Cornbread Harris, Jimmy Jam send Palmer’s Bar off on right note

The Brief

• James “Cornbread” Harris has played regular gigs at Palmer’s Bar on Sunday evenings for the last few years.

• Before the watering hole closed for good on Sunday, the veteran jazz and R & B piano man’s son, Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame producer Jimmy Jam, joined him on the drums for the end of his show.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – The legendary father and son helped the West Bank institution say goodbye in style.

Piano is everything

What we know

When Cornbread Harris plays the piano, he says it feels like god is polishing the notes.

But now he’ll have to find a new place to tickle the ivories for what was billed as the “Church Of Cornbread”.

“It was a night of reverie, of course, but it was also a night of sadness, that closing thing,” said Harris.

‘The experience was amazing’

The backstory

For the last few years, the well-known pianist has played a regular gig at Palmer’s bar on Sunday evenings.

Before the bar closed for good on Sunday night, Harris’ son, Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame producer Jimmy Jam, watched his father perform, before joining him on the drums at the end of the night.

“My first professional gig was playing with him as his drummer. And so to be able to do that recently at Palmer’s and be his drummer again is pretty amazing,” said Jam.

Jam says the two were estranged for 50 years, until local music journalist Andrea Swensson started writing the book “Deeper Blues” about Harris’ life, and the father and son mended fences.

In fact, when Jam, who dropped out of high school to pursue music, received a diploma at Washburn High School’s 100th anniversary last month, his dad had a front row seat.

“It was a wonderful moment. One that I didn’t think would ever happen So, it was great,” said Jam.

‘His blessing is everybody’s blessing’

What they’re saying

With the audio version of Deeper Blues now out, Harris is getting his due for laying the groundwork for the “Minneapolis Sound.”

And at 98-years-old, there’s no shortage of divine inspiration in the “Church Of Cornbread” to sing the blues.

“Now I can see more about how blessed I am because I’m getting to be important to the world,” said Harris.

Even though Palmer’s is now closed, Harris says he’ll continue his Sunday gigs at another historic bar, Schooner’s Tavern beginning next Sunday.