Barry HarrisThe method

People Barry talks about

Harold McKinney

piano

Harold McKinney was a Detroit pianist of Barry’s generation from the musical McKinney family; as boys he and Barry both had the preacher Neptune Holloway as their first teacher, and Barry, not yet 21, would go over to the west side with him and Ray McKinney.

mentions
4
recordings
2
Barry speaking
1

What Barry says

Barry says the first teacher for young Detroit musicians like himself, Harold McKinney and Dorothy Ashby was a preacher, Neptune Holloway. He remembers a photograph of Holloway’s pupils that he thinks shows Ashby, himself and McKinney, another Detroit pianist.

Barry Harris, Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program ¶102Barry Harris on WKCR-FM ¶158

The friends went to different high schools: Harold McKinney and his crowd went to Northwestern, while Barry went to Northeastern.

Barry Harris, Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program ¶107

In his late teens, around his year at college, Barry started hanging out on Detroit’s west side, where he met four McKinneys: Harold, Ray, Clarence and Bernard, later known as Kiane Zawadi.

Barry Harris, Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program ¶123

Before he turned 21, Barry would go over to the west side with Harold and Ray McKinney, mostly hanging out with Ray. At the Bluebird he knocked on the window, and when the house pianist left the stand he ran in, played a song and ran out again.

Barry Harris, Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program ¶139

When Barry names Kiane among those who came to his house, he places him in the McKinney family, ‘Harold and all them people’, as part of the real community the Detroit musicians had.

The last train to Monk: an interview8:26

In his own words

the first teacher for us in Detroit like Harold McKinney and, Dorothy Ashby – our first teacher was a preacher. His name was Neptune Holloway.

Barry Harris, Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program. On his first music teachers ¶102

I think Dorothy Ashby was in that picture, myself, Harold McKinney who was another piano player from Detroit

Barry Harris on WKCR-FM. On Neptune Holloway’s pupils ¶158

I used to go over to the west side with Harold McKinney, Ray McKinney, ‘cause I hung out with Ray.

Barry Harris, Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program. On slipping into the Bluebird before he was 21 ¶139

Harold McKennie and his bunch went to Northwestern, and Eddie Locke and his bunch went to Miller High School.

Barry Harris, Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program. On which high schools his friends attended ¶107

Keani is a member of the McKinney family, you know, Harold and all them people there. So we had a really community thing.

The last train to Monk: an interview, various, 1987–2019. On the musicians who came to his house 8:26 Watch on YouTube at 8:26

Every mention

4 moments in the recordings, 1 of them Barry speaking. Each says who is talking.

The last train to Monk: an interview

various, 1987–2019

  1. 8:26

    Barry

    Kiane belongs to the McKinney family, ‘Harold and all them people’; a real community.

    Watch on YouTube at 8:26

Detroit Jazz: Ancient to the Future

  1. 39:54

    Someone else

    A Detroit musician recalls a period when he worked with Aretha Franklin and with Harold McKinney.

    Watch on YouTube at 39:54

  2. 41:06

    Someone else

    The same musician links Harold McKinney (‘makinia’) to work with a Detroit arts organisation; captions garbled.

    Watch on YouTube at 41:06

  3. 2:12

    Someone else

    A narrator’s roll of great pianists includes a ‘McKinney’, probably Harold; captions garbled.

    Watch on YouTube at 2:12

In the interviews and notes

Method ideas nearby

Ideas of the method taught in the classes where they come up, with how many mentions fall in each.

  1. 12.1Everybody sings1
  2. 14.3Learn from the masters by ear; study the small things1
  3. 15.4The lineage1