Biography – Doug E Harris.com

Doug Harris

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Doug Harris

Doug E. Harris is an accomplished saxophonist, flutist, composer, educator, and recording artist whose distinguished career spans decades of performance, composition, and arts education.

Born in Houston, Texas, Harris began his musical journey at the age of ten on the alto saxophone. He later attended Texas Southern University, where he majored in Music Education and studied classical flute. During his time there, he earned national recognition as a member of the Texas Southern University Jazz Ensemble and the pioneering Lightmen Plus One Jazz Group before receiving his Bachelor of Music Education degree.

Throughout his career, Harris has performed at leading jazz festivals and concert venues across the United States, earning acclaim for his versatility and artistry. His musical studies with renowned artists Hubert Laws, Frank Foster, Jan Cole, and Ken Harris helped shape a distinctive voice that has led to collaborations with an extraordinary range of performers, including Stevie Wonder, Nancy Wilson, Luther Vandross, Debbie Harry and Blondie, The Duke Ellington Orchestra, Cecil Taylor, The Dells, Mongo Santamaria, and many others.

Among the defining moments of his performing career was his work with Frank Foster’s Loud Minority and McCoy Tyner’s Big Band. As a member of Tyner’s ensemble, Harris recorded three albums, including two Grammy Award-winning recordings, establishing his place among jazz’s most respected musicians.

An accomplished composer, Harris’s works have been performed and recorded internationally. His composition Jamaican Sunrise was featured on Mongo Santamaria’s Red Hot (Columbia Records), introducing his writing to audiences around the world. His performances have also reached television audiences through appearances on HBO Live with Debbie Harry and Blondie, as well as the acclaimed HBO series Boardwalk Empire.

Equally committed to music education, Harris devoted many years to inspiring young musicians. As a teacher and Arts Coordinator for Community School District 13 in Brooklyn, New York, he played a leading role in the creation of the Performing Arts and Technology High School, where he later served as Director of Music. His innovative educational initiatives were recognized through multiple grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and a fellowship from the Eubie Blake Foundation.

Now retired from public education, Doug E. Harris remains an active performer, composer, arranger, and recording artist. In recent years, he has appeared with Larry Ridley’s Jazz Legacy, the Frank Lacy Big Band, Gladys Knight, and “Boogaloo” Bolden with the B.B. King Alumni Blues Band, continuing to share his artistry with audiences at concerts and festivals across the country.

With a career that bridges performance, composition, recording, and education, Doug E. Harris has established a lasting legacy as an influential artist whose contributions continue to enrich the worlds of jazz and music education.

“ Doug has that smooth soprano sax and flute sound and puts a wonderful topping on the entire band. When he plays the piccolo it just works. It’s great to have a guys that can play well in an ensemble and improvise too.”

McCoy Tyner

“ When Doug came to my band he was able to learn the latin style quickly. He turned out to be an excellent musician and a very good leader and eventually served as my musical director.”

Mongo Santamaria