Barry HarrisThe method

People Barry talks about

Joshua Edelman

piano

Pianist and student of Barry’s, taken here to be the student Joshua who, Barry says in the oral history, now lives in Madrid and sent him to his own piano teacher; videos from Bilbao in 2016 are titled as Barry performing with Joshua Edelman.

mentions
2
recordings
2
Barry speaking
0

What Barry says

When Padwa had died, as Barry thinks, he went looking for another piano teacher and auditioned with one on 57th Street. Then Joshua, one of his students, who now lives in Madrid, told him to try his own piano teacher instead, because that teacher was different and like Barry.

Barry Harris, Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program ¶239

Barry was puzzled at being told the teacher was like him, but went to audition. When he said he had been strengthening his fingers, the teacher answered that Barry probably wouldn’t want to study with him, since he didn’t believe in fingers. Barry laughed, because he didn’t either.

Barry Harris, Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program ¶239Barry Harris, Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program ¶241

The teacher Joshua recommended appears to be the one Barry names a little later as Prostikov: he followed Padwa in the late 1970s, and after he died in the early 1980s Barry went on to Sophia.

Barry Harris, Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program ¶247Barry Harris, Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program ¶249Barry Harris, Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program ¶255

In his own words

But one of my students, who now lives in Madrid, named Joshua, he said, “Barry, maybe you aught to go to my piano teacher ‘cause he’s different. He’s like you.”

Barry Harris, Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program. Smithsonian oral history, looking for a new piano teacher ¶239

I said, “Like me?” So I decided to go audition for this cat.

Barry Harris, Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program. On taking up Joshua’s suggestion ¶239

Every mention

2 moments in the recordings, 0 of them Barry speaking. Each says who is talking.

Joshua Edelman & Barry Harris “Sometimes Today”

Bilbao, 2016

  1. 3:02

    Speaker unclear

    At the end of the sing-along Sometimes Today, someone says ‘Okay, Josh’; the title pairs Barry with Joshua Edelman.

    Watch on YouTube at 3:02

Barry Harris in Bilbao - Sometimes Today · Tribute to Jazz Cultural Theatre

Bilbao, 2016

  1. 3:14

    Speaker unclear

    Another upload of the same Bilbao sing-along, also ending with someone saying ‘Okay, Josh’.

    Watch on YouTube at 3:14

In the interviews and notes

  • Barry, Smithsonian oral history 2010 Barry, in his own words

    Barry recalls that Joshua, a student of his now living in Madrid, suggested he try his own piano teacher, saying the man was different and like Barry; at the audition the teacher said he didn’t believe in fingers.

    Barry Harris, Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program ¶239

Recordings that name them

Barry’s performances and records in the archive that credit or name them.