Harris was raised in a small town in Michigan, studying classical piano from a young age. He was never the same after he heard the Beatles and the Doors in elementary school in the '60's. His next revelation came upon discovering his father's jazz record collection in his teens. Mingus, Monk, Miles, Mulligan and Getz were the treasures he unearthed. He fell in love with Keith Jarrett, Wayne Shorter, and Antonio Carlos Jobim soon after. Harris's wide-ranging influences also include Steven Sondheim, Robert Fripp, Joni Mitchell, and Celtic folk music, in addition to the classic rock that he was raised on. His originals are melodic and comfortable, yet often take you to unexpected places.