Stefon Harris & Blackout / Theo Croker

ABOUT THIS CONCERT
A rising star and a veteran master share this double bill as part of Terence Blanchard’s UpSwing series.  

ABOUT STEFON HARRIS
A disciple of Lionel Hampton, Milt Jackson and Bobby Hutcherson, Stefon Harris belongs to the grand lineage of vibraphonists in jazz. A member of the SFJAZZ Collective from 2007-13, Harris has performed with Joe Henderson, Wynton Marsalis, Buster Williams, Kenny Barron, Cassandra Wilson and many other legends, and made his recording debut as a leader on Blue Note Records in 1998, when he was only 25. His ongoing Blackout project pays tribute to the jazz pantheon while exploring closely related territories: pop, R&B, hip-hop. His forthcoming album, LEGACY DANCES, is his fifth with the band.

ABOUT THEO CROKER
Easily among the most exciting and innovative musicians on the scene, trumpeter Theo Croker is an artist who “exemplifies this moment in jazz” (DownBeat). Grandson of trumpet legend Doc Cheatham, the Florida native was mentored by the great Donald Byrd at Oberlin Conservatory. Championed by iconic vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater, Croker released his self-produced debut in 2006 and has collaborated with artists including Common, J. Cole, Kassa Overall, and Kamaal Williams. He gained worldwide acclaim for his 2014 major label debut Afro Physicist, and his expansive upcoming album, Dream Manifest, is highly anticipated.