A graduate of Manhattan School of Music, Stefon Harris received a B.M. in Classical Music and a M.M. in Jazz Performance. He is a recipient of the prestigious Martin E. Segal Award from Lincoln Center and has earned three consecutive Grammy nominations including Best Jazz Album for Grand Unification Theory (2003) Kindred (2001, Blue Note), and his release of Black Action Figure (1999, Blue Note) for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo.

Harris has performed in many of the world’s most distinguished concert halls, including the Carnegie Hall debut of his most recent project, African Tarantella (2006, Blue Note), Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, The Kennedy Center, San Francisco’s Herbst Theater, UCLA’s Royce Hall, Chicago’s Symphony Center, Detroit’s Orchestra Hall and The Sydney Opera House.

In June 2007, his quartet performed a retrospective of his original compositions with the Jazz Sinfonica Orquestra in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He has toured and recorded with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and performed his original compositions with the Dutch Metropole Orchestra in Den Hague. He has toured South Africa, Brazil and Europe, performing at the North Sea Jazz Festival, Istanbul Jazz Festival and the Umbria Jazz Festival among others.

In 2001 he premiered The Grand Unification Theory, a full length concert piece commissioned by The Troy Savings Bank Music Hall which was later presented at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. He has also appeared at the legendary Playboy Jazz Festival and Montreal Jazz Festival. In March 2005, Harris debuted Suite Moments, a special commission from The Wharton Center for Performing Arts, Michigan State University.

In May 2006, he premiered Portraits of The Promised, commissioned by Fontana Chamber Arts for People’s Church Sesquincentennial Celebration in Kalamazoo, MI. He recently joined the San Francisco Jazz Collective with whom he tours in addition to leading his band Blackout and special projects.

An active educator, Harris conducts clinics and lectures throughout the country. He currently teaches at New York University and is Artist in Residence at Fontana Chamber Arts (Kalamazoo, MI) and has held similar posts with San Francisco Performances, The Isabelle Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston and The Monk Institute in Los Angeles.

Named one of the Top Ten CDs in 2006 by the Philadelphia Inquirer, Harris’ latest project, African Tarantell (pictured on left) brings a modern arrangement of Duke Ellington’s “New Orleans Suite” and “Queen Suite” along with selections from Harris’ “The Gardner Meditations.” The latter suite was part of a commission by The Wharton Center for Performing Arts at Michigan State University.

In addition to leading his own band, Harris has recorded as part of The Classical Jazz Quartet, a series of jazz interpreted classics with Kenny Barron, Ron Carter, and Lewis Nash. He has also recorded and toured with many of music’s greatest artists, including Joe Henderson, Wynton Marsalis, David Sanborn, Cassandra Wilson, Buster Williams, Kenny Barron, Charlie Hunter, Kurt Elling, Cyrus Chestnut, Steve Coleman, and Steve Turre among many others.

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