Savannah Harris joins the faculty at the Institut Jazz

The Institut Jazz at the Basel Academy of Music FHNW welcomes drummer, composer, and producer Savannah Harris as new Professor of Drums and Ensembles joining in fall 2026. 

Savannah Harris is one of the defining drummers of her generation. Deeply rooted in the jazz tradition, she combines it with influences from a variety of musical styles, making this a central element of her artistic approach. Her work moves between jazz, improvisation, and contemporary music. 

She has performed and recorded with indie and experimental artists including Helado Negro, Georgia Anne Muldrow, KeiyaA, Nick Hakim, Kate Davis, Justin Allen, and Standing on the Corner. Her jazz recordings include releases with Peter Evans, María Grand, and Or Bareket. She has also performed with Geri Allen, Jason Moran, Ambrose Akinmusire, Terence Blanchard, Linda May Han Oh, Billy Childs, Immanuel Wilkins, Joel Ross, and Aaron Parks. 

Harris is currently touring with Christian McBride, Cécile McLorin Salvant, and Kenny Barron and works as musical director with rapper MIKE. 

In 2019, she received the Harlem Stage Emerging Artist Award. She was featured twice in the January 2021 issue of Modern Drummer: as a profiled artist and as a writer. Her collaborative project ØKSE received the 2025 German Jazz Prize for International Album of the Year for its self-titled debut album. 

Raised in a family of musicians, Harris completed a double degree in journalism and jazz at Howard University and earned her Master’s degree in Jazz Performance from the Manhattan School of Music. She is also a teaching artist with Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Jazz for Young People programme and gives workshops and masterclasses. 

We are very excited to work with Savannah Harris and warmly welcome her to the Institut Jazz!