by George du Maurier. Svengali is a man who seduces, dominates and exploits Trilby, a young half-Irish girl, and makes her into a famous singer. Definition ...

'', and contributed two of the most-performed tunes in the band's repertoire: "Priestess" and "Thoroughbred". Harper's own 1973 album ''Capra Black'' "remains one of the seminal recordings of jazz's black consciousness movement – a profoundly spiritual effort that channels both the intellectual complexity of the avant garde as well as the emotional potency of gospel".Jason Ankeny
''Capra Black'' review
''

'' The Italian jazz label

Black Saint 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 ...

was launched with Harper's 1975 album, ''Black Saint''. His later releases have mostly been on SteepleChase and Evidence Records. Long associated almost exclusively with the inner circle of the New York City jazz scene — except for breaks while touring with his ensembles to Europe and the far East — Harper, in mid-2017, suddenly attained a degree of international prominence, because of his short but key role in the acclaimed jazz film, ''

I Called Him Morgan ''I Called Him Morgan'' is a 2016 Swedish produced documentary film written and directed by Kasper Collin which offers an account of the life of jazz trumpeter Lee Morgan, and his relationship with his common-law wife Helen Morgan, who killed h ...

''. Released for home streaming and purchase in June 2017, the film documents the music and life of trumpet prodigy

Lee Morgan Edward Lee Morgan (July 10, 1938 – February 19, 1972) was an American jazz trumpeter and composer. One of the key hard bop musicians of the 1960s, Morgan came to prominence in his late teens, recording on John Coltrane's '' Blue Train'' (1 ...

and the woman who saves and restores him after he hit rock bottom due to heroin addiction. It is a movie that makes the viewer a partner with its Swedish director, in his seven-year search for the evidence that might help explain how the same woman who was Morgan's savior, would become his killer at the instant he was retaking the bandstand for the last set at

Slug's Saloon Slugs' Saloon was a jazz club at 242 East 3rd Street, between Avenue B and C in Manhattan's East Village, operating from the mid-1960s to 1972. The location, in what was then a run-down part of New York City, first hosted a Ukrainian restaurant a ...

, a jazz club on the

Bowery The Bowery () is a street and neighborhood in Lower Manhattan in New York City. The street runs from Chatham Square at Park Row, Worth Street, and Mott Street in the south to Cooper Square at 4th Street in the north.Jackson, Kenneth L. "B ...

in lower East

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

. Walking right alongside Lee Morgan at this moment — the someone who hears a "bang" that for the next several extended seconds leaves both men — the actual victim and the bandmate — equally stunned and confused — was Billy Harper.

Discography

As leader/co-leader

*1973: ''

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'' (

Strata-East Strata-East Records is an American record company and label specialising in jazz founded in 1971 by Charles Tolliver and Stanley Cowell with the release of their first recording ''Music Inc.'' The label released over 50 albums in the 1970s. Many ...

) *1974: ''

Jon & Billy ''Jon & Billy'' is an album by trumpeter Jon Faddis and saxophonist Billy Harper recorded in Japan in 1974 and originally released on the Japanese Trio label.Jon Faddis Jon Faddis (born July 24, 1953) is an American jazz trumpet player, conductor, composer, and educator, renowned for both his playing and for his expertise in the field of music education. Upon his first appearance on the scene, he became known ...

*1975: ''

(Billy Harper Quintet On Tour In Europe '75)'' (

) *1977: ''Love on the Sudan'' (

Denon is a Japanese electronics company started in 1910 by Frederick Whitney Horn, an American entrepreneur. Denon produced the first cylinder audio media in Japan and players to play them. Decades later, Denon was involved in the early stages of de ...

) *1977: '' Soran-Bushi, B.H.'' (Denon) *1978: ''Knowledge of Self'' (Denon) *1979: ''

'' (

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 ...

) *1979: '' The Awakening'' (

Marge Marge is a feminine given name, a shortened form of Marjorie, Margot or Margaret (name), Margaret. Notable Marges include: People *Marge (cartoonist) (1904–1993), pen name of Marjorie Henderson Buell, American cartoonist *Marge Anderson (1932� ...

) *1979: ''

Trying to Make Heaven My Home ''Trying to Make Heaven My Home'' is an album led by saxophonist Billy Harper recorded on March 3 and 4, 1979, at Tonstudio Zuckerfabrik in Stuttgart (Germany) and released on the German MPS label.

'' (Saba/ MPS) *1980: ''

The Believer Believer(s) or The Believer(s) may refer to: Religion * Believer, a person who holds a particular belief ** Believer, a person who holds a particular religious belief *** Believers, Christians with a religious faith in the divine Christ *** Beli ...

'' (

Baystate Baystate was a Japanese jazz record label. Some of these album were also released on the Japanese labels Victor and Horo Records. Almost none have been reissued on LP or CD. Discography 6000s *RVJ-6001: M'Boom - '' Re: Percussion'' *RVJ-600 ...

/RVC) *1980: ''Billy Harper Quintet'' ive(PolJazz) *1989: ''

Destiny Is Yours ''Destiny Is Yours'' is an album led by saxophonist Billy Harper recorded in 1989 and released on the SteepleChase Records, SteepleChase label.Steeplechase Steeplechase may refer to: * Steeplechase (horse racing), a type of horse race in which participants are required to jump over obstacles * Steeplechase (athletics), an event in athletics that derives its name from the steeplechase in horse racing ...

) *1991: ''

Live on Tour in the Far East ''Live on Tour in the Far East'' is a live album led by saxophonist Billy Harper recorded in 1991 in Korea and released on the SteepleChase label.Live on Tour in the Far East Vol. 2'' (Steeplechase) *1991: '' Live on Tour in the Far East Vol. 3'' (Steeplechase) *1993: ''

Somalia Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constituti ...

'' (

Evidence Evidence for a proposition is what supports this proposition. It is usually understood as an indication that the supported proposition is true. What role evidence plays and how it is conceived varies from field to field. In epistemology, evidenc ...

) *1997: '' If Our Hearts Could Only See'' ( DIW) *1999: ''

Soul of an Angel ''Soul of An Angel'' is an album by saxophonist Billy Harper recorded in 1999 and released on the Metropolitan label. Reception In his review for AllMusic, Michael G. Nastos states "This is a Rock of Gibraltar solid CD, ranking amongst Harper' ...

'' (Metropolitan) *2008: ''

Blueprints of Jazz Vol. 2 ''Blueprints of Jazz Vol. 2'' is an album by saxophonist Billy Harper recorded in 2006 and released in 2008 on the Talking House Records label. It is part of the ''Blueprints of Jazz'' series conceived, produced and recorded by Talking House Produ ...

'' (

Talking House Records Talking may refer to: * Speech, the product of the action of ''to talk'' * Communication by spoken words; conversation or discussion Other uses * Talking (The Rifles song), "Talking" (The Rifles song), 2007 * Talking (A Flock of Seagulls song), " ...

) *2013: ''The Roots of the Blues'' ( Sunnyside) – with

Randy Weston Randolph Edward "Randy" Weston (April 6, 1926 – September 1, 2018) was an American jazz pianist and composer whose creativity was inspired by his ancestral African connection. Weston's piano style owed much to Duke Ellington and Thelonious M ...

With
The Cookers ''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...

* ''Warriors'' (Jazz Legacy Productions, 2010) * ''Cast The First Stone'' (Plus Loin Music/

Harmonia Mundi Harmonia Mundi is an independent record label which specializes in classical music, jazz, and world music (on the World Village label). It was founded in France in 1958 and is now a subsidiary of PIAS Entertainment Group. Its Latin name ''ha ...

, 2011) * ''Believe'' (

Motéma Music Motéma Music is a jazz and world music record label in the United States. It was founded in 2003 in San Francisco Bay Area. This record label’s catalog spans genres, cultures, and generations and has received Grammy recognition for over twen ...

, 2012) * ''Time And Time Again'' (Motéma Music, 2014) * ''The Call Of The Wild And Peaceful Heart'' (Smoke Sessions, 2016) * ''Look Out!'' (Gearbox, 2021)

As sideman

With

Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and several era ...

*''

Louis Armstrong and His Friends ''Louis Armstrong and His Friends'' is an album by the Louis Armstrong recorded in 1970 and originally released by Flying Dutchman on their Amsterdam subsidiary label.Minn. MThe Louis Armstrong Discography: Twilight (1963 - 1971) accessed Novembe ...

'' (Flying Dutchman/Amsterdam, 1970) With

Horacee Arnold Horace Emmanuel Arnold, or Horacee Arnold (born September 25, 1937) is an American jazz drummer. He was born in Wayland, Kentucky. Career Arnold first began playing drums in 1957 in Los Angeles while he was in the United States Coast Guard. In 1 ...

* ''

Tribe The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English language, English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in p ...

'' ( Columbia, 1973) With

* ''Live! Vol. 1'' (Everest, 1968) * ''Moanin (LRC, 1968) With

Joe Bonner Joe Bonner (April 20, 1948 – November 20, 2014) was a hard bop and modal jazz pianist, influenced by McCoy Tyner and Art Tatum. He was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina and studied at Virginia State College, but indicated that he lear ...

*'' Angel Eyes'' (Muse, 1976) With

* ''Such Great Friends'' (Strata-East, 1983) With

Charles Earland Charles Earland (May 24, 1941 – December 11, 1999) was an American jazz organist. Biography Earland was born in Philadelphia and learned to play the saxophone in high school. He played tenor with Jimmy McGriff at the age of 17 and in 1960 form ...

* ''

Intensity Intensity may refer to: In colloquial use *Strength (disambiguation) *Amplitude * Level (disambiguation) * Magnitude (disambiguation) In physical sciences Physics *Intensity (physics), power per unit area (W/m2) *Field strength of electric, ma ...

'' (

Prestige Prestige refers to a good reputation or high esteem; in earlier usage, ''prestige'' meant "showiness". (19th c.) Prestige may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Films * ''Prestige'' (film), a 1932 American film directed by Tay Garnett ...

, 1972) * ''

Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to ...

'' (Prestige, 1972–1973) With

* ''

Blues in Orbit ''Blues in Orbit'' is an album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded for the Columbia label in 1959 and released in 1960.Enja Enja Records is a German jazz record company and label based in Munich which was founded by jazz enthusiasts Matthias Winckelmann and Horst Weber in 1971. The label's first release was by Mal Waldron, and early releases included European and Ja ...

, 1969–1971) * ''

Where Flamingos Fly ''Where Flamingos Fly'' is an album by jazz composer, arranger, Conducting, conductor and pianist Gil Evans, originally recorded in 1971 for Capitol Records but not released until 1981, and performed by Evans with an orchestra featuring Billy Harp ...

'' (

Artists House Artists House was a jazz and blues record company and label established in 1977 by John Snyder. History The label released music by artists that label founder John Snyder had worked with while running the Horizon subsidiary of A&M Records, includ ...

, 1971) * ''

'' (

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...

, 1973) * ''

The Gil Evans Orchestra Plays the Music of Jimi Hendrix ''The Gil Evans Orchestra Plays the Music of Jimi Hendrix'' is an album of Jimi Hendrix's compositions by jazz composer, conductor and pianist Gil Evans. The music was arranged by Evans and members of his orchestra. The album was recorded in 1974 ...

'' (

RCA The RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded as the Radio Corporation of America in 1919. It was initially a patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse, AT&T Corporation and United Fruit Comp ...

, 1974) * '' There Comes a Time'' (RCA, 1975) With

Sonny Fortune Cornelius "Sonny" Fortune (May 19, 1939 – October 25, 2018) was an American jazz saxophonist. Fortune played soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones, clarinet, and flute. Biography He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United Stat ...

* ''Great Friends'' ( Black & Blue, 1986) With

Bobbi Humphrey Barbara Ann "Bobbi" Humphrey (born April 25, 1950) is an American jazz flautist and singer who plays jazz fusion, funk, and soul-jazz. She has recorded twelve albums and founded the jazz label Paradise Sounds Records. In 1971, she was the first f ...

* ''

Flute In ''Flute In'' is the debut album by American jazz flautist Bobbi Humphrey, recorded in 1971 and released on the Blue Note label.

'' (

Blue Note In jazz and blues, a blue note is a note that—for expressive purposes—is sung or played at a slightly different pitch from standard. Typically the alteration is between a quartertone and a semitone, but this varies depending on the musical co ...

, 1971) With

The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra was a jazz big band formed by trumpeter Thad Jones and drummer Mel Lewis in New York in 1965.Lisik/Allen. 50 Years at the Village Vanguard:Thad Jone, Mel Lewis and the Village Vanguard Orchestra. Sky Deck M ...

* ''

Consummation In many traditions and statutes of civil or religious law, the consummation of a marriage, often called simply ''consummation'', is the first (or first officially credited) act of sexual intercourse between two people, following their marriage t ...

'' (Blue Note, 1970) * ''

Potpourri Potpourri ( ) is a mixture of dried, naturally fragrant plant materials used to provide a gentle natural scent, commonly in residential settings. It is often placed in a decorative bowl. The word "potpourri" comes into English from the French ...

'' (

Philadelphia International Philadelphia International Records (PIR) was an American record label based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1971 by songwriting and production duo Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff along with their longtime collaborator Thom Bell. I ...

, 1974) * ''

Suite for Pops ''Suite for Pops'' is a 1975 big band jazz album recorded by the The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra and released on the A&M Records, A&M Horizon label. Track listing LP record, LP side A: # "Meetin' Place" # ...

'' (

Horizon The horizon is the apparent line that separates the surface of a celestial body from its sky when viewed from the perspective of an observer on or near the surface of the relevant body. This line divides all viewing directions based on whether i ...

/ A&M, 1975) With Mark Masters Jazz Orchestra * ''Priestess'' (

Capri Capri ( , ; ; ) is an island located in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the Sorrento Peninsula, on the south side of the Gulf of Naples in the Campania region of Italy. The main town of Capri that is located on the island shares the name. It has been ...

, 1990) – with

Jimmy Knepper James Minter Knepper (November 22, 1927 – June 14, 2003) was an American jazz trombonist. In addition to his own recordings as leader, Knepper performed and recorded with Charlie Barnet, Woody Herman, Claude Thornhill, Stan Kenton, Benny Goo ...

With

Grachan Moncur III Grachan Moncur III (June 3, 1937 – June 3, 2022) was an American jazz trombonist. He was the son of jazz bassist Grachan Moncur II and the nephew of jazz saxophonist Al Cooper. Biography Born in New York City, United States, (his paternal gran ...

* ''

Exploration Exploration refers to the historical practice of discovering remote lands. It is studied by geographers and historians. Two major eras of exploration occurred in human history: one of convergence, and one of divergence. The first, covering most ...

'' (Capri, 2004) With

* '' The Last Session'' (Blue Note, 1971) * ''We Remember You'' (

Fresh Sound Fresh Sound, or Fresh Sound New Talent, is a jazz record label established in Barcelona, Spain, by Jordi Pujol. The label was initially founded as a reissue label. The catalog includes work by musicians both major and minor that was recorded be ...

, 1972) With

* ''

Lift Every Voice and Sing "Lift Every Voice and Sing" is a hymn with lyrics by James Weldon Johnson (1871–1938) and set to music by his brother, J. Rosamond Johnson (1873–1954). Written from the context of African Americans in the late 19th century, the hymn is a pray ...

'' (Atlantic, 1971) * ''Live in Tokyo Vol. 1'' (

, 1977) * ''Live in Tokyo Vol. 2'' (Denon, 1977) * ''The Loadstar'' ( Horo, 1977) * ''Live in Amsterdam'' (

/RVC, 1977) * ''Confirmation'' (Fluid, 1978) With

Woody Shaw Woody Herman Shaw Jr. (December 24, 1944 – May 10, 1989) was an American jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, composer, arranger, band leader, and educator. Shaw is widely known as one of the most important and influential jazz trumpet ...

* ''

Love Dance ''Love Dance'' is the fourth album led by trumpeter Woody Shaw which was recorded in 1975 and released on the Muse Records, Muse label.

'' (

Muse In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses ( grc, Μοῦσαι, Moûsai, el, Μούσες, Múses) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the ...

, 1975) With

Leon Thomas Amos Leon Thomas Jr. (October 4, 1937 – May 8, 1999), known professionally as Leon Thomas, was an American jazz and blues vocalist, born in East St. Louis, Illinois, and known for his bellowing glottal-stop style of free jazz singing in the l ...

*''

The Leon Thomas Album ''The Leon Thomas Album'' is the second album by American jazz vocalist and percussionist Leon Thomas recorded in 1970 and released by the Flying Dutchman label.Malachi Thompson Malachi Richard Thompson (August 21, 1949, Princeton, Kentucky — July 16, 2006), was an American avant-garde jazz trumpet player. In addition to his own work as a bandleader, Thompson was known for his work in the brass ensemble led by fellow tr ...

*'' 47th Street'' (Delmark, 1997) * ''

Freebop Now! ''Freebop Now!'' (subtitled ') is an album by the American jazz trumpeter Malachi Thompson recorded and released by the Delmark label in 1998.Blue Jazz ''Blue Jazz'' is the final studio album by the American jazz trumpeter Malachi Thompson released by the Delmark label in 2003.Gary Bartz Gary Bartz (born September 26, 1940) is an American jazz saxophonist. He has won two Grammy Awards. Biography Bartz studied at the Juilliard School. In the early 1960s, he performed with Eric Dolphy and McCoy Tyner in Charles Mingus' Jazz Works ...

With

Charles Tolliver Charles Tolliver (born 1942) is an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and co-founder of Strata East Records. Biography Tolliver was born in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1942 and moved with his family to New York City when he was 10. During his chi ...

* ''With Love'' (

Mosaic A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly pop ...

/Blue Note, 2006) * ''Emperor March: Live at the Blue Note'' (

Half Note ''Half Note'' is a live album by saxophonist Clifford Jordan which was recorded in 1974 and first released on the SteepleChase label in 1985.McCoy Tyner Alfred McCoy Tyner (December 11, 1938March 6, 2020) was an American jazz piano, jazz pianist and composer known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet (from 1960 to 1965) and his long solo career afterwards. He was an NEA Jazz Masters, NEA ...

* ''

Journey Journey or journeying may refer to: * Travel, the movement of people between distant geographical locations ** Day's journey, a measurement of distance ** Road trip, a long-distance journey on the road Animals * Journey (horse), a thoroughbred ra ...

'' (Birdology, 1993) With

* '' Tanjah'' (

Polydor Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States. ...

, 1973) * ''

Carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typi ...

'' (

Freedom Freedom is understood as either having the ability to act or change without constraint or to possess the power and resources to fulfill one's purposes unhindered. Freedom is often associated with liberty and autonomy in the sense of "giving on ...

, 1974) * ''

The Spirits of Our Ancestors ''The Spirits Of Our Ancestors'' is an album by pianist Randy Weston that was recorded in 1991 and issued on the Verve label. While all of the compositions (with the exception of one traditional Moroccan song) were composed by Weston himself, the ...

'' (

Antilles The Antilles (; gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Antiy; es, Antillas; french: Antilles; nl, Antillen; ht, Antiy; pap, Antias; Jamaican Patois: ''Antiliiz'') is an archipelago bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the south and west, the Gulf of Mex ...

Verve Verve may refer to: Music * The Verve, an English rock band * ''The Verve E.P.'', a 1992 EP by The Verve * ''Verve'' (R. Stevie Moore album) * Verve Records, an American jazz record label Businesses * Verve Coffee Roasters, an American coffee ho ...

, 1991) * ''Saga'' (Verve, 1995) * ''The Roots of the Blues'' ( Sunnyside, 2013) With Piotr Wojtasik * ''Quest'' (Power Bros Records – PB 00147, 1996)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Harper, Billy American jazz educators American jazz flautists Soul-jazz saxophonists Hard bop saxophonists Rutgers University faculty University of North Texas College of Music alumni Musicians from Houston Strata-East Records artists 1943 births Living people 21st-century saxophonists Jazz musicians from Texas The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra members 21st-century flautists

Biography

Discography

As leader/co-leader

With The Cookers ''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...

As sideman

References

With
The Cookers ''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...