Blues, Soul, Jazz - Tommie Harris, born 1939, grew up in Birmingham Alabama during the hard times of segregation and started his musical career at a young age as a gospel singer. In his youth he sang in the clubs of the southern states until he, like many of his colleagues, moved to Chicago because of the better living conditions. There he met Jimmy Reed, Luther Allison and Muddy Waters and a short time later he was engaged as a drummer in Jimmy Reed's band. Tommie then came to Europe in the early 70's with the US Army and eventually made Germany his new home. He toured Europe with Luther Allison's last live band and with many international blues greats such as Big Jay McNeely, Al Copley, Red Holloway, Maisha Grant, Gene 'Mighty Flea' Conners to name a few. In 1987, Tommie Harris also received well-deserved recognition in his homeland by being inducted into the 'Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame'. For nearly 30 years, as he is tonight, Tommie Harris has been a genial companion to saxophonist Moni Marner. Concerts and CD recordings with the Leathertown Jazzband, Moni's Jazzquartet, Mo's Blues-Crackers or various gospel events constantly fill this musical friendship with energy and irrepressible joy of playing. Burkhard Rieger/Piano, Martin Delto/Guitar, Klaus Dengler/Bass.
Source of lyrics and more information about the event at: http://www.jazzkeller-hanau.de/das_ak_pr/info.php?tag=04&month=03&year=2017
