Career
Born in Bridgetown, Saint Michael, Barbados, Harry Beckett learned to play music in a Salvation Army band. A resident in the United Kingdom since 1954, he had an international reputation. In 1961, he played with Charles Mingus in the film All Night Long.
In the 1960s he worked and recorded within the band of bass player and composer Graham Collier.
Beginning in 1970, he led groups of his own, recording for Philips, Radio Corporation of America and Ogun Records among other labels. He was a key figure of important groups in the British free jazz/improvised music scene, including Ian Carr"s Nucleus, the Brotherhood of Breath and The Dedication Orchestra, London Jazz Composers Orchestra, London Improvisers Orchestra, John Surman"s Octet, Django Bates, Ronnie Scott"s Quintet, Kathy Stobart, Charlie Watts, Stan Tracey"s Big Band and Octet.
Elton Dean"s Ninesense. He has also recorded with Keef Hartley, Jah Wobble, David Sylvian and worked with David Murray.
He toured abroad with Johnny Dyani, Chris McGregor, Keith Tippett, John Tchicai, Joachim Kühn, Dudu Pukwana"s Zila, George Gruntz"s Bands, Belgian quintet The Wrong Object, Pierre Dørge"s New Jungle Band and Annie Whitehead"s Robert Wyatt project, Soupsongs, which also featured Philosophy Manzanera and Julie Tippetts, among other jazz and rock luminaries.
His dub-oriented album, The Modern Sound of Harry Beckett, was produced by famed British producer Adrian Sherwood and released on On-U Sound in late 2008. Beckett died on 22 July 2010 after suffering a stroke.
