Hyland Harris

Hyland began working at the Louis Armstrong House Museum in 2010. Prior to that he worked in various recording studios, toured Europe as a musician and as a sound reinforcement engineer, and managed a record store.

He has performed with Clifford Jordan, Benny Powell, Junior Cook, Antonio Hart, Mark Turner, Jeff Parker. He has given presentations at the Institute of Jazz Studies and the Jazz Museum of Harlem. Between 2003 and 2009 Hyland was a Lecturer for “The City and the Humanities” series at Lehman College, Commissioned to Jazz.com’s Encyclopedia of Jazz Musicians, Research Assistant for Ashly Kahn on his forthcoming book “Something Else: The Story of Blue Note Records and the Birth of Modern Jazz”, contributed to Keith Waters “The Studio Recordings of the Miles Davis Quintet 1965-1968 (Oxford Press) and his written liner notes for Jeff Parker’s “Bright Light in Winter” (Delmark Records) and Albert Tootie Heath’s “Philadelphia Beat” (Sunnyside Records)

Hyland holds a B.A. in Music Production and Engineering from the Berklee College of Music and a M.A. Jazz History and Research from Rutgers University with an emphasis on genealogical, discographical research, building biographical timelines and music analysis. He was the recipient of the Buddy Rich Scholarship, the Professional Music Scholarship, Milt Gabler Jazz Research Scholarship, Monroe Berger-Benny Carter Jazz Research Fund and the New Jersey State Merit Scholarship.

The enormity of Louis Armstrong’s contribution continues to humble and inspire. If he was solely remember as a musician, that gift alone would radically transform modern culture. However his influence continues to change the DNA of varying disciplines that were once perceived as being on the periphery.

When I began at the Museum, I was prepped to defensively explain the many misconceptions about Armstrong but within a few short years, the visitors who held these antiquated ideas have greatly diminished. That indicated to me that the Museum’s mission is working and now the organization is been able to spread the message as we plunge deeper into the layers and complexities of Armstrong’s music, life and legacy..

Hyland Harris on Louis Armstrong