We spun some heavy jams for the first set of yesterday's Sunday Jazz show, but none were more fun than celebrating and saying Happy Birthday to Houston's own BILLY HARPER. Harper was born in Houston and studied at North Texas State. He moved to NYC in the mid 60s and started what would become a legendary, and still thriving, career in jazz. Working with the likes of Gil Evans, Max Roach, Art Blakey, Woody Shaw and on and on, we spun his debut as a leader for the legendary Strata-East Records, as well as a cut from his second LP, "Black Saint," the record that launched the famed Italian jazz label of the same name, and his work with Lee Morgan on Blue Note Records. Harper is still very active on today's scene (he just did a weekend long stint at the Smoke Club and we're jealous of anyone who got to go). Below are some of our favorites from one of the greatest tenor players of all time:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuYt_H0YIgY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGFex6YNjyA&list=PL1D7B1AA9A8561D27&index=6