The Best of Eddie Harris (1965)

About this title: Part of a massive Atlantic Jazz Anthology series in 1970, this LP-turned-CD was skimpy in its day, and now serves as the sketchiest of introductions to this bewilderingly eclectic saxophonist/inventor/pianist/bopper/balladeer/funkmeister. Even assuming the limited time frame, why were three of Eddie Harris' seven Atlantic albums up to that point (Mean Greens, The Tender Storm, Silver Cycles) not even represented, and where is that galvanic swinger "Sham Time"? That said, there is still an awful lot of great '60s jazz on this Best of Eddie Harris anyway: the funky-funky hit version of ... read more

Tracks:

1. The Shadow of Your Smile [Love Theme from the Sandpiper] [Mandel/Webster]
2. Freedom Jazz Dance [Harris]
3. Sham Time [Harris]
4. Theme in Search of a Movie [Stepney]
5. Listen Here [Harris]
6. Live Right Now [Harris]
7. 1974 Blues [Harris]
8. Movin' on Out [Harris]
9. Boogie Woogie Bossa Nova [Harris]
10. A Child Is Born [Jones]
11. Is It In? [Muldrow]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.