Ratzo Harris

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Ratzo B. Harris (* 25. July 1955 in Indianapolis as Harold Branson ) is an American jazz musician ( double bass , electric bass , and guitar , cello , trumpet ) and music journalist.

Live and act

Harris, who grew up largely in San Francisco, learned the basics of making music from his parents; He initially played the trumpet as a self-taught person before he received his first guitar lessons from Jerry Hahn at the age of ten . Leroy Vinnegar , a friend of his father's, advised him to play bass. In high school he went to the school orchestra to learn the double bass. At the age of 13 he was accepted into the San Francisco Conservatory Orchestra ; he also played jazz with Alex Foster . In a summer camp at the University of the Pacific he was part of the big band and met Tom Rainey . Then he dropped out of high school and went on tour with John Handy in 1974 ; he also played briefly with Bobby Hutcherson . Much later, he went back to school and finally earned a master's degree in jazz history from Rutgers University in 2009 .

Until 1976 he belonged to the groups of Denny Zeitlin , Jon Hendricks and Cal Tjader . Between 1975 and 1980 he performed with Tom Rainey in Mike Nock's quartet . Jim Pepper , with whom he also lived, became his mentor; then toured Europe with Joe Henderson before moving to New York City in 1977, where he accompanied Anne Marie Moss , Armen Donelian and Roseanna Vitro .

Together with Rainey he belonged there for fifteen years to the trio of Kenny Werner , with whom he released several albums, as well as to the bands of Jane Ira Bloom (1979-87) and Herb Robertson . Between 1981 and 1995 he was also a member of Joe Lovano's group . Short-term member of Double Image Manfred Eicher brought him to the album gallery with Paul McCandless , Dave Samuels and David Darling . For 30 years he was part of Mose Allison's band , with whom he recorded several albums. With Bruce Arnold , Thomas Buckner and Tom Hamilton he formed the experimental group Act of Finding (album of the same name in 1991). From 1991 to 1996 he directed the bass ensemble D'Base n'Music. He also worked with Fay Victor , Kaylé Brecher and David Lopato. He can be seen as Tim Buckley's companion in the documentary Greetings from Tim Buckley (2012). He can also be heard on albums by Denny Zeitlin, Marty Cook , Michael Brecker , Janet Lawson, Connie Crothers , Elliott Sharp , Howard Tate, Bruce Arnold, the Brooklyn Repertory Ensemble , Judi Silvano , Jay Rodriguez and David Schnitter .

Lexical entry

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Entry (radioswissjazz.ch)
  2. ↑ Meeting Gallery (AllAboutJazz)
  3. ↑ Ratzo B. Harris: A Man at Home On the Road-Remembering Mose Allison (1927-2016)
  4. ↑ Ratzo Harris in the Internet Movie Database (English)
personal data
SURNAME Harris, Ratzo
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Harris, Ratzo B .; Branson, Harold (maiden name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American jazz musician (double bass) and music journalist
DATE OF BIRTH July 25, 1955
PLACE OF BIRTH Indianapolis