Beaver Harris


William Godvin "Beaver" Harris was an American jazz drummer who worked extensively with Archie Shepp.

Early life

Harris was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Coming from an athletic family, he played baseball as a teenager for the Kansas City Monarchs and was scouted by the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants.

Career

After serving in the United States Army, Harris began playing drums. In 1963, he moved to New York City and was encouraged to pursue a musical career by Max Roach. While in New York, he worked and/or toured with Marion Brown, Dexter Gordon, Albert Ayler, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Clifford Jordan, Howard Johnson, Sheila Jordan, Lee Konitz, Thelonious Monk, Roswell Rudd, Sonny Rollins, McCoy Tyner, Sonny Stitt, Clark Terry, Chet Baker, Doc Cheatham and Larry Coryell among other musicians.
In addition, Harris founded a "world music" band and called it the 360 Degree Music Experience. The band included some of the most significant artists of the time, including Buster Williams, Hamiet Bluiett, Don Pullen, Jimmy Garrison, Ron Carter, Ricky Ford, and many others.

Personal life

Harris and his wife, Glo Harris, had three children. Harris died of prostate cancer in New York at the age of 55.

Discography

As leader

From Rag Time to No Time In: Sanity African Drums Beautiful Africa Safe Negcaumongus Live at Nyon A Well Kept Secret Beaver Is My Name
  • ''Thank You for Your Ears''

As sideman

With Albert AylerAlbert Ayler in Greenwich Village The Village Concerts Lörrach / Paris 1966 Jesus Live in Europe 1964–1966 Stockholm, Berlin 1966
With Marion BrownThree for Shepp Juba-Lee
With Roswell RuddEverywhere Numatik Swing Band
With Archie SheppArchie Shepp Live in San Francisco Mama Too Tight The Magic of Ju-Ju Life at the Donaueschingen Music Festival The Way Ahead Three for a Quarter One for a Dime One for the Trane For Losers Things Have Got to Change Attica Blues The Cry of My People A Sea of Faces There's a Trumpet in My Soul Montreux One Montreux Two Jazz a Confronto 27 À Massy - U-Jaama "Unité" Body and Soul Steam
With others