Eddie Harris (b. Chicago, October 20, 1934; died November 5, 1996) was best known for playing tenor saxophone, though he was also fluent on the electric piano and organ. His most well-known composition was "Freedom Jazz Dance", recorded and popularized by Miles Davis in the 1960s.
Harris grew up in Chicago. His father was originally from Cuba, and his mother from New Orleans. Like other successful Chicago musicians such as Nat King Cole, Dinah Washington, Clifford Jordan, Johnny Griffin, Gene Ammons, Julian Priester, and Bo Diddley (among others), young Eddie Harris studied music under Walter Dyett at DuSable High School. He later studied music at Roosevelt University, by which time he was proficient on piano, vibraphone, and tenor saxophone. While in college he performed professionally with Gene Ammons.
After college he was drafted into the United States Army. While serving in Europe he was accepted into the 7th Army Band, which also included Don Ellis, Leo Wright, and Cedar Walton.