Jazz Musician Rufus Harley on "I've Got a Secret" (October 17, 1966)

[@drecool6976]

A philly treasure, i was fortunate to meet him at a gig in south philly as a teen, and then many more occassions in adulthood.

[@WootTootZoot]

Rufus said many times he knew full well he wasn't a good bagpipe player and played the instrument the way he did so people wouldn't mistake him for trying to be a traditional Piper. God rest your soul Rufus.

[@DJAnthrocide]

Steve Allen was a great man. He adored Jazz, and I'll bet anything he got Rufus on this show...

[@davidbowman271]

Didn't realize how well the bagpipe was suited to jazz! Just wonderful!

[@zachrowe1511]

I searched for this because Adam Neely posted a video about a Shakuhachi jazz player. I’m so glad this exists

[@tracypaxton1054]

I just did a search for Shakuhachi Jazz, then searched on YT for it. There have been quite a few playing Jazz on a shakuhachi. I was surprised.

[@groovivi]

GENIUS ! This man deserves so much respect for treading his own path, living every note he played. Too bad he is being laughed at by those stupid bunch of nerdies who will never understand anything about nothing. Thanks so much for the poster !

[@Fardawg]

"Too bad he is being laughed at by those stupid bunch of nerdies who will never understand anything about nothing." Sounded like the crowd loved it. They were clapping and whistling in appreciation.

[@bernardcarville2759]

Rufus Harley was a Philadephia,PA legend and treasure.

[@McNair1952]

I only discovered Mr Harley a few weeks ago, I hope his albums are still available.

[@PrinceHallPiper]

My Hero - The 1st Black Piper "Awesome" We - Us - Them & Yall, It's all in the bag.

[@jeprice08]

I don't know much about bagpipes and maybe just as well, but I love this! I might make this a ring tone one day if possible!

[@LeChuck63]

Great, Great, Great Video!!!! Thanks alot for posting! Rufus is one of a kind in the piping world!

[@soulierinvestments]

In July 1968, when the 5-day-a week syndicated version of “What’s My Line?” went into production for the first week for the first time, Rufus appeared as a Mister X and did a number.

[@mottopanukeiku7406]

As a piper I saw this and was all ready to shoot arrows. But this is awesome! It’s complete instrument abuse but he makes it work in a non traditional and creative way. 🎉

[@nightlife9907]

No!! No Jazz musician play the *bassoon*...50 years later:Alexdre Silverio: *exists*

[@nickdellow6073]

Frank Trumbauer played (and recorded) jazz on the bassoon in the 1920s.

[@pipertripp]

@groovivi I agree. I have to say it makes me cringe when I see his technique, but only because I play in the traditional style like most pipers and what he's doing is quite foreign to what I know, and to be honest, what I prefer to listen too. That said, I think he deserves a lot of credit for, as you say, treading his own path.

[@PuertoRicanPiper]

Wow that tenor is so close to the ear!

[@TheEyewizard]

HOW can you POSSIBLY dislike this?? In 1966 during the still timultuous Racial Unrest in the USA .. A black jazz musician has taught himself (hence his incorrect untraditional techique) the bagpipes ... as ALL can CLEARLY see he blows it out the water with his performance DESPITE his self induced technique!!

[@MrDaraghkinch]

Granted, nice try. Bottom line though, it sounds way out of tune to me!

[@Fardawg]

The racial unrest of the times have zip to do with whether or not people like the video. And I happen to like it.

[@FairDealDan]

Music starts at 5:32 click to get to it. I'm surprised he didn't play "Bag's Groove"

[@ChasR8]

hahaha Henry dosent know a sax is a ww!! Betsy thinks reeds are made of bamboo! ...Rufus you were the one & only J A Z Z B A G P I P E R *****

[@thewindthatshakesbar]

wow, as a Piper, all I can say is: he must have got a hard time to learn with the pipes on his right shoulder... but still sounds great!

[@philip6419]

Too difficult on right shoulder.. Why?

[@thewindthatshakesbar]

@@philip6419 because the bass drone being the heaviest, if it rests on the outside on your shoulder the drone would continuously slip and fall off his shoulder.

[@camthesaxman3387]

I play bagpipes, and it's really not hard to switch sides if I had to.

[@jeprice08]

If you want to hear how it really sounds, go to either kzbin.info/www/bejne/bYK5fYawj6ibrcU or kzbin.info/www/bejne/n4PMi5t9q71sjq8. This is pretty much the sped-up version and I can certainly understand why. This is only to the people who can't figure it out: The reason it's sped up is because he was simply on a thirty minute show and there were other people that were booked to be on that very same show and they had to make room for them and not just him, otherwise I think the song would've been longer.

[@SpielmannHannes]

Why does he hold the pipes under his right arm? Nevertheless he's a really fantastic player! A really god for me, I'd like do such a special an individual thing anytime too. :)

[@bobandveganlover9532]

"is it a novelty instrument?" "Yes" I'll show you a fucking novelty instrument pal.

[@baileal]

or the bagpipes

[@Saint_Dismas]

I wonder why he has his drones positioned in reverse order.

[@pauls8456]

He has them under the wrong arm (for most people) was he left handed?

[@sammahhoustafarii5466]

Just Genius Black people are so awesome and amazing period.....

[@Fardawg]

You don't even realize the several layers of racism in your comment, do you?

[@sammahhoustafarii5466]

@@Fardawg You don't even realize how many layer of I don't give a phuck! I can't even biggup my people now your racist. If I had said YT people are geniuses you wouldn't have said anything Fukkouttahere Mr or Mrs Karen!

[@gchapman1211]

He plays them on the wrong shoulder!!

[@kitsmith806]

So ! He still sounds good. If your hands were arthritic and you played a smooth tune on a piano with your feet and still sounded good who cares HOW you played.

[@MrLisaFischer]

So what, Jimmy played guitar using the left hand

[@promerker1892]

It’s low key bad, but I think that’s kinda of the point. He’s playing the wrong type of music on a weird instrument, the wrong way. If that doesn’t sum up the way it felt to be an African American during the time period damn I don’t know what else does. It’s truly ridiculous and as a result I love it. Every note is wrong, that’s how you know it’s good jazz. Wrong notes intentionally

[@stevenjenkins4334]

Is a sweet potato an instrument?

[@juanjose-ln7og]

wrong notes. pure jazz

[@bobmurray6302]

Not bad but a little flat on the tuning. I see possibilities.

[@TheEyewizard]

I am white by the way ...so I don'[t want to hear about any racial bias crap..

[@TruckTaxiMoveIt]

The Eyewizard huh? TMI

[@dylanmenzies3973]

uh.. mmm.. pretty flat

[@matthewwilson9749]

Ouch, that’s out of tune!!!

[@nickdellow6073]

Definitely

[@areamusicale]

not good

[@rmcq1999]

The OG Afro-Celtic Sound System.