About
In his early recordings and performances with leaders such as Art Blakey, Lee Morgan, Max Roach, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis, Randy Weston and Gil Evans, during the 60s and 70s, Billy Harper already had a massive sound on the tenor saxophone, combining John Coltrane’s spiraling intensity with a bluesy brawn that pointed back to his Texas origins.
Harper’s authority has only grown with age: a half-century on, he stands as one of the most commanding horn men on the planet, a pillar of stirring post-bop jazz whose robust back catalog seems long overdue for rediscovery.
For half a century Harper has been performing original music with his renowned BILLY HARPER QUINTET all over the globe, recording over a dozen albums as leader and prolific composer.
After a pandemic induced hiatus, the Quintet sprang back into action, beginning in 2023 with a series of #CapraBlackIsBack performances, that marked a year-long celebration of Billy Harper's 80th birthday. Along with this milestone, an additional cause for celebration was the 50th anniversary of the Billy Harper Quintet's official inception and the release of the group's historic debut album, ”Capra Black”, the impact of which still lingers among jazz listeners worldwide.
While BILLY HARPER contributed immensely throughout the years to many legendary jazz lineups (Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Lee Morgan Quintet, Max Roach Quartet, Gil Evans Orchestra, Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra, Randy Weston's African Rhythms) there is no greater legacy Billy Harper has bestowed upon the world than the 50+ years of music created for and with the Billy Harper Quintet, a complete and perfect incarnation of his musical and spiritual identity.
FRANCESCA TANKSLEY, an internationally-acclaimed pianist and composer has been in this group for more than 40 years – a clear attestation of the wide ranging concensus that her extraordinary musicality cannot be matched nor replaced when it comes to Billy Harper’s opus.
Renowned master drummer AARON SCOTT, a longtime member of McCoy Tyner’s band (14 years), has also performed with the group for more than two decades. A rare find among jazz drummers, Scott meets and surpasses the challenge of doing Harper’s music justice.
FREDDIE HENDRIX, one of the most in-demand and diverse jazz trumpeters of today (boasting stints with Alicia Keys, Christian McBride, Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin) coveted for his uniquely soulful and exciting improvisations is also a longstanding member of 20+ years.
Finally, a more recently but nevertheless perfectly matched addition to the group is the award-winning bassist DEZRON DOUGLAS, whose artistry on the acoustic bass brings Harper’s compositions to a whole new level, taking the baton from legendary former BHQ bassist Clarence Seay who held the position for 30 years, but retired from music in 2014 due to health.
It is rare to find a legitimate jazz group that has more than 50 anniversaries behind it. It is even more rare to find such a group consistently offering a repertoire of exclusively original music by the same composer for all those 50 years.
Billy Harper's original compositions are found on the albums of some of his biggest fans: Lee Morgan recorded ”Capra Black” and ”Croquet Ballet”; Max Roach did the same with ”Call Of The Wild And Peaceful Heart”; Gil Evans named entire albums after Billy Harper compositions ”Priestess” and ”Thoroughbred”; and Randy Weston regularly performed and recorded the beautiful ballad ”If One Could Only See”.
All this originated from and because of the Billy Harper Quintet – more than just a jazz group, they are the "crown jewel" of his legacy, a historic "jazz institution" that has been inspiring, producing, guarding and sharing worldwide the priceless musical creations of the greatest living "Texas tenor" Billy Harper.
