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Vibraphonist and composer Stefon Harris will be joined by his group Blackout in a concert that pr

When people think of jazz, they usually think of adult contemporary music or the WAVE radio station, or even a musical genre that becomes more appreciated with age. But jazz musician, vibraphonist and composer Stefon Harris has made it his life to evolve the sound of jazz and the way people think about the genre.

Harris and his group Blackout will be performing sets from their latest album, “Evolution,” which incorporates the sounds of jazz, hip-hop and R&B, making their music accessible to all ages Feb. 11 at Royce Hall.

While “Evolution” is Harris’ fifth album, it is his first with Blackout. But as the sounds of the album range from classical music to hip-hop, it is difficult to categorize it under one musical genre.

Harris describes the band’s sound as soulful ensemble jazz on a melodic R&B tip laced with a grooved down hip-hop beat.

“There is a wide variety of musical influences on our album. It’s whatever inspires us at that moment in time,” Harris said. “I’ve made a record for people who don’t necessarily like jazz.”

Harris has been approached by people who tell him that they have enjoyed his concerts despite not being traditional jazz fans.

“Everyone can get something out of it because I feel we have that thump, that vibe that everyone can relate to and enjoy,” Harris said.

His recent performance at the Lincoln Center in New York was widely attended by old and young music lovers alike, which Harris believes is due to Blackout’s versatility.

“Our music still has the traditional jazz elements that jazz lovers want, but we also have the ability to make hip-hop beats that the younger generation can relate to,” Harris said.

The name Blackout came because Harris wanted to forget what everybody else said jazz had to sound like.

“I chose the name Blackout (because) I was thinking about it as blacking out a lot of the opinions that exist already,” Harris said. “In that process, I’ve started including my direct influences.”

His influences range from ’70s soul to current hip-hop artists such as Mos Def and Common. To Harris, music is just organized sound, and if it sounds interesting, then he will probably like it.

“We’re looking to find a way of letting go and taking ownership of our music without letting anyone else define it,” Harris said. “(Blackout) grew up listening to music that thumped. We love jazz and respect it, and we think jazz should thump.”

Harris grew up in Albany, New York and was a musical prodigy, having taught himself to read music at an early age. From then on, he was the advanced kid in class, and teachers pushed him to learn many instruments. By the time he was in high school, Harris was able to play about 20 instruments, including the clarinet and drums. His background was always classical music, and jazz did not come into play until college.

“I loved the freedom jazz allowed and wanted to be part of it to tell my own story,” Harris said. “Jazz was the perfect vehicle for that.”

Harris is a graduate of the Manhattan School of Music and holds a bachelor's degree in classical music and a master’s degree in jazz performance. He is also a recipient of three Grammy nominations for previous albums.

Harris believes his musical future will continue to evolve as he strives to continue his growth as an artist each year.

“My goal every year is to improve as an artist, and so far I am very happy in my development,” he said.