Lafayette Harris
Soulful Stride Master
A versatile mainstay of the New York scene, Harris blends gospel roots and stride elegance into a rhythmically vibrant, deeply soulful hard-bop sound.
About
Baltimore-raised pianist Lafayette Harris Jr. is a conservatory-trained educator and sought-after sideman. He rose to prominence touring with Max Roach and Houston Person while serving as a musical director for Broadway's 'Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk.' His leadership career spans over ten acclaimed albums.
Music Style
Harris combines extreme rhythmic vitality with elegant phrasing and harmonic depth. His approach integrates church-inflected gospel and blues-drenched hard bop into a sophisticated, accessible sound.
Background
- Hometown
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Education
- Oberlin Conservatory, Rutgers University
- Instruments
- piano
- Active
- late 1980s-present
Similar Artists
If you like Houston Person and Kenny Barron — you'll love this artist
Notable Collaborations
Upcoming Events
Lafayette Harris's next NYC show is Thursday, July 16 at Mezzrow.