Stephen Philip Harvey: SPH+2 | "Golden Hour" Album Release

Celebrating the release of Golden Hour, the second album by SPH+2 and the ninth release from saxophonist, composer, and bandleader Stephen Philip Harvey. Recorded live at the Golden Hour Rum Room in Saint Michaels, Maryland, the album features four original compositions and a reimagined interpretation of Henry Mancini’s “Days of Wine and Roses.” Released August 21, 2026, on Hidden Cinema Records, the recording captures one evening of the trio's monthly residency at one of the Mid-Atlantic's most unique listening rooms. Stephen Philip Harvey is an award-winning, Philadelphia-based saxophonist, composer, arranger, bandleader, and educator whose music bridges jazz traditions with the pulse of contemporary Black American music. Balancing expressive improvisation with cinematic, narrative-driven composition, Harvey leads four distinct ensembles: the chordless trio SPH+2, electric quintet Sphinx, Stephen Philip Harvey Octet, and Stephen Philip Harvey Jazz Orchestra. His 2026 trio album, Golden Hour, places his voice as both saxophonist and composer at the center of SPH+2’s intimate, chordless interplay. The season also includes the October premiere of Mythos, his Chamber Music America-commissioned suite, followed by the February 2027 release of The Pen is Mightier, an octet project inspired by Black American literature. Harvey’s 2025 large-ensemble recording, Multiversal: Live at Bop Stop, earned praise for its comic-book-inspired storytelling and orchestral imagination. DownBeat Magazine described him as “a composer and bandleader with a knack for translating comic-book action into instrumental jazz fireworks,” while UK Vibe called the album “a bold, super-powered live album.” His compositions have been performed by ensembles including the Orchestre National de Jazz, National Youth Jazz Orchestra, Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Peabody Conservatory, Eastman School of Music, and University of North Texas. NEA Jazz Master Roscoe Mitchell calls Harvey “an exceptional musician