Remembering Saxman Eddie Harris

Tenor saxophonist Eddie Harris, who died Tuesday of kidney cancer at 62, was an enigmatic jazz artist who never quite received the attention his talents deserved. After having an instant hit with his “Theme From Exodus” in 1961, Harris was generally associated with jazz-pop crossover music, notably so with Les McCann in the 1969 hit “Compared to What.” But he also was a powerful improviser and a masterful technician, one of the first jazz players to explore the saxophone’s extended range. His lesser-known recordings from the early ‘90s were potent reminders of his still-imaginative creative skills.

Services for Harris will be held Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at the Angelus Funeral Home, 3875 Crenshaw Blvd., Los Angeles.