Another Chicago musician that participated in Walter Dyett’s program at DuSable High School was saxophonist Eddie Harris. Others included Nat “King” Cole, Julian Priester and Johnny Griffin. Born on October 20, 1934, Harris attended Roosevelt University after high school where he studied piano and vibraphone along with the tenor sax. After college Harris did a stint in the U.S. Army in Germany where he played in the band with Don Ellis and Cedar Walton.

Upon his return to the states after being discharged from the army, Harris lived for a while in New York City where he recorded his first record, an album in 1961 for VeeJay Records called “Exodus to Jazz.” The record included a Harris arrangement of Ernest Gold’s theme for the movie “Exodus” which was released as a single and received heavy airplay on radio. It became the first jazz record to be certified gold.

Eddie Harris was not only an accomplished saxophonist and keyboard man, he also experimented with new musical instruments many of his own design. These included the reed trumpet (which he premiered at the 1970 Newport Jazz Festival), the saxobone and the guitorgan. He also often collaborated with rock and blues musicians including Stevie Winwood and Albert Lee. In 1975 Harris released a stand-up comedy album, as well.

His best-known composition is Freedom Jazz Dance, which he debuted on his 1966 record “The In Sound.” It was later notably covered by Miles Davis. In 1969 he appeared with Les McCann at the Montreux Jazz festival and that performance produced the classic album “Swiss Movement.” During his career Eddie Harris released 58 records as a leader. He passed away from congestive heart failure in 1996 at the age of 62.

Here is a link to Harris playing two of his compositions at the 1969 Montreux Jazz Festival:

"LISTEN HERE/FREEDOM JAZZ DANCE"