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| Saxophonist Stephen Harvey to release new recording "Library Card" Library Card is the fifth release of saxophonist, composer, and educator Stephen Philip Harvey. The LP features six original compositions and one standard tied together by their literary theme. It is the second release of chord-less trio, SPH+2; following the release of their holiday EP in November 2023. The original collection of music is specifically inspired by children's and young adult literature. Each title is a nod to different works by authors Dr. Seuss (2-3), Rick Riordan (4), Margaret Wise Brown (5), Mary Pope Osborne (6), and Bill Watterson (7). These original pieces are headed by the popular Rodgers and Hart standard with an apt title. This release coincides with National Reading Month as they jointly celebrate reading as a vehicle for learning, imagination, and social-emotional development. (Much like music and improvisation!) It's Harvey's goal to pair this release with educational performances to encourage both interest in music and reading to the next generation. The release features Harvey on tenor & soprano saxophones, Max Murray on bass, and Jordon Stanley on drums. This release will be preceded by two promotional singles, "I Could Write a Book" (1/19/2024) and "Son of Poseidon" (2/9/2024). About Stephen Philip Harvey: Stephen Philip Harvey (1992) is an African American saxophonist, composer, arranger, and educator. As a musician and bandleader, Stephen has throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions of the United States. He leads his ensembles with a drive to explore a vast array of avenues in improvisation and composition.These ensembles include his chordless trio SPH+2, his electric quintet, Sphinx, his mid-sized jazz combo, the Stephen Philip Harvey Octet (SPH8), and his large ensemble the Stephen Philip Harvey Jazz Orchestra (SPHJO). He has four full album releases under his belt: Suite Childhood (2016, Self-Released) and Smash! (2022, Next Level an imprint of Outside In Music). Elemental (2023) and his recent eponymous quintet release, Sphinx (2023). The latter two releases were released on Harvey's label, Hidden Cinema Records. As a composer and arranger, Stephen has worked with a diverse array of musicians and instrumentations; composing for solo instrument to wind ensemble, jazz combo to large ensembles. It is his practice to funnel his eclectic musical background into his compositions, fusing Jazz and Classical with Popular, Funk, Hip- Hop, Rock, and Gospel. His compositions have been performed by ensembles at universities throughout the USA. As an educator, Stephen has held instructional positions at all levels of education in diverse areas of music education. He currently holds instruction positions at Wicomico High School, Salisbury University, and Youngstown State University. write your comments about the article :: © 2024 Jazz News :: home page |