LeRoy Watts Harris Jr. (February 12, 1916 – February 16, 2005) was an American jazz reedist. He was the son of Leroy Harris Sr., and his uncle was Arville Harris.

Early life

Harris was born and raised in St. Louis. He began playing violin when he was young, then learned saxophone and clarinet. By age 13, he was playing with pianist

Chick Finney Joseph "Chick" Finney ( – December 11, 1975) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and businessman known for his work with Miles Davis. Early life Finney was a native of St. Louis and attended Vashon High School. He became interested in pia ...

Career

Harris relocated to Chicago around 1930, and played with Ray Nance from 1931 to 1936; following this he worked with

Earl Hines Earl Kenneth Hines, also known as Earl "Fatha" Hines (December 28, 1903 – April 22, 1983), was an American jazz pianist and bandleader. He was one of the most influential figures in the development of jazz piano and, according to one source, " ...

from 1937 to 1943. He joined the United States Navy during World War II and played in a band from 1943 to 1944. After his discharge, he played with Bill Doggett,

Ben Thigpen Ben Thigpen (November 16, 1908 – October 5, 1971) was an American jazz drummer. He is the father of drummer Ed Thigpen. He was born Benjamin F. Thigpen in Laurel, Mississippi. Ben Thigpen played piano as a child, having been trained by his sist ...

, Tadd Dameron,

Sarah Vaughan Sarah Lois Vaughan (March 27, 1924 – April 3, 1990) was an American jazz singer. Nicknamed "Sassy" and "Jazz royalty, The Divine One", she won two Grammy Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, and was nominated for a total of nine ...

Singleton Palmer Singleton Palmer (November 13, 1912, St. Louis, Missouri – March 8, 1993, St. Louis) was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist and bandleader of the Dixieland Six. Career Palmer began playing cornet at age 11, and was actively playing g ...

, and Wynonie Harris, then played with Hines once more. In the early-1950s he led his own band at the

Kit Kat Club The Kit-Cat Club (sometimes Kit Kat Club) was an early 18th-century English club in London with strong political and literary associations. Members of the club were committed Whigs. They met at the Trumpet tavern in London and at Water Oakley i ...

in New York. He resettled in St. Louis again in 1957 and played with

Eddie Johnson Edward, Eddie or Ed Johnson may refer to: Politicians * Edward Johnson (founder of Woburn, MA) (1598–1672), colonial military officer and writer * Edward Johnson (mayor) (1767–1829), mayor of Baltimore *Edward A. Johnson (1860–1944), first A ...

from 1960 to 1971.

References

;Footnotes ;General references *"Le Roy Harris (ii)". '' The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz''. 2nd edition, ed.

Barry Kernfeld Barry Dean Kernfeld (born August 11, 1950) is an American musicologist and jazz saxophonist who has researched and published extensively about the history of jazz and the biographies of its musicians. Education In 1968, Kernfeld enrolled at U ...

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Harris, Leroy American jazz saxophonists American male saxophonists American jazz clarinetists 1916 births 2005 deaths Jazz musicians from Missouri 20th-century American saxophonists 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians