Sets at 7:30pm and 9pm
Join us for an electrifying evening of big band action as the Stephen Philip Harvey Jazz Orchestra (SPHJO) performs the music of their sophomore album, Multiversal: Live at BOP STOP, and new original arrangements and compositions. This thrilling live recording—captured at the iconic Cleveland venue—drops August 22, 2025, and showcases an action-packed collection of original works by saxophonist, composer, and conductor Stephen Philip Harvey.
The SPHJO is a seventeen-piece ensemble featuring a rotating roster of world-class musicians from across the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest. Known for their bold sound and adventurous programming, the group debuted in 2022 with Smash!, a studio album released on Next Level (an imprint of Outside in Music). Drawing inspiration from comic books and superhero sagas, Harvey’s compositions burst with cinematic energy, a signature style continued and expanded in this new live album.
With Multiversal, Harvey channels the spirit of America's original large ensemble—the jazz orchestra—into a vivid, pseudo-cinematic soundscape filled with drama, intensity, and imaginative storytelling. Don’t miss this celebration of sonic world-building, brought to life by a powerhouse band on the rise.
Press Quotes
“A composer and bandleader with a knack for translating com-book action into instrumental jazz fireworks. Multiversal goes further – making the listener feel not just like a reader of the story, but a participant in this cinematic, superhero-themed recording.” –Veronica Johnson, DownBeat Magazine
“A bold, super-powered live album that cements his place as one of contemporary jazz’s adventurous large-ensemble voices… [Multiversal] shows Harvey at the top of his compositional, arranging, and bandleading game.” – Mike Gates, UK Vibe
“His compositions and first-class arrangements connect the jazz tradition with the spirit of contemporary African American music.
The eleven tracks captivate with colorful instrumentation, brilliant solos, and admirable interplay between the orchestra’s sections.” — Michael van Gee, Jazz’n’More