Barry Harris In Memoriam

Barry Harris. Bogui Jazz 2007. Foto por Sergio Cabanillas

Simon Sargsyan – JazzBluesNews: You’re considered one of the best interpreters of Thelonious Monk’s music, and I wonder if you ever met him.

Barry Harris: Oh yes, I lived with Monk for ten years! We lived at Baroness Nica von Koenigswarter’s home in Weehawken, NJ.

Once, we were at the piano together, and we played “My Ideal” over and over again, maybe 25 times. I’d play one chorus, and he’d play one, and on and on! I wish it were recorded, because it would be really interesting to hear.

To me, he was one of our greatest and most prolific composers. All those beautiful ballads: “Pannonica,” “Reflections,” “Ask Me Now,” “Monk’s Mood,” they’re all very special. And “52nd Street Theme,” Rhythm-a-ning,” “Bolivar Blues,” “Straight No Chaser,” all those things.

When he died, I played Monk’s music all night long. That’s incredible, that you could play one person’s music all night.

Barry Harris (1929-2021)

Entrevista a Barry Harris realizada por Simon Sargsyan para JazzBluesNews: http://jazzbluesnews.com/2017/12/26/barry-harris/

Fotografía tomada por Sergio Cabanillas a Barry Harris en Bogui Jazz en el año 2007

Texto: © Simon Sargsyan, JazzBluesNews
Fotografía: © Sergio Cabanillas, 2021