Lafayette Harris, Jr. was born on May 29, 1963, in Philadelphia and is an American jazz pianist. He began his musical journey playing in funk and pop music groups during his teenage years. Harris studied at the Peabody Institute, Oberlin College, and Rutgers University under Kenny Barron. In 1985, he moved to New York City and became a member of the Moffett Family band. Harris released his debut album, Lafayette is Here, in 1993. He has since released several albums, including Trio Talk (2008) and You Can’t Lose With the Blues (2019). Throughout his career, Harris has collaborated with various artists such as Max Roach, Dizzy Gillespie, Jon Hendricks, Stanley Turrentine, Lionel Hampton, Al Grey, and Donald Byrd. He also served as the musical director for shows like Songs My Mother Taught Me and Cab Calloway's Legacy of Swing.
