Bob Harris

Robert Maurice Harris (September 27, 1943 – August 11, 2001) was an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, and arranger.

Early life Harris was born in September 1943 in Los Angeles, California, the son of Maurice Harris and Martha Pilar Arcos Harris. His father was a trumpet player in The Tonight Show Band led by Doc Severinsen. His maternal grandmother, Pilar Arcos, was a Cuban-born singer and actress from a family of performers.

Career Harris worked as a jazz pianist in clubs in the Los Angeles area. He wrote orchestral arrangements with Don Bagley for Judee Sill's debut album in 1971. He also played as a pianist for The Turtles. Harris later wrote arrangements for recordings by The Friends of Distinction and Jack Jones.

Harris joined jazz guitarist Gábor Szabó in 1970 and was a member of Frank Zappa's band The Mothers for a short time in 1971. He appeared on the Zappa album Fillmore East – June 1971. Recordings from the same concerts also appeared on The John Lennon / Yoko Ono album Sometime in New York City. He also appeared on the Zappa album Playground Psychotics where he was a soloist on the Wurlitzer electronic piano on the song Billy the Mountain.

At the end of the 1970s, Harris toured with Ray Charles.

Personal life In 1966 he married singer-songwriter Judee Sill. They divorced in 1972. Harris died in 2001 from the effects of a drug overdose, at age 57.

This Bob Harris should not be confused with the unrelated keyboard player, trumpeter, and singer Bob Harris who worked with Frank Zappa in 1980.

Discography Friends of Distinction: Whatever 1970 Judee Sill: Judee Sill 1971

With Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention Fillmore East - June 1971 (1971) You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 6 (1992) Playground Psychotics (1992) Finer Moments (2012)

With Plastic Ono Band Some Time in New York City (1972)