Stefon Harris (b. 1973 USA) attained almost instant recognition as a vibraphonist and composer by both his peers and jazz critics alike for or his innovative compositions and for blazing new paths on the vibraphone and marimba. His passionate artistry, energetic stage presence, and astonishing virtuosity have propelled him into the forefront of the current jazz scene. Harris has performed at many of the world’s most distinguished concert halls, including the Carnegie Hall debut of African Tarantella...Dances with Duke (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, Brasil. 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 several festivals and has received several commissions including The Grand Unification Theory a full length concert piece commissioned by The Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Suite Moments a special commission from The Wharton Center for Performing Arts, Michigan State University and Portraits of The Promised, commissioned by Fontana Chamber Arts for People’s Church Sesquincentennial Celebration in Kalamazoo, MI. In 2007, Harris joined the San Francisco Jazz Collective in with whom he tours in addition to leading his band Blackout and special projects.

Originally trained as a classical percussionist, Harris is a music virtuoso, having learned to play every instrument in the band by the time he graduated from high school. He went on to receive his Master's degree in jazz performances from the Manhattan School of Music. 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 The Grand Unification Theory (2003) and the 2001 release of Kindred (Blue Note) and his 1999 release of Black Action Figure (Blue Note) for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo. North Sea Jazz (Netherlands) named Harris for the prestigious International 2002 Bird Award for Artist Deserving Wider Recognition. 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. He currently teaches at New York University Stefon Harris was born in Albany, New York and resides in Newark, New Jersey.

Stefon Harris started his residency in 2002 at the tail end of a three month tour with his band Blackout. Because of this, he spent the first weeks at the Gardner playing late into the night on the Tapestry Room piano. In the wee hours of the morning and in the afternoons, Harris filled the museum with music as he worked on a piece for a large ensemble inspired by his surroundings. When interviewed by Bob Blumenthal of the Boston Globe, Harris commented: “Being in the Tapestry Room with all of those beautiful paintings is bringing something different and less aggressive out of me…I can tell that the experience has already changed me as a composer.”

Harris returned in January of the following year to work with 20 students from Boston Latin School’s “Big Band”. The students played three Duke Ellington pieces and Harris worked with them on the pieces, showing them examples of how to play on top of the beat instead of behind it, the use of blues chords as opposed to scales. Harris also went to the Boston Arts Academy and brought with him musicians Xavier Davis (piano), Tarus Mateen (bass), and Terreon Gully (drums) for a master class and gave a performance in the Tapestry Room for younger students from the Tobin School, Farragut School and the Alternative School at Little House. On September 28 Harris returned again to premiere his new composition, The Gardner Meditations, which opened the season’s Saturday Jazz at the Gardner Series.