Results for "Stefon Harris"

Stefon Harris

Vibraphonist-composer Stefon Harris is heralded as "one of the most important young artists in jazz" (The Los Angeles Times). He is unquestionably developing what will be a long and extraordinary career. Stefon Harris' passionate artistry, energetic stage presence, and astonishing virtuosity have propelled him into the forefront of the current jazz scene. widely recognized and lauded by both his peers and jazz critics alike, the 30 year-old is committed to both exploring the rich potential of jazz composition and blazing new trails on the vibraphone. A graduate of The Manhattan School of Music, he received a B.A

Logan Richardson: AfroFuturism

By CHRIS MAY

In a 2016 interview, Kansas City-born alto saxophonist Logan Richardson said: “Jazz will constantly change because there's constantly a new us, new times. There will always be a fight from the conformists--but they don't represent where the tradition is coming from." Richardson was talking not long after the release of his adventurous Blue Note album, Shift. ...

Hanksgiving - A Tribute to Hank Mobley, Part 1

By LUDOVICO GRANVASSU

For our seasonal Hanksgiving show, this year we pay tribute to Hank Mobley, both as a saxophonist and a composer, by playing music from his albums, which are a cornerstone of the Blue Note sound and catalogue, and renditions of his music by musicians that came after him. There's so much to love in Mobley's repertoire. ...

Take Five with Denin Koch

By AAJ STAFF

Meet Denin Koch Hailed as possessing “pristine playing, meticulous composing" and “a very personal voice deserving of attention," guitarist and composer Denin Koch has synthesized his wide and varied influences into a unique approach to jazz improvisation. He has performed with Arturo Sandoval, Pat Metheny, Branford Marsalis, Ellis Marsalis, Wycliffe Gordon, Dee Daniels, Ryan Keberle, and ...

Chien Chien Lu: The Path

By DAN BILAWSKY

For vibraphonist Chien Chien Lu, the path to jazz wasn't direct. She rode a contemporary classical percussion track into her twenties in her native Taiwan, but, as it turned out, that drive was less about reaching a destination than it was about the act of discovery: A growing desire for musical freedom and adventure eventually set ...

20 Seattle Jazz Musicians You Should Know: Brittany Anjou

By PAUL RAUCH

The city of jny: Seattle has a jazz history that dates back to the very beginnings of the form. It was home to the first integrated club scene in America on Jackson St in the 1920's and '30s. It saw a young Ray Charles arrive as a teenager to escape the nightmare of Jim Crow in ...

Dave Stryker: Guitars, Organs & Eight-Tracks

By MARK SULLIVAN

Guitarist Dave Stryker grew up in Omaha, Nebraska and moved to New York City in 1980. His big break came when he joined organist Jack McDuff's group for two years, from 1984-85. It was through McDuff that Stryker met tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine, who would occasionally sit in. After leaving McDuff, Turrentine asked Stryker to join ...

2019: The Year in Jazz

By KEN FRANCKLING

The year 2019 was robust in many ways. International Jazz Day brought its biggest stage to Australia. An important but long-shuttered jazz mecca was revived in a coast-to-coast move. ECM Records celebrated a golden year. The music and its makers figured prominently on the big screen. The National Endowment for the Arts welcomed four new NEA ...

Dave Stryker: Eight Track Christmas

By JACK BOWERS

No, you needn't scour the woods searching for an eight-track tape player (good luck with that). Guitarist Dave Stryker's Eight Track Christmas refers not to outmoded recording / playback equipment but to his Eight Track Band (actually a quartet) and its album of songs for the 2019 holiday season. As those who've heard the group perform ...

We Three Holiday Happenings: Season's Greetings From Benny Benack III and the Steven Feifke Big Band, Martina DaSilva and Dan Chmielinski, and Dave Stryker

By DAN BILAWSKY

It's Christmas all over again, so deck the halls, break out the eggnog and get ready for a proliferation of holiday albums. As with any and every year, there are plenty of new jazz releases that fall into this most festive category and saturated market. Some lean solely on popular favorites, sticking close to the templates ...