artist info

A pioneering force in contemporary jazz. With influential albums like Sonic Creed (named Jazz Album of the Year by WBGO – the world's #1 jazz station) and Urbanus (GRAMMY-nominated), Stefon Harris & Blackout showcase a dynamic interplay of intricate arrangements and soulful improvisation, solidifying their status as trailblazers in the modern jazz landscape. Their performances promise an electrifying fusion of tradition and innovation, leaving an indelible mark on audiences and further shaping the evolving narrative of jazz expression. They recently released Sonic Creed II: Life Signs (Motema Music), which is the highly anticipated sequel to their critically acclaimed album, Sonic Creed.

Stefon Harris is also an educator, app developer, and thought leader. He has taught at universities throughout the world, led curriculum development at the Brubeck Institute, served as a part of the jazz faculty at New York University, and formerly served as the Associate Dean and Director of Jazz Arts at Manhattan School of Music. He is currently Artistic Advisor of Jazz Education at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), the Director of the Harmony Lab at Express Newark, and a tenured Associate Professor of Music at Rutgers University, Newark.

Harris has been heralded as "one of the most important artists in jazz" (Los Angeles Times) and is a recipient of the prestigious Doris Duke Artist Award and the Martin E. Segal Award from Lincoln Center. He has been named Best Mallet Player eight times by the Jazz Journalist Association and Best Vibes Player in DownBeat Magazine's Critics Poll. Harris currently tours with his Grammy-nominated band, Blackout, and has released eleven albums as a leader. He has also recorded and performed with The Classical Jazz Quartet, Kenny Barron, Ron Carter, Lewis Nash, the SFJAZZ Collective, Joe Henderson, Wynton Marsalis, Milt Jackson, Lionel Hampton, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Bobby Hutcherson, Cassandra Wilson, Diana Krall, Max Roach, Chaka Khan, Kurt Elling, Buster Williams, Dianne Reeves, Common, and Pablo Zeigler.