Harris, Bill (Willard Palmer)

Harris, Bill (Willard Palmer), jazz trombonist; b. Philadelphia, Pa., Oct. 28, 1916; d. Hallandale, Fla., Aug. 21, 1973. One of the most admired of all jazz trombonists, he is well known for his work with Woody Herman. His influence was limited by the rise of J. J. Johnson and by his own choice to settle outside the jazz mainstream in the 1960s. His half-brother, Bob Harris, was a professional bass player. Bill played piano as a child, then played tenor sax and trumpet before concentrating on trombone. He played locally in the later 1930s, then spent two years in the merchant marine during World War II. Around 1943, he moved to N.Y. with Bob Chester, then played with Benny Goodman from August 1943 until March 1944, including soundtrack work for the film Sweet and Lowdown. That August he joined Woody Herman for the first time, remaining with him through 1946. Harris was the featured soloist on several of Herman’s recordings of this period. He combined a warm, bluesy sound on ballads with the ability to blow all out on uptempo work. During 1947 he was back in N.Y. leading his own band for club work and also playing with Charlie Ventura. He returned to Woody Herman (1948-50, early 1956-58, and finally for a 1959 tour of Europe). From 1950 he began regular touring with J.A.T.P, shows, also led his own small groups and worked with Oscar Pettiford (1952) and with Sauter-Finegan Orch. (1953). He first went to Fla. in 1958, and except for a brief stint with Benny Goodman from August until November 1959 (including European tour), he remained there in semi-retirement, working as a DJ although he continued to play. Besides leading his own groups, he worked with Red Norvo (early 1960s and again 1965-66) and Charlie Teagarden’s Band (spring of 1962 until 1964, including stint in Las Vegas). Through the later 1960s he worked as a deejay in Miami and also in a house band at a local hotel.

Discography

Collates (1952); B. H. Herd (1956); B. H.. (1956); H. Touch (1957); Fabulous B. H. (1957); Ex- Hermanites (1957); B. H. and Friends (1957); B. H. Rhythm (1973).

—John Chilton Who’s Who of Jazz/Lewis Porter