Miller Theatre's Jazz Series Welcomes Stefon Harris and Sonic Creed Today

Four dynamic bandleaders make this season at Miller an exhilarating world tour of jazz. Drawing inspiration from Rio and Puerto Rico, Southern India and Harlem, these artists breathe new life into a uniquely American art form. Together, they show us the endless possibilities and infectious energy of jazz.

Stefon Harris & Sonic Creed come to the Miller Theatre (2960 Broadway at 116th Street) today Saturday, January 30, 2016 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets: $20-$35; Students with valid ID: $7-$21. Visit www.millertheatre.com/events/stefon-harris-sonic-creed for more information.

Armed with marimbas, vibes, and an electrifying stage presence, Stefon Harris offers "a high-gloss, dizzyingly virtuosic blend of postbop and funk- and R&B-informed groove" (Time Out New York). His new group, Sonic Creed, is packed with talent, including the rising-star Elena Pinderhughes, who was praised as a musician who "throws her flute, body and soul into Latin jazz" by The New York Times-at age ten. Since then, she's flourished, bringing her bold sound on vocals and flute to a wide range of jazz styles.

Featuring:
Stefon Harris, vibraphone & marimba
Elena Ayodele Pinderhughes, flute & vocals
Mike Moreno, guitar
James Francies, piano
Joshua Crumbly, bass
Jonathan Pinson, drums

From Miller Theatre Executive Director Melissa Smey: "I'm thrilled to welcome Stefon Harris back to our stage to kick off a new year of exciting music at Miller Theatre. His new ensemble, Sonic Creed, features some amazing young talent that will keep audiences on their toes."

Stefon Harris (www.stefonharris.com) Vibraphonist-composer Stefon Harris is heralded as "one of the most important young artists in jazz" (The Los Angeles Times). A three-time Grammy nominee, six-time Best Mallet player by the Jazz Journalist Association, and recipient of Lincoln Center's Martin E. Segal Award, Harris earned a B.M. in Classical Music and a M.M. in Jazz Performance from the Manhattan School of Music.

He tours worldwide with his band Blackout and the San Francisco Jazz Collective, teaches at New York University, and has been Artist in Residence at Fontana Chamber Arts (Kalamazoo), The Lied Center (Lincoln, NE), and San Francisco Performances. Harris serves on the Executive Board of Directors for Chamber Music America, and was the first musician elected to the WBGO-FM Board of Directors.

Elena Ayodele Pinderhughes - Elena Ayodele Pinderhughes is a 20-year-old vocalist and flutist. Pinderhughes' interest in music started at an early age. She began singing and playing the flute at age seven. By age nine, she was performing and recording with local bands and recorded her first CD, Catch 22. At 11, she was featured in an HBO special on young musicians entitled The Music in Me. Versatile in many styles, Pinderhughes has won numerous awards for "best soloist" at festivals and from Downbeat magazine. A 2013 YoungArts Gold Award recipient and U.S Presidential Scholar in the Arts, she was a member of the Grammy Band and Choir, San Francisco Youth Symphony Orchestra, and Young Musicians Program.

Elena has performed in numerous venues, including: Carnegie Hall, the White House, the Kennedy Center, SF Jazz Center, Yoshi's Jazz Club, Davies Symphony Hall, The Jazz Standard, Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, The Jazz Gallery, Caramoor Music Festival, Moab Music Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, Marciac Festival and Montreux Jazz Festival. She has performed in festivals and clubs throughout Europe, Japan, and South America. Pinderhughes has performed with Herbie Hancock, Hubert Laws, Kenny Barron, Esperanza Spalding, Ambrose Akinmusire, Vijay Iyer, Christian Scott, Carlos Santana, Orlando "Maraca" Valle, Stefon Harris, Joshua Redman, Josh Groban, and others.

Most recently, Pinderhughes recorded on Ambrose Akinmusire's latest Blue Note album, The Imagined Savior is Far Easier to Paint, Wayne Wallace's Grammy nominated album Latin Jazz, Jazz Latin, and performed in the premier of Vijay Iyer's work, Open City. Cited as "the most exciting jazz flautist to have emerged in years" by The Guardian, Pinderhughes is currently performing with a range of musicians, as well as with her own group, and playing and touring internationally with Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah and Stefon Harris.

In the summer of 2015, Pinderhughes signed with SRP Music group, the company responsible for discovering and signing Rihanna, among others. She is currently recording her debut album, which will be released in the spring of 2016.

Mike Moreno - Originally from Houston, Texas, Mike Moreno began studying music formally at the Houston High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. After graduating, Moreno moved to New York City with a scholarship to attend the New School University. While still working towards his Bachelor of Fine Arts, he began performing and touring with both venerable names in the jazz world and rising stars establishing their careers.

Moreno has recorded with numerous major artists, both inside and outside of the Jazz genre. Three of these recordings were nominated for Grammy Awards. Moreno's discography also includes recordings with artists such as Bilal, Jeremy Pelt, Robert Glasper, John Ellis, Aaron Parks, Jimmy Greene, Myron Walden, Sam Yahel, Ralph Bowen, Marcus Strickland, Yosvany Terry, Frank Locrasto, Kendrick Scott, Leonardo Cioglia, and Bob Reynolds.

James Francies - Even before moving to New York City in 2013, pianist James Francies had generated a well-deserved buzz in the jazz arena. He is the youngest recipient of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) President's Youth Award; he received two awards from Downbeat Magazine for Composition and Jazz Arrangement; his band opened for the legendary Jazz Crusaders reunion; and he performed at Monterey Jazz Festival. Francies has toured internationally with Jeff "Tain" Watts, Chris Dave and Drumhedz; joined Stefon Harris's band Sonic Creed; and fronts his own band, Kinetic.

Francies has performed with Bobby Watson, Joe Lovano, Houston Person, Albert "Tootie" Heath, and Terrell Stafford among others. He has been a member of the Grammy Jazz Session Combo, The Thelonious Monk Institute All-Star Jazz Sextet, The Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, and the Texas Music Educators Association's All-State Jazz Ensemble. He has performed at some of the premiere venues around the country including Monterey Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, The Kennedy Center, and The Jazz Standard. Francies currently attends the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music on full scholarship.

Joshua Crumbly - Joshua Crumbly was born in October 1991 in a suburb of Los Angeles, where he was inspired to study music at an early age by his father, saxophonist Ronnie Crumbly. Starting at age three, Crumbly accompanied his dad to gigs, and he was immediately drawn to the bass. At five years old, Crumbly began taking classical piano lessons from Dathan Dedman and excelled rapidly, giving recitals within a few months. By the age of nine, Crumbly started playing the electric bass, and within months he was performing rock and R&B for student concerts, and within a year he became his father's first call bassist. He later studied with Al Mckibbon and John B. Williams before moving to New York City to attend The Juilliard School. Within months, Crumbly came to the attention of Terence Blanchard and became the bassist in his quintet, continuing to work with the Grammy award-winning band until after his graduation. Crumbly now tours worldwide with Stefon Harris and others.

Jonathan Pinson - Jonathan Pinson began his love affair with the drum set at the age of two when he was surrounded by the music of his mother's choir. His formal music training began at the age of six with instruction on the piano. Shortly after, Pinson transitioned to the drum set at the Colburn School of Performing Arts and studied with Billy Higgins from The World Stage.

After Pinson received his Bachelors of Arts Degree in Music at the Berklee College of Music, he was one of seven musicians accepted to the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance at the University of California Los Angeles, where he earned his Masters of Music. Shortly after being chosen, he was asked to tour with Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter's band, at the age of 23. This experience identified him as a highly sought after drummer in the music industry and has allowed him to tour and perform with notable artists such as Ambrose Akinmusire, John Clayton, Dave Liebman, Ed Simon and Eric Reed.

He is currently the drummer for Stefon Harris and is actively performing with other artists and teaching throughout New York and the surrounding area.