Originally destined for a career in baseball, William Harris started playing the drums after a stint in the army. Relocating to New York, he met and was mentored by jazz drummer Max Roach. Making contacts with high-profile members of the jazz community including Lee Konitz, Thelonious Monk and Chet Baker, he quickly made a name for himself as a leading jazz drummer.
In the 1970s he founded The 360 Degree Music Experience, a group specialising in experimental jazz. They released two albums - 'From Ragtime to No Time' (1975) and 'A Well Kept Secret' (1984). His most noted collaborations were with saxophonist Archie Shepp. Together they recorded 19 albums between 1966 and 1976 including 'For Losers' (1970), 'The Cry of My People' (1973) and 'Body and Soul' (1975). He also recorded with saxophonists Albert Ayler and Marion Brown and trombonist Roswell Rudd. In 1991, at the age of 55, Harris died after a lengthy battle with cancer.
