Joseph Allison “Joe” Harris was born on December 23, 1926, in Pittsburgh, and died on January 27, 2016.

He was an American drummer of Modern Jazz.

He played in 1946.

After King Perry, he emerged with the first record.

And from 1946 to 1948, he was a member of the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band.

In the late 1940’s, Joe played with Arnett Cobb, in 1950 with Billy Eckstine, in 1952 with Erroll Garner and in 1954 briefly with James Moody and the Apollo Theater in Harlem.

From 1956, Joe lived and played in Stockholm in Sweden, where he toured 1956 Rolf Ericson came.

Harris was on a European tour with the Quincy Jones Big Band, in 1960.

Joe worked in the SFB Bigband, in 1961 to 1966.

He returned to the US, however, he visited Europe many times with Betty Carter and Ella Fitzgerald and with the Kenny Clarke / Francy Boland Big Band tour.

During 1970-1972, Joe played in Germany with Max Greger and Heinz von Hermann; he played with Niagara.

In the 1970s, he retired permanently back to the US to teach at the University of Pittsburgh.

He also played with King Pleasure, Ray Brown, Milt Jackson, Sonny Rollins, Jimmy Cleveland, George Russell, Tommy Potter, Teddy Charles, the “Bebop Boys” and Benny Bailey.

Unfortunately, there are no recordings of him as a bandleader but, was involved from 1946 to 1984 to over 121 recording sessions.

Joe Harris passed away at 89 yrs old.