Rufus Harley

Rufus Harley with great highland bagpipe

Rufus Harley (b. Raleigh, North Carolina, May 20, 1936; d. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 31, 2006) was an American jazz musician of mixed Cherokee and African ancestry, known primarily as the first jazz musician to adopt the Scottish great highland bagpipe as his primary instrument.

Although born in Raleigh, North Carolina, at an early age Harley moved with his family to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Although he began as a saxophonist and flutist, Harley became inspired to learn the bagpipe after seeing the Black Watch perform in John F. Kennedy's funeral procession in November 1963. He found a set of bagpipes in a Jewish-operated New York pawn shop for US$120 and quickly adapted the instrument to the idioms of jazz, blues, and funk.[1] His teacher was Dennis Sandole (1913-2000), who also taught several other Philadelphia jazz musicians.[2]

Harley made his bagpipe performance debut in 1964. From 1965 to 1970 he released several recordings as leader on the Atlantic label, also recording as a sideman with Herbie Mann, Sonny Stitt, and Sonny Rollins in the 1960s and 1970s. He later recorded with Laurie Anderson (appearing on her 1982 album Big Science), and The Roots (on their 1995 album Do You Want More?!!!??!). In addition to bagpipes, on these albums he also occasionally plays tenor saxophone or electric soprano saxophone.

His bagpipe technique was somewhat unorthodox in that he placed the drones over his right shoulder rather than his left.

Harley lived for most of his life in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. During his frequent overseas performance tours, he carried and distributed miniature replicas of the Liberty Bell, the symbol of his hometown. He died at Philadelphia's Albert Einstein Medical Center on July 31, 2006 of prostate cancer.[3] He is survived by a son, the trumpeter Messiah Patton, also of Philadelphia.

Discography

As leader

1966 - Bagpipe Blues
1967 - Scotch & Soul
1968 - A Tribute to Courage
1970 - King/Queens (bagpipes; with Nadi Qamar, mamlukembia and Madagascar harp; and instrumental ensemble composed of Richard Tee, piano; Eric Gale, guitar; Chuck Rainey, electric bass guitar; Jimmy Johnson, drum; Montego Joe, conga)
1972 - Re-Creation of the Gods
1993 - Evolution (various artists compilation; includes one track by Harley, entitled "Malika"; San Francisco: Luv N' Haight LHLP 009)
1998 - "BROTHERLY LOVE", first NAm CD; Tartan Pride label, drums- Peter Amahl, guitar- Tony Cesarano; produced by Ralph Stevenson, Jr.
2000 - The Pied Piper of Jazz (compilation of Atlantic tracks, 1965-70)
2005- Sustain (his musical testimony with Messiah Harley, trumpet; Emmanuel Thompson, drums; Joshua Yudkin, piano and Hammond organ; Keno Speller, percussion; released by Discograph, France)