Photos and review: Cornbread Harris celebrates 95th birthday with son Jimmy Jam
by Cecilia Johnson and Nate Ryan
May 09, 2022
Cornbread Harris is known as a sunny fellow, and he looked happier than ever on Friday.
Underneath a white canvas tent at the Hook & Ladder in south Minneapolis, Cornbread celebrated his 95th birthday by performing with a band of mostly local blues and jazz musicians — and his son, producer Jimmy Jam, aka James Harris III.
Cornbread, born James Samuel Harris Jr., went at least 35 years without seeing his super-producer son. But last year, the Harrises reunited through Minnesota music journalist (and former Local Show host) Andrea Swensson, and have mostly communicated over video chat since then. While Jimmy Jam performed with his dad on Friday, their powerful musical connection was clear.
At showtime, Cornbread sat on two stacked chairs behind a keyboard, wearing a coat hanger-turned-microphone grip around his neck. Scott Soule directed the band from behind an upright bass, occasionally turning pages in Cornbread’s song binder. A horn section (Nate Berry on trombone, Jason Marks on trumpet, Glen Graham on tenor sax, and Dean Brewington on alto sax) traded solos, and guitarist Jon Pederson and drummer Doug Hill rounded out the band. Their first set included the popular ballad “Blue Moon,” the trombone showcase “In The Mood,” and two wonderful turns by guest vocalist Charmin Michelle (Billie Holiday’s “Fine and Mellow” and Louis Prima’s “Pennies From Heaven”).
For the second set, Jimmy Jam joined the band from behind the Roland synth on center stage. Despite the obvious attention on him, he deferred solos to the other players until his father pointed at him at him and cheered, “Go. Play! Play!” The recently named Rock & Roll Hall of Famer grinned and took it away, earning a fist bump from his dad.
In the early going, the rest of the band seemed to be getting familiar with each other, but the mood loosened as the night went on. Cornbread started a running gag about how many flats or sharps each key had, seemingly reprising his past role as a music teacher giving lessons at the Capri Theater in north Minneapolis. “It’s got B-flat in it, naturally,” he said of “Candy Man.” Nearby, a plastic pitcher solicited “tips for singing lessons.”
The crowd’s mood reflected the weather: warm and breezy. A truck served up tacos and tortas, and friends chatted over beers. Audience members wished Cornbread “Happy Birthday” and sang along to “Put the World Back Together,” a song that inspired the title of Swensson’s book about Cornbread Harris, which is scheduled to publish in 2023.
As 10 p.m. rolled around, Cornbread and Jimmy duetted while the rest of the band watched. They tossed keyboard solos back and forth, watching each other for cues. Their version of dueling pianos sounded gentle and playful, riffing on “Play That Funky Music” with good humor and skill.
It may seem daunting to “Put the World Back Together,” especially in these United States. But as the Harrises demonstrated, healed relationships can go a long way.
