Harry South

Who was Harry South?

Harry South was an English jazz pianist, composer, and arranger, who later moved into work for film and television.

He came to prominence in the 1950s, subsequently playing with many of the on the British jazz scene of that decade, notably Joe Harriott, Dizzy Reece, Tony Crombie, and Tubby Hayes. In 1954, he was in the Tony Crombie Orchestra, together with Dizzy Reece, Les Condon, Joe Temperley, Sammy Walker, Lennie Dawes, and Ashley Kozak.

After returning from a 9-month stint in Calcutta, India, with the Ashley Kozak Quartet, he spent four years with the Dick Morrissey Quartet, where he both wrote and arranged material for their subsequent four albums.

He also formed his own jazz big band in 1966, featuring many of the finest jazz musicians and soloists in the UK such as Hayes, Dick Morrissey, Phil Seamen, Keith Christie, Ronnie Scott and Ian Carr, and recorded an album for Mercury Records.

In the mid-1960s, he began working with British rhythm & blues singer and organist Georgie Fame, recording the album Sound Venture together. At that time he was also composing and arranging for Humphrey Lyttelton, Buddy Rich, Sarah Vaughan, and Jimmy Witherspoon. He also worked as musical director to Annie Ross.