He curates the stage. Tonight, he owns it. Craig Harris — trombonist, composer, bandleader, and the visionary force behind the Harlem Jazz Series itself — steps into the spotlight on Friday, September 11, 2026, the day after his birthday. Born September 10th in Hempstead, New York, Craig Harris has spent his career at the center of jazz's most adventurous and socially engaged music. He toured with the legendary Sun Ra, has performed with Abdullah Ibrahim, David Murray, Lester Bowie, Cecil Taylor, Sam Rivers, Muhal Richard Abrams, and Charlie Haden, and is a 2022 NAACP Image Awards nominee as co-composer of the score for the Oscar-winning film Judas and the Black Messiah. His Harlem Nightsongs ensemble, featured on his acclaimed recording Managing the Mask, brings lush composition and expressive improvisation together in a sound that is unmistakably Craig Harris. Happy birthday, maestro — and welcome to your own stage.
Tickets: $30