It took two sessions in the month of August 1965 for tenor saxophonist Eddie Harris and his group to record the album “The In Sound” for Atlantic Records. They finished two tracks on August 9th and four more on August 30th, including the first recording of Harris’ composition Freedom Jazz Dance. The tune has gone on to achieve jazz standard status in the time since that day 61 years ago.

Eddie Harris was born in Chicago in 1934 and played the saxophone at DuSable High School in the music program that also turned out Nat “King” Cole, Johnny Griffin, Gene Ammons and Julian Priester. Harris attended Roosevelt University in Chicago and became proficient not only on saxophone, but also piano and vibraphone. After college he was drafted by the U.S. Army and played with the 7th Army Band in Europe along with bandmates Don Ellis and Cedar Walton.

Upon his return to America, Harris signed with Vee-Jay Records and in 1961 released a single on which he played a version of the theme from the movie “Exodus.” The record received a good deal of airplay and was the first jazz record to be certified gold. Besides tenor, Harris sometimes performed on electric piano and often veered into the funk and rhythm and blues realm in the 1960s. “The In Sound” was his first album after signing with Atlantic.

In 1969 he was on stage at the Montreux Jazz festival to record “Swiss Movement” with keyboardist Les McCann. In all, Eddie Harris recorded 61 albums as a leader, three of which were released posthumously. Harris passed away in 1996.

Harris’ 1965 recording of Freedom Jazz Dance also featured Ray Codrington on trumpet, Cedar Walton, piano, with bassist Ron Carter and Billy Higgins playing the drums. Some critics believe that the album is the best Harris ever made. Freedom Jazz Dance has since been recorded by many musicians, notably by Miles Davis on “Miles Smiles."

Here is a link to the 1965 Eddie Harris recording of Freedom Jazz Dance:

"FREEDOM JAZZ DANCE"