Free Thursday Night Jazz performance by the Stephen Philip Harvey Octet previewing its new album 'Mythos', inspired by African diaspora mythology.
The Stephen Philip Harvey Octet is back at Alphabet City on Thursday, October 29, from 7 PM to 8:30 PM. It's their first time playing the venue since 2023, when they brought Elemental, a record grounded in nature. This time they're previewing Mythos, a collection of original compositions inspired by African diaspora mythology.
Bandleader Stephen Philip Harvey is a tenor saxophonist and composer whose work blends jazz tradition with cinematic storytelling and contemporary Black American music. He's also the Music Director of Delmarva Public Media. His 2025 album, Multiversal: Live at Bop Stop, earned a few high marks: DownBeat called it "instrumental jazz fireworks," and UK Vibe described it as a "bold, super-powered live album."
For Mythos, he's bringing a full octet. Along with Harvey on tenor sax and compositions, the lineup includes Chris Coles on alto sax, Tommy Lehman on trumpet, Reggie Watkins on trombone, Dan Bruce on guitar, Theron Brown on piano, Jordan McBride on bass, and Daniel May on drums. That's a heavy horn section—four voices across the saxes, trumpet, and trombone—which gives the ensemble plenty of room to move between tight arrangements and open playing.
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Alphabet City is the City of Asylum venue, which bills itself as building a just community by protecting and celebrating freedom of creative expression. The house restaurant, Cucina Alfabeto, is open for dinner from 5 PM to 10 PM, so you can eat before the set. Admission is free, with tickets available for both in-person and livestream audiences.
