Stefon Harris is committed to exploring the rich potential of jazz composition and blazing new trails on the vibraphone. A graduate of the Manhattan School of Music, Harris has received numerous accolades including the Jazz Journalists Association's "Best Mallet Player" for four years running (2000-2003) and "#1 Rising Star Vibraphonist" in the 2006 DownBeat Critics Poll. His string of acclaimed albums includes the Blue Note sessions Kindred, Black Action Figure, The Grand Unification Theory, African Tarantella: Dances With Duke and the Grammy-nominated Concord release, Urbanus. His latest project is Ninety Miles, a CD and DVD made in Havana with saxophonist David Sánchez, trumpeter Christian Scott and a host of master Cuban musicians.
Edward Simon was born in the coastal town of Punta Cardón, Venezuela, where he grew up in a family of musicians surrounded by the sounds and rhythms of Latin and Caribbean music. Settling in New York City in 1989, he played with numerous jazz masters, including Herbie Mann, Paquito D'Rivera, Bobby Hutcherson, Bobby Watson, Terence Blanchard and Don Byron. He has produced eleven critically acclaimed albums as a leader, including two New York Times top ten jazz records of the year: Edward Simon (Kokopelli, 1994) and Simplicitas (Criss Cross, 2005). In 2010 Simon was named a Guggenheim Fellow, and his latest trio CD, Danny Boy, has recently been released.
“Wonder” what the Collective might be playing as they storm across America?
Here's some of the tunes they've got worked up.
Stevie Wonder is the latest musical legend to get the Collective treatment. Others to be musically honored include Ornette Coleman (2004), John Coltrane (2005), Herbie Hancock (2006), Thelonious Monk (2007), Wayne Shorter (2008), McCoy Tyner (2009) and Horace Silver (2010).
The Full Collective Collection
To see the whole catalog go to sfjazz.org