Roger Harrison brings uplifting jazz to Tampa Bay audiences

Roger Harrison in the WUSF Performance Studio(Warren Buchholz / WUSF )Pianist and composer Roger Harrison has spent a lifetime immersed in music. After training as a classical pianist from age nine, he discovered a passion for jazz through artists such as Wes Montgomery who led him to pursue improvisation, composition and performance.Since moving to the Tampa Bay area in 2014, Harrison has led the Harrison Jazz Ensemble and performed at concerts, hotels and private events throughout the region.“My goal is to bring music that kind of uplifts people,” Harrison said. “There's so much going on in the world today that brings us down. We need something to bring us up.”Harrison, influenced by jazz legends such as Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock, continues to perform original music that highlights the creativity and spontaneity at the heart of jazz. His latest album, More Than Friends, features many of the songs he performs live.Harrison performed with several local artists in the WUSF Performa