Rufus Harley, Jazz Bagpiper
Last night WRTI-FM's Bob Perkins announced the death of a Philly original. Rufus Harley is credited as the first jazz musician to pick the Scottish bagpipes as his instrument.
You might have heard his distinctive drone on CDs by The Roots (Do You Want More?!!!??!) and Laurie Anderson (Big Science). If you ever saw a picture of him, it would stick. He cut a distinctive swath.
So did his music.
I talked to his son, Messiah Patton, the trumpeter, this morning. He said his father had prostate cancer, but never let on to anyone that he was hurting.
"He was a soldier," the son said. "I have no other way to explain it. He never let his sickness stop him from playing, and from making people happy. He was always concerned about the people."
Messiah said he drove his father to Germantown Hospital Monday evening - a few hours after his last show. Doctors transferred him to Einstein, his son said, when it was apparent he was so sick.
"All he was talking about was, 'Messiah, come and get me. I have a gig to get to in Baltimore.' He tried to sit up and his heart stopped." Funeral arrangements are pending, his son said.
Joel Dorn, the jazz producer, was a Philly DJ at WHAT between 1961 and 1967. By phone today, he recalled one day when Rufus Harley called, hoping to get his attention:
"He said he was a local musician who played jazz on the bagpipes, he made a record, and would I listen to it. I said, 'Sure.' He came by the radio station with a acetate, a little metal record you could 10 or 12 plays out of, and he played me "The Bagpipe Blues." I loved it. ... It swung."
Dorn recorded an album with Harley, which included that track, for Atlantic Records. It sold so well, Dorn says, that label founder Nesuhi Ertegun called the part-time producer to New York and offered him a full-time job. Dorn wound up producing four albums for Harley at Atlantic.
"There are a couple of things about Rufus," Dorn said. "First of all, he was a good musician -- a good tenor player, a good flute player, a good composer. More than anything, he was a sweet guy. He didn't have any bad bones. He was totally committed to his work on the bagpipes and he took a lot of heat for it. For every Sonny Rollins or Sonny Stitt who recorded with him, there were always those snotty jazz critics who looked down on anything left of center."
Shaun Mullen at Kiko's House wrote this last night about Harley, who was 70:
Jazz bagpipes would seem to be an acquired taste, but I fell into Harley's funky style immediately and he became a lifelong favorite whom I caught several times at Ortleib's Brewhaus in Philadelphia.
A 2001 profile in the City Paper described what moved the Germantown resident to pick up the pipes:
In November 1963, the winter of America's discontent, a young Philadelphia musician named Rufus Harley watched John F. Kennedy's funeral on television. While a nation mourned, the sound of the bagpipes from the funeral procession sent Harley's spirits soaring.
He attempted to replicate the sound on his sax; unsatisfied, he scoured the area for a set of bagpipes. He called around to every music store in the region, but couldn't score them. It wasn't until he made his first-ever trip to New York City that he found his pipes. In a small pawnshop he spent $120, that month's entire mortgage money, and altered the course of jazz forever.
He was born in North Carolina in 1936, of African-American and Cherokee heritage. He moved to Philadelphia as a small boy. In high school he played up several wind instruments. You haven't lived until you've heard Harley's cover of the Byrds' "Eight Miles High." An evocative description of his work can be found here. H. Songhai recalls a memorable gig with Harley here.
Once asked how to play the jazz bagpipes, Harley answered:
You play off the air that's in there.
"He was a relentless player and a studier," Bob Perkins said today by phone. "He would go anywhere and play anywhere. He traveled overseas extensively. He's take his own version of the Liberty Bell to see different people in different countries. I guess he should have lived there. Maybe they would have appreciated him more."
I called Messiah back this afternoon - to see about mentioning survivors and what arrangements had been made. No one answered. Instead, I got bagpipes - glorious bagpipes, swelling to life - then a hale voice, announcing, "You have reached Rufus Harley, the International Ambassador and Messenger of Freedom." He plays on.
Thanks for this story: I had not heard it elsewhere. Mr. Harley was an early favorite of mine as I discovered the art and joys of jazz. I always admired his originality and dedication to his craft. We will miss him.
I remember attending a street fair in Chestnut Hill with a friend. We were walking down Germantown Avenue and heard bagpipe music. As we approached, we saw the musician. I asked my friend, "Is that Rufus Harley?." He replied, "How many Black male bagpipe players are there?"
Hi Daniel, Thank you for the article on Rufus Harley. One important contribution that is often overlooked was Rufus' commitment to educating Philadelphia's youth. He constantly visited Philadelphia schools to spread not just his own style of music but to introduce jazz to a new generation. I've been a teacher in Philadelphia for 34 years and Rufus visited my school at least 3 times. Like Harrison Ridley, the Dean of Jazz History (not ignoring Bob Perkins ), who also visited schools teaching the evolution of jazz, Rufus was always available. The look of surprise on student's faces when Rufus stepped out from the curtains wailing on the 'pipes followed by the cheers from the audience gave proof to his acceptance and importance. He always included a lesson on how jazz evolved and its cultural influence during his mini-concerts at schools. It's been a while since I've seen Rufus. We'll always have his recordings but I especially will miss the 'whole' Rufus. Bill Morlitz
The first time I ever heard of Rufus Harley was when he was on "whats my line?" several years ago. At that time I was just starting out on the pipes, and he proved to me that the pipes work great in a jazz/blues situation. I've taken that influence and added my own ( running the pipes thru a wah wah peddle ) and am now performing regularly with my Blue Celtic Rock band PIPAPELLI. Pipe on, Rufus!
Daniel;
I hope you don't mind this link to an interview I did with Rufus on April 14,2006. I loved his music.
http://www.classicalmusicphiladelphia.com/rufus.htm
David
I love, admire, and respect Philadelphia jazz bagpiper Rufus Harley greatly and am very saddened to know he is gone due to prostate cancer, and even more saddened because word reaches me that there isn't enough money for the funeral expenses. Philadelphia organist Trudy Pitts confirms this and offers the following address for people to send donations / cards / gifts to Rufus's son Messiah (whose actual last name is Patton): Messiah Patton c/o Harley 6116 Magnolia Street Philadelphia, PA 19144-1O23. Rufus Harley's memorial service: Monday, August 7th (today!), 11 a.m., Sharon Baptist Church, 3955 Conshohocken Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19131, near Pathmark Supermarket (City Line area), 215-747-52OO. Young Messiah has been playing his trumpet at his father's side all his life, and I remember following my ears and finding the two many years ago on a small street in Philadelphia on a very cold evening, where they were transforming the world with their music and their spirit of love. Messiah was no more than six or seven years old at the time. You can read about Rufus Harley at these links: http://blogs.philly.com/blinq/2006/08/rufus_harley_ja.html www.classicalmusicphiladelphia.com/rufus.htm www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/org/phoenix/2002/2002-10-03/living/12239.php .
As a close friend of Rufus I can say without any hesitation that our friendship was the best one could ever hope for. If we all who knew him could carry on his kindness towards others this world will become a better place for it. Rufus we miss you, Herman DeJong
I am extremely saddened to here of Rufus' Passing. I proudly display a personal autograph photo of him in my office for all to see. I had the pleasure to meet Rufus a number of years ago in Albuquerque New Mexico at the Rio Grande Celtic Games and Scottish Fesival. He was the guest of honor at the games and amazed all who heard him play. To me, he was a National Treasure. He was the type of rare Human Being who gave far more than he ever expected in return. "A True American".
Rufus gone (Rufus Harley /1936-2006) pipes! thee pipes! thee pipes rang out & the clouds did really part, rain stayed at bay, that longpast festival day Rufus' pipes....a different perspective on thee ancientspirit'o th'piper's call, graced our stage with joy's Bright Moments.... from "when i was 8yrs old, Momma took me to a psychiatrist & said 'i don't know what it is, but there's something wrong with this boy'" to the saxophone, to JFK Black Watch epiphany, to Trane, SonnyR, Rahsaan, Diz, Mann, Roots, Mr.Stitt, Cosby, Carson, LaurieA, from th'streets'o Philly to 'round th'world, & back to Philly streets, ignoring yr own material poverty..... sharing a wealth of spirit thee architype Joyful Noyze unto thee mystery of All Creation.... dear Rufus, hey, man....i got m'self a little ancient curved'sopranosax just like th'one ye brought on th'plane in a shoppin'bag to play (b'tween pipings!) here at Mr. Hawkins' prairie'fest.... i inevitably think of you when i play it.... i named it Rufus the very day it came to me... Bless ye, Mr. Harley! *******************************************************dkzk21augu2oo6