js Atlantic’s “The Best of Eddie Harris” was a skimpy six song sampler on LP in 1970, but was expanded to include five more tunes on the CD re-issue. The CD is a fairly good overview of Eddie’s work with Atlantic during this time, but some more comprehensive box sets have come out since. Eddie was an extremely eclectic artist who moved freely from the avant-garde to pure pop, sometimes on the same album. One thing that Eddie could do that alludes many jazz musicians was write a simple catchy tune that is appealing to a wide, even non-jazz audience. This “Best of” features those popular tunes that are in Eddie’s signature mix of hard bop, Latin tinged soul jazz and proto funk. Eddie’s writing and soloing featured short punchy phrases, voiced in an irresistibly catchy exaggerated funky swing, that had a modern sensibility that foreshadowed 70s funk and late 80s sample based hip-hop. “The Best of Eddie Harris” is great for the modern retro DJ and these cuts would liven up any party, but don’t think dumbed-down entertainment. Eddie’s music has cross-appeal, but he never drops his integrity or his sense of gritty realism. Eddie always plays like he means it, there is no coasting here.

Although the original LP stayed with Eddie’s all acoustic late 60s hard bop funk, the CD’s extra five tunes includes two electronic pieces including a beautiful rendition of “A Child is Born”, played with echoed sax backed by analog electronic keyboards, and a cut from his classic electro lounge funk LP, “Is it In”. Although there may be more comprehensive compilations out there, this one does not have an ounce of filler, if you see it for a good price, go for it.