Harry South
Encyclopedia
Harry South was an English
jazz pianist, composer
, and arranger
, who later moved into work for film and television.
He came to prominence in the 1950s, subsequently playing with many of the on the British jazz
scene of that decade, notably Joe Harriott
, Dizzy Reece
, Tony Crombie
, and Tubby Hayes
. In 1954, he was in the Tony Crombie Orchestra, together with Dizzy Reece
, Les Condon (trumpet), Joe Temperley
, Sammy Walker
(tenor saxs), Lennie Dawes (baritone sax), and Ashley Kozak
(bass).
After returning from a 9-month stint in Calcutta, India, with the Ashley Kozak
Quartet, he spent four years with the Dick Morrissey
Quartet, where he both wrote and arranged material for their subsequent four albums.
He also formed his own jazz big band in 1966, featuring many of the finest jazz musicians and soloists in the UK such as Hayes, Dick Morrissey
, Phil Seamen
, Keith Christie
, Ronnie Scott
and Ian Carr
, and recorded an album for Mercury Records
.
In the mid-1960s, he began working with British rhythm & blues singer and organist Georgie Fame
, recording the album Sound Venture
together. At that time he was also composing and arranging for Humphrey Lyttelton
, Buddy Rich
, Sarah Vaughan
, and Jimmy Witherspoon
. He also worked as musical director to Annie Ross
.
He later branched out into session work, writing themes and incidental music for television and music libraries, including the theme tune for the 1970s ITV
police drama, The Sweeney
.
He is also credited with the arrangement
s for Emerson, Lake & Palmer
's Works Vol. 1
(1977). In 1981, he again arranged for Annie Ross and Georgie Fame in a collaboration on what was to be Hoagy Carmichael
's last recording, In Hoagland.
He died on 12 March 1990 in Lambeth
, London. In 2001, National Youth Jazz Orchestra
released a dedicated CD in his honour entitled Portraits - The Music of Harry South.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
jazz pianist, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, and arranger
Arranger
In investment banking, an arranger is a provider of funds in the syndication of a debt. They are entitled to syndicate the loan or bond issue, and may be referred to as the "lead underwriter". This is because this entity bears the risk of being able to sell the underlying securities/debt or the...
, who later moved into work for film and television.
He came to prominence in the 1950s, subsequently playing with many of the on the British jazz
British jazz
British jazz is a form of music derived from American jazz. It reached Britain through recordings and performers who visited the country while it was a relatively new genre, soon after the end of World War I. Jazz began to be played by British musicians from the 1930s and on a widespread basis in...
scene of that decade, notably Joe Harriott
Joe Harriott
Joseph Arthurlin 'Joe' Harriott was a Jamaican jazz musician and composer, whose principal instrument was the alto saxophone....
, Dizzy Reece
Dizzy Reece
Alphonso Son "Dizzy" Reece is a hard bop jazz trumpeter with a distinctive sound and compositional style.Reece was born 5 January 1931 in Kingston, Jamaica, the son of a silent film pianist. He attended the Alpha Boys School , switching from baritone to trumpet at 14...
, Tony Crombie
Tony Crombie
Anthony John "Tony" Crombie was an English jazz drummer, pianist, bandleader and composer. He was regarded as one of the finest jazz drummers and bandleaders, and occasional but very capable pianist and vibraphonist, to emerge in Britain, and as an energising influence on the British jazz scene...
, and Tubby Hayes
Tubby Hayes
Edward Brian "Tubby" Hayes was an English jazz multi-instrumentalist, best known for his tenor saxophone playing in groups with fellow sax player Ronnie Scott and with trumpeter Jimmy Deuchar. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest British jazz instrumentalists.- Early life :Hayes was born...
. In 1954, he was in the Tony Crombie Orchestra, together with Dizzy Reece
Dizzy Reece
Alphonso Son "Dizzy" Reece is a hard bop jazz trumpeter with a distinctive sound and compositional style.Reece was born 5 January 1931 in Kingston, Jamaica, the son of a silent film pianist. He attended the Alpha Boys School , switching from baritone to trumpet at 14...
, Les Condon (trumpet), Joe Temperley
Joe Temperley
Joe Temperley is a Scottish saxophonist. He has performed on various instruments but is most associated with the baritone saxophone and bass clarinet....
, Sammy Walker
Sammy Walker
Sammy Walker is an American singer-songwriter. Influenced by the folk and country sounds of Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie and Hank Williams, Walker emerged in the mid 1970s with two albums for the Folkways label and two albums for Warner Brothers...
(tenor saxs), Lennie Dawes (baritone sax), and Ashley Kozak
Ashley Kozak
Ashley Kozak , is a jazz bassist, record producer and artists' manager, best known as having been Donovan's manager....
(bass).
After returning from a 9-month stint in Calcutta, India, with the Ashley Kozak
Ashley Kozak
Ashley Kozak , is a jazz bassist, record producer and artists' manager, best known as having been Donovan's manager....
Quartet, he spent four years with the Dick Morrissey
Dick Morrissey
Richard Edwin "Dick" Morrissey was a British jazz musician and composer. He played the tenor sax, soprano sax and flute.- Background :...
Quartet, where he both wrote and arranged material for their subsequent four albums.
He also formed his own jazz big band in 1966, featuring many of the finest jazz musicians and soloists in the UK such as Hayes, Dick Morrissey
Dick Morrissey
Richard Edwin "Dick" Morrissey was a British jazz musician and composer. He played the tenor sax, soprano sax and flute.- Background :...
, Phil Seamen
Phil Seamen
Phillip William "Phil" Seamen was an English jazz drummer.With a solid background in big band music, Seamen played and recorded in a wide range of musical contexts with virtually every key figure of 1950s and 1960s British jazz...
, Keith Christie
Keith Christie
Keith Ronald Christie was an English jazz trombonist. He was the brother of Ian Christie....
, Ronnie Scott
Ronnie Scott
Ronnie Scott was an English jazz tenor saxophonist and jazz club owner.-Life and career:Ronnie Scott was born in Aldgate, east London, into a family of Russian Jewish descent on his father's side, and Portuguese antecedents on his mother's. Scott began playing in small jazz clubs at the age of...
and Ian Carr
Ian Carr
Ian Carr was a Scottish jazz musician, composer, writer, and educator.-Early years:Carr was born in Dumfries, Scotland, the elder brother of Mike Carr...
, and recorded an album for Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
.
In the mid-1960s, he began working with British rhythm & blues singer and organist Georgie Fame
Georgie Fame
Georgie Fame is a British rhythm and blues and jazz singer and keyboard player. The one-time rock and roll tour musician, who had a string of 1960s hits, is still a popular performer, often working with contemporaries such as Van Morrison and Bill Wyman.-Early life:Fame took piano lessons from the...
, recording the album Sound Venture
Sound Venture
Sound Venture is a jazz album recorded by Georgie Fame and the Harry South Big Band in 1966. Featuring many of the Britain’s top jazz musicians, and arranged by leading big band arranger Harry South, the album was a break from Fame’s earlier R&B hits....
together. At that time he was also composing and arranging for Humphrey Lyttelton
Humphrey Lyttelton
Humphrey Richard Adeane Lyttelton , also known as Humph, was an English jazz musician and broadcaster, and chairman of the BBC radio comedy programme I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue...
, Buddy Rich
Buddy Rich
Bernard "Buddy" Rich was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. Rich was billed as "the world's greatest drummer" and was known for his virtuosic technique, power, groove, and speed.-Early life:...
, Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Lois Vaughan was an American jazz singer, described by Scott Yanow as having "one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century."...
, and Jimmy Witherspoon
Jimmy Witherspoon
Jimmy Witherspoon was an American jump blues singer.-Early life and career:James Witherspoon was born in Gurdon, Arkansas. He first attracted attention singing with Teddy Weatherford's band in Calcutta, India, which made regular radio broadcasts over the U. S. Armed Forces Radio Service during...
. He also worked as musical director to Annie Ross
Annie Ross
Annie Ross is an English jazz singer, and actress, best known as a member of the trio Lambert, Hendricks & Ross.-Early years:...
.
He later branched out into session work, writing themes and incidental music for television and music libraries, including the theme tune for the 1970s ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
police drama, The Sweeney
The Sweeney
The Sweeney is a 1970s British television police drama focusing on two members of the Flying Squad, a branch of the Metropolitan Police specialising in tackling armed robbery and violent crime in London...
.
He is also credited with the arrangement
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
s for Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer, also known as ELP, are an English progressive rock supergroup. They found success in the 1970s and sold over forty million albums and headlined large stadium concerts. The band consists of Keith Emerson , Greg Lake and Carl Palmer...
's Works Vol. 1
Works Volume I
Works Volume 1 is a 1977 album by progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer. It is a two-disc set divided into four major sections, one each highlighting each band member, and one for combined works.-Overview:...
(1977). In 1981, he again arranged for Annie Ross and Georgie Fame in a collaboration on what was to be Hoagy Carmichael
Hoagy Carmichael
Howard Hoagland "Hoagy" Carmichael was an American composer, pianist, singer, actor, and bandleader. He is best known for writing "Stardust", "Georgia On My Mind", "The Nearness of You", and "Heart and Soul", four of the most-recorded American songs of all time.Alec Wilder, in his study of the...
's last recording, In Hoagland.
He died on 12 March 1990 in Lambeth
Lambeth
Lambeth is a district of south London, England, and part of the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated southeast of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
, London. In 2001, National Youth Jazz Orchestra
National Youth Jazz Orchestra
The National Youth Jazz Orchestra is a British jazz orchestra founded in 1963 by Bill Ashton.Based in Westminster, London, NYJO started life as the London Schools' Jazz Orchestra and evolved into becoming the national orchestra...
released a dedicated CD in his honour entitled Portraits - The Music of Harry South.
Discography
- Tony CrombieTony CrombieAnthony John "Tony" Crombie was an English jazz drummer, pianist, bandleader and composer. He was regarded as one of the finest jazz drummers and bandleaders, and occasional but very capable pianist and vibraphonist, to emerge in Britain, and as an energising influence on the British jazz scene...
and his Orchestra (1954) Decca DFE6247 - Have You Heard? - Dick MorrisseyDick MorrisseyRichard Edwin "Dick" Morrissey was a British jazz musician and composer. He played the tenor sax, soprano sax and flute.- Background :...
Quartet (1963) - There and Back - Dick Morrissey Quartet (live 1964/1965 – released 1997)
- Storm Warning!Storm Warning!Storm Warning! is the fourth Dick Morrissey Quartet album. It was recorded in November 1965.- Track listing :# "Storm Warning" - # "What Is There to Say" -...
- Dick Morrissey Quartet (live Nov. 1965) - Presenting the Harry South Big Band - Harry South Big Band - (January 1966) - Mercury 20081MCL
- Here and Now and Sounding Good!Here and Now and Sounding Good!Here and Now and Sounding Good! was the sixth Dick Morrissey Quartet recording. It was released in 1966. The tracks included were a tribute to Dick Morrissey's friends and fellow British jazz musicians.- Track listing :# "Off the Wagon"...
- Dick Morrissey Quartet (September 1966) - Sound VentureSound VentureSound Venture is a jazz album recorded by Georgie Fame and the Harry South Big Band in 1966. Featuring many of the Britain’s top jazz musicians, and arranged by leading big band arranger Harry South, the album was a break from Fame’s earlier R&B hits....
- Georgie FameGeorgie FameGeorgie Fame is a British rhythm and blues and jazz singer and keyboard player. The one-time rock and roll tour musician, who had a string of 1960s hits, is still a popular performer, often working with contemporaries such as Van Morrison and Bill Wyman.-Early life:Fame took piano lessons from the...
and The Harry South Big Band Album (October 1966) - In HoaglandIn HoaglandIn Hoagland is an album by Georgie Fame, Annie Ross and Hoagy Carmichael, featuring a band of leading UK jazz musicians and arrangements by Harry South...
– Hoagy CarmichaelHoagy CarmichaelHoward Hoagland "Hoagy" Carmichael was an American composer, pianist, singer, actor, and bandleader. He is best known for writing "Stardust", "Georgia On My Mind", "The Nearness of You", and "Heart and Soul", four of the most-recorded American songs of all time.Alec Wilder, in his study of the...
/Georgie FameGeorgie FameGeorgie Fame is a British rhythm and blues and jazz singer and keyboard player. The one-time rock and roll tour musician, who had a string of 1960s hits, is still a popular performer, often working with contemporaries such as Van Morrison and Bill Wyman.-Early life:Fame took piano lessons from the...
/Annie RossAnnie RossAnnie Ross is an English jazz singer, and actress, best known as a member of the trio Lambert, Hendricks & Ross.-Early years:...
(1981)