Stefon Harris
Encyclopedia
Stefon Harris is an American
jazz
vibraphonist
. In 1999, the Los Angeles Times
called him "one of the most important young artists in jazz" who is "at the forefront of new New York
music" and "much in demand as a star sideman". Harris has played with several jazz luminaries including Kenny Barron
, Steve Turre
, Kurt Elling
, and Charlie Hunter
, in addition to releasing several of his own critically well-regarded albums.
Harris is a resident of Newark, New Jersey
.
in New York City
. He credited his teachers in High School with recognizing his "passion for music early on and offered lessons and the chance to bring home instruments to practice." He has stated that "Music education
and performance in ensemble
s, like the Empire State Youth Orchestra
, exposed me to me to other cultures and genres." He also was the captain of the high school wrestling
team. Of Manhattan School of Music
he has said: "The School gave me the opportunity to explore the diversity of both classical and jazz music and find the direction I wanted to go artistically."
, has composed music, and has released six CDs.
He has performed throughout North America
and Australia
, from New York's Lincoln Center, to San Francisco, Chicago
, East Lansing, Michigan
, Troy, New York
, Eilat, Israel
, and Sydney, Australia.
In April 2009, he will headline at the Orange County Performing Arts Center
in Orange County
, California
.
and trumpeter Christian Scott
in 2011 on the album Ninety Miles. They recorded the album in Havana, Cuba
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
vibraphonist
Vibraphonist
Notable players of the vibraphone include:* Peter Appleyard* Roy Ayers* Karl Berger* Jeff Berman* Jack Brokensha* Larry Bunker* Christian Burchard* Rusty Burge* Gary Burton* Joe Chambers* Teddy Charles* Salem Chiles* John Cocuzzi* Monte Croft...
. In 1999, the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
called him "one of the most important young artists in jazz" who is "at the forefront of new New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
music" and "much in demand as a star sideman". Harris has played with several jazz luminaries including Kenny Barron
Kenny Barron
Kenny Barron , is an American jazz pianist. He is the younger brother of tenor saxophonist Bill Barron, and known for his lyrical, adaptive style.-Biography:...
, Steve Turre
Steve Turre
Steve Turre is a trombonist, recording artist, arranger, and educator. In 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2006 he won the Down Beat Reader's Poll for best trombonist....
, Kurt Elling
Kurt Elling
Kurt Elling is an American jazz vocalist, composer, lyricist and vocalese performer. Born in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in Rockford, Elling first became interested in music through his father, who was Kapellmeister at a Lutheran church...
, and Charlie Hunter
Charlie Hunter
for the New Zealand racehorse trainer and driver see: Charlie HunterCharlie Hunter is an American guitarist, composer and bandleader....
, in addition to releasing several of his own critically well-regarded albums.
Harris is a resident of Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
.
Education and early career
A 1991 graduate of Albany High School, Harris earned his bachelor's (in 1995) and master's (in 1997) from Manhattan School of MusicManhattan School of Music
The Manhattan School of Music is a major music conservatory located on the Upper West Side of New York City. The school offers degrees on the bachelors, masters, and doctoral levels in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He credited his teachers in High School with recognizing his "passion for music early on and offered lessons and the chance to bring home instruments to practice." He has stated that "Music education
Music education
Music education is a field of study associated with the teaching and learning of music. It touches on all domains of learning, including the psychomotor domain , the cognitive domain , and, in particular and significant ways,the affective domain, including music appreciation and sensitivity...
and performance in ensemble
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
s, like the Empire State Youth Orchestra
Empire State Youth Orchestra
Empire State Youth Orchestras was founded as a single orchestra in 1979 by a group of dedicated parents and music educators. Today's ESYO consists of nine performing ensembles: two full orchestras, a wind orchestra, a string ensemble, two jazz ensembles, and three percussion ensembles...
, exposed me to me to other cultures and genres." He also was the captain of the high school wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
team. Of Manhattan School of Music
Manhattan School of Music
The Manhattan School of Music is a major music conservatory located on the Upper West Side of New York City. The school offers degrees on the bachelors, masters, and doctoral levels in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition...
he has said: "The School gave me the opportunity to explore the diversity of both classical and jazz music and find the direction I wanted to go artistically."
Performances
He plays the vibraphoneVibraphone
The vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family....
, has composed music, and has released six CDs.
He has performed throughout North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, from New York's Lincoln Center, to San Francisco, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, East Lansing, Michigan
East Lansing, Michigan
East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located directly east of Lansing, Michigan, the state's capital. Most of the city is within Ingham County, though a small portion lies in Clinton County. The population was 48,579 at the time of the 2010 census, an increase from...
, Troy, New York
Troy, New York
Troy is a city in the US State of New York and the seat of Rensselaer County. Troy is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany and Schenectady, forming a region popularly called the Capital...
, Eilat, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, and Sydney, Australia.
In April 2009, he will headline at the Orange County Performing Arts Center
Orange County Performing Arts Center
The Orange County Performing Arts Center is a performing arts complex located in Costa Mesa, California, United States.The Center offers the world’s leading dance companies, Broadway shows, award-winning classical, jazz and cabaret artists, family entertainment, special events and year-round...
in Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Collaboration
Harris collaborated with saxophonist David SánchezDavid Sánchez (musician)
David Sanchez is a well known, 2005 Grammy winning jazz tenor saxophonist from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico born in September 1968.-Early life:Sanchez took up the conga when he was eight and started playing tenor saxophone at age 12. The earliest influences were Afro-Caribbean and danza but also European...
and trumpeter Christian Scott
Christian Scott
Christian Scott, born March 31, 1983, in New Orleans, Louisiana, is the 2010 Edison Award winner for Best International Jazz Artist and a Grammy Award-nominated jazz trumpeter, composer and producer. He has been heralded by JazzTimes magazine as "the Architect of a new commercially viable fusion"...
in 2011 on the album Ninety Miles. They recorded the album in Havana, Cuba
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
.
As a leader
- A Cloud of Red DustA Cloud of Red Dust-Personnel:*Stefon Harris – vibraphone, balafon, orchestra bells*Dwayne Burno – double bass*Kamati Dinizulu – harp, percussions*June Gardner – Vocals*Alvester Garnett – drums*Mulgrew Miller, Jason Moran – piano...
(1998) Blue NoteBlue Note RecordsBlue Note Records is a jazz record label, established in 1939 by Alfred Lion and Max Margulis. Francis Wolff became involved shortly afterwards. It derives its name from the characteristic "blue notes" of jazz and the blues. At the end of the 1950s, and in the early 1960s, Blue Note headquarters... - Black Action Figure (1999) Blue Note
- Kindred (2001) Blue Note
- The Grand Unification Theory (2003) Blue Note
- Evolution (2004) Blue Note
- African Tarantella: Dances With Duke (2006) Blue Note
- UrbanusUrbanus (album)Urbanus is the seventh album by jazz vibraphonist Stefon Harris. It was released in August 2009 on Concord Records, Harris's first release with the label, his previous six releases were on Blue Note Records. The self-produced album was Harris's second with his band Blackout, the first being 2004's...
(2009) Blue Note
As a co-leader
- Nintey Miles (2011) Concord PicanteConcord RecordsConcord Records is a U.S. record label now based in Beverly Hills, California. Originally known as Concord Jazz, it was established in 1972 as an off-shoot of the Concord Jazz Festival in Concord, California by festival founder Carl Jefferson, a local automobile dealer and jazz fan who sold his...
with David Sanchez and Christopher Scott
As member of The Classical Jazz Quartet
- Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker (2001) Vertical Jazz (deleted)
- The Classical Jazz Quartet Plays Bach (2002) Vertical Jazz
- The Classical Jazz Quartet Play Rachmaninov (2006) Kind of Blue
- The Classical Jazz Quartet Play Tchaikovsky (2006) Kind of Blue
- Christmas (2006) Kind of Blue
As a sideman
- with Terell StaffordTerell StaffordTerell Stafford is a professional jazz trumpet player and current Director of Jazz Studies at Temple University.Terell Stafford born in Miami, Florida and raised in both Chicago, Illinois and Silver Spring, Maryland. He went on to get a degree in music education from University of Maryland in 1988...
Centripetal Force (1996) CandidCandid RecordsCandid Records was founded as a subsidiary of Archie Bleyer's Cadence label in New York City in 1960. The jazz writer and civil rights activist, Nat Hentoff, worked as the label's A&R director, aiming to create a representative catalog of the jazz of the day... - with Joe HendersonJoe HendersonJoe Henderson was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. In a career spanning more than forty years Henderson played with many of the leading American players of his day and recorded for several prominent labels, including Blue Note.-Early life:From a very large family with five sisters and nine...
Porgy & BessPorgy & Bess (Joe Henderson album)Porgy & Bess is a 1997 album by jazz saxophonist Joe Henderson, released on Verve Records. It contains Henderson's arrangements of music from George Gershwin's opera Porgy and Bess.-Personnel:*Joe Henderson, tenor saxophone*Conrad Herwig, trombone...
(1997) VerveVerve RecordsVerve Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded by Norman Granz in 1956, absorbing the catalogues of his earlier labels, Clef Records and Norgran Records , and material which had been licensed to Mercury previously.-Jazz and folk origins:The Verve... - with Jason MoranJason Moran (musician)Jason Moran is a jazz pianist and composer who debuted as a band leader with the 1999 album Soundtrack to Human Motion. Since then, he has garnered much critical acclaim and won a number of awards for his playing and compositional skills, which combine elements of stride piano, avant-garde jazz,...
Soundtrack to Human Motion (1999) Blue Note - with Greg OsbyGreg OsbyGreg Osby is an American jazz saxophonist who plays mainly in the free jazz, free funk and M-Base idioms.-Biography:Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Osby studied at Howard University, where he majored in Jazz Studies, and then at the Berklee College of Music, with Andy McGhee...
The Inner Circle (2002) Blue Note - with Kurt EllingKurt EllingKurt Elling is an American jazz vocalist, composer, lyricist and vocalese performer. Born in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in Rockford, Elling first became interested in music through his father, who was Kapellmeister at a Lutheran church...
Man in the AirMan in the AirMan in the Air is a jazz album by vocalist Kurt Elling, released by Blue Note Records in 2003.-Track listing:#"Minuano " – 7:53#"In the Winelight" – 6:38#"Resolution" – 6:51...
(2003) Blue Note - with Kenny BarronKenny BarronKenny Barron , is an American jazz pianist. He is the younger brother of tenor saxophonist Bill Barron, and known for his lyrical, adaptive style.-Biography:...
Images (2004) Sunny Side - with Janis SiegelJanis Siegel (singer)Janis Siegel is a singer with the vocal group The Manhattan Transfer . In 1965 Siegel recorded with a group called Young Generation on Red Bird records. In 1972 the original Manhattan Transfer had disbanded, and founder Tim Hauser re-formed the band with different singers, including Siegel...
Sketches of Broadway (2004) Telarc - with Lea DeLariaLea DeLariaLea DeLaria is an American comedienne, actress, and jazz musician. The "famously controversial" DeLaria was "the first openly gay comic to break the late-night talk-show barrier" with her 1993 appearance on The Arsenio Hall Show....
Double Standards (2005) Telarc - with Diana KrallDiana KrallDiana Jean Krall, OC, OBC is a Canadian jazz pianist and singer, known for her contralto vocals. She has sold more than 6 million albums in the US and over 15 million worldwide; altogether, she has sold more albums than any other female jazz artist during the 1990s and 2000s...
Christmas Songs (2005) Verve - with Raul MidónRaul MidónRaúl Midón is a singer-songwriter and guitarist from New Mexico, based in New York City. He combines his distinct voice, strumming, beats, and vocal mouth trumpet sounds to create a one-man performance. His unique style shows influence of virtually every musical genre which came before him,...
State of MindState of Mind (Raul Midón album)State of Mind is Raul Midón's second album, released June 7, 2005 through Manhattan Records. In the album, he occasionally uses his trademark vocal style, "instrumental voices", which are also performed by him during his live performances.-Track listing:...
(2005) Blue Note - with Joshua RedmanJoshua RedmanJoshua Redman is an American jazz saxophonist and composer who records for Nonesuch Records. He won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition in 1991.-Biography:...
MomentumMomentum (Joshua Redman album)Momentum is a 2005 album by jazz saxophonist Joshua Redman. All compositions are original works unless otherwise noted.-Track listing:# "Soundcheck"# "Sweet Nasty"# "Just a Moment"# "Shut Your Mouth"# "The Crunge"...
(2006) NonesuchNonesuch RecordsNonesuch Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group and distributed by Warner Bros. Records.-Company history:Nonesuch was founded in 1964 by Jac Holzman to produce "fine records at the same price as a trade paperback", which would be half the price of a normal LP... - with Steve TurreSteve TurreSteve Turre is a trombonist, recording artist, arranger, and educator. In 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2006 he won the Down Beat Reader's Poll for best trombonist....
Keep Searching (2006) HighNote - with Ry CooderRy CooderRyland Peter "Ry" Cooder is an American guitarist, singer and composer. He is known for his slide guitar work, his interest in roots music from the United States, and, more recently, his collaborations with traditional musicians from many countries.His solo work has been eclectic, encompassing...
My Name Is BuddyMy Name Is BuddyMy Name Is Buddy: Another Record by Ry Cooder is a social-political concept album by Ry Cooder. Cooder has described it as the second in a trilogy that began with Chávez Ravine and concluded with . The album is packaged in a small booklet that includes a brief story and drawing to accompany each...
(2007) Nonesuch - with Courtney PineCourtney PineCourtney Pine CBE is an English jazz musician. At school he studied the clarinet, although he is known primarily for his saxophone playing. Pine is a multi-instrumentalist, also playing the flute, clarinet, bass Clarinet and keyboards...
Transition in Tradition (2009) Destin-E