Stefon Harris

When vibraphonist Stefon Harris suddenly emerged on the jazz scene in the late '90s, he was quickly identified as a potentially important and innovative player. Electing to make sure his jazz dues were paid, Harris--who was originally on a classical path, planning to be a symphonic percussionist--has spent the last couple of years solidifying his skills as a player, a leader and, as it turns out, a thoughtful, still-evolving artist.

You might think that a jazz ensemble project named Ninety Miles was paying tribute, in plural, to a genius trumpeter with the last name of Davis. In fact, its members — Stefon Harris (vibraphone and marimba), David Sánchez (saxophone) and Christian Scott (trumpet), who'll perform Wednesday night at the Hollywood Bowl — take their collective moniker from a very different source. But it's a source, like Miles Davis, whose influence permeates the jazz vernacular of the Americas, and the world beyond.

The vibraphone has always been an enigmatic jazz instrument for me. Although I've been mesmerized by the very different styles of Lionel Hampton, Red Norvo, Terry Gibbs, Bobby Hutcherson and Milt Jackson -- to name a few -- I have often found the instrument's plink-plunk, in other hands, to be less than beguiling. I added Stefon Harris to that list of mesmerizing players almost as soon as I heard him.

IN his review of Stefon Harris, Don Heckman comments that he'd like the musician "even if he were playing the accordion" ["Strikingly Good Vibes From Stefon Harris," Oct. 30]. Enough already with slighting the accordion, one of the most versatile musical instruments around. Not only does the accordion boast a rich and dramatic history (and uninterrupted popularity) since the early 1900s, but it's proved itself an expressive jazz instrument since the glory days of Alice Hall and Art Van Damme.

New jazz stars have been hard to spot in the last few years. But few would argue that one of the brightest luminaries in that relatively small firmament is vibraphone player Stefon Harris. Since the arrival of his first album as a leader, "A Cloud of Red Dust" in 1998, his live outings and his recorded performances have revealed an omnivorous talent improving by leaps and bounds.

You might think that a jazz ensemble project named Ninety Miles was paying tribute, in plural, to a genius trumpeter with the last name of Davis. In fact, its members — Stefon Harris (vibraphone and marimba), David Sánchez (saxophone) and Christian Scott (trumpet), who'll perform Wednesday night at the Hollywood Bowl — take their collective moniker from a very different source. But it's a source, like Miles Davis, whose influence permeates the jazz vernacular of the Americas, and the world beyond.

IN his review of Stefon Harris, Don Heckman comments that he'd like the musician "even if he were playing the accordion" ["Strikingly Good Vibes From Stefon Harris," Oct. 30]. Enough already with slighting the accordion, one of the most versatile musical instruments around. Not only does the accordion boast a rich and dramatic history (and uninterrupted popularity) since the early 1900s, but it's proved itself an expressive jazz instrument since the glory days of Alice Hall and Art Van Damme.

Saxophonist Joshua Redman, vibraphonist Stefon Harris and guitarist John Pizzarelli lead the lineup on the Orange County Performing Arts Center's 2000-01 Jazz Club series in 299-seat Founders Hall. Pizzarelli opens the series Sept. 22 and 23. Redman plays March 30 and 31, and Harris on April 20 and 21, 2001. Also coming next season are Latin jazz pianist Eddie Palmieri (Oct. 20 and 21), husband-wife jazz and blues duo Jimmy and Jeannie Cheatham (Nov. 17 and 18), singer-pianist Freddy Cole (Dec.

A project as complicated as Stefon Harris' "Grand Unification Theory" is difficult to implement, even in the friendly surroundings of a recording studio. Nonetheless, the large-scale, 11-movement work for 12 musicians was superbly produced on a Blue Note album -- one of this year's first four-star collections. A live outing is a very different challenge, however.

Every now and then a night comes along in which the music is so enthralling, so superbly delivered, that a reviewer can set aside critical faculties and simply marvel at the sheer magic of artistry at work. The performance by the Stefon Harris and Jacky Terrasson Quartet at the Jazz Bakery on Tuesday was one of those nights. It's rare when two of the brightest young stars in the jazz firmament can be seen on the same stage.

The vibraphone has always been an enigmatic jazz instrument for me. Although I've been mesmerized by the very different styles of Lionel Hampton, Red Norvo, Terry Gibbs, Bobby Hutcherson and Milt Jackson -- to name a few -- I have often found the instrument's plink-plunk, in other hands, to be less than beguiling. I added Stefon Harris to that list of mesmerizing players almost as soon as I heard him.

A project as complicated as Stefon Harris' "Grand Unification Theory" is difficult to implement, even in the friendly surroundings of a recording studio. Nonetheless, the large-scale, 11-movement work for 12 musicians was superbly produced on a Blue Note album -- one of this year's first four-star collections. A live outing is a very different challenge, however.

New jazz stars have been hard to spot in the last few years. But few would argue that one of the brightest luminaries in that relatively small firmament is vibraphone player Stefon Harris. Since the arrival of his first album as a leader, "A Cloud of Red Dust" in 1998, his live outings and his recorded performances have revealed an omnivorous talent improving by leaps and bounds.

Every now and then a night comes along in which the music is so enthralling, so superbly delivered, that a reviewer can set aside critical faculties and simply marvel at the sheer magic of artistry at work. The performance by the Stefon Harris and Jacky Terrasson Quartet at the Jazz Bakery on Tuesday was one of those nights. It's rare when two of the brightest young stars in the jazz firmament can be seen on the same stage.

When vibraphonist Stefon Harris suddenly emerged on the jazz scene in the late '90s, he was quickly identified as a potentially important and innovative player. Electing to make sure his jazz dues were paid, Harris--who was originally on a classical path, planning to be a symphonic percussionist--has spent the last couple of years solidifying his skills as a player, a leader and, as it turns out, a thoughtful, still-evolving artist.

Saxophonist Joshua Redman, vibraphonist Stefon Harris and guitarist John Pizzarelli lead the lineup on the Orange County Performing Arts Center's 2000-01 Jazz Club series in 299-seat Founders Hall. Pizzarelli opens the series Sept. 22 and 23. Redman plays March 30 and 31, and Harris on April 20 and 21, 2001. Also coming next season are Latin jazz pianist Eddie Palmieri (Oct. 20 and 21), husband-wife jazz and blues duo Jimmy and Jeannie Cheatham (Nov. 17 and 18), singer-pianist Freddy Cole (Dec.

Vibist Stefon Harris has been praised for the past year or so as one of the important new jazz arrivals of the late '90s--and with good cause. His recorded work has been well-crafted, and his live performances, in particular, have been dynamic efforts to find new gold in the sounds of an already well-explored instrument. Tuesday, however, in the first set of a six-night run at the Jazz Bakery, Harris ran into a problem that can impact even far more experienced players: opening-night audio.

Tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson opened a six-night run at Catalina Bar & Grill on Tuesday with a typically hard-swinging sextet. No special news there, since Henderson, whether performing with a trio, a quartet, a big band or whatever, always manages to produce music rich in rhythm and overflowing with imagination. What was news was the presence of vibist Stefon Harris.

Vibist Stefon Harris has been praised for the past year or so as one of the important new jazz arrivals of the late '90s--and with good cause. His recorded work has been well-crafted, and his live performances, in particular, have been dynamic efforts to find new gold in the sounds of an already well-explored instrument. Tuesday, however, in the first set of a six-night run at the Jazz Bakery, Harris ran into a problem that can impact even far more experienced players: opening-night audio.

In the last year, 25-year-old vibraphonist Harris has created a stir appearing and/or recording with everyone from saxophonist Joe Henderson to guitarist Charlie Hunter. His debut CD holds to that promise, marking Harris as the vibraphone's next man of destiny. An intensely melodic player, Harris still manages to emphasize his instrument's percussive side, creating improvisations that contain a wellspring of lyric and rhythmic ideas.