Eric Harland Voyager

One of the most in demand drummers of his generation, Houston-born Eric Harland has performed with jazz legends like Betty Carter, Joe Henderson and McCoy Tyner. He has been a member of the SFJAZZ Collective since 2006, and most recently journeyed out west as the 2014 Artist-in-Residence for the Monterey Jazz Festival. In DownBeat’s 65th Annual Readers Poll, Harland was included in the short list of top drummers, in the company of masters like Roy Haynes and the late Elvin Jones. His newest album with his Voyager group, Vipassana, establishes his talent as, in the words of the New York Times, “setting the rhythm of jazz’s future.”
Voyager seemingly encompasses all that Harland has, blending modern jazz with a hip-hop aesthetic, to thrilling results. Vipassana features Chris Turner on vocals, Walter Smith III on saxophone, child-protégé Julian Lage on guitar, Menlo Park born and raised Taylor Eigsti on piano and Harish Raghavan on bass, providing a multitude of textures, ranging from ethereal musical imagery to rock, pop and neo-soul twists.