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Stefon Harris on Soul, Sound, and Harmony in Motion

By Steven Roby | Backstage Bay Area
November 25, 2025
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Stefon Harris is a four-time Grammy-nominated jazz vibraphonist, bandleader, and educator. A longtime leader of the band Blackout and former member of the SFJAZZ Collective, he has recorded for Blue Note and Concord, collaborated with artists from Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter to Dianne Reeves and Common, and serves on the faculty at Rutgers University—Newark. Harris is also co-founder of the Melodic Progression Institute and creator of the Harmony Cloud ear-training app. In this episode: Stefon's early experiences with music in the Black church and classical training; The concept and story behind Sonic Creed Volume II: Life Signs; How the title track "Life Signs" grew out of creative limits and four-note cells; Writing "I Know, Love" as a musical memorial and exploring the emotional weight of chords; Why Harmony Cloud was designed as a "metronome for harmony" and how musicians are using it: Reflections on his years with the SFJAZZ Collective and the lessons learned there.

Playlist

Stefon Harris & Blackout "Life Signs" from Sonic Creed Volume Two: Life Signs (Motéma)
Stefon Harris & Blackout "I Know Love" from Sonic Creed Volume Two: Life Signs (Motéma)

About Stefon Harris

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