Saxophone

Saxophonist, composer and recording artist Kris Allen was born and raised in Connecticut. He began musical studies at an early age, but his desire to pursue a life in jazz was catalyzed by an apprenticeship with legendary alto saxophonist Jackie Mclean, first at Hartford’s Artists Collective and later at the Hartt School of Music in Mclean’s African American Music Degree Program.

Kris’s quartet has released three widely critically acclaimed records of original compositions on Truth Revolution Records, Circle House (2012) Beloved (2016) and June (2021)

As a sideman, Kris has performed and/or recorded with Illinois Jacquet, Gerald Wilson, Andy Gonzales, Jimmy Greene, Helen Sung, Winard Harper, Andy Laverne, the Mingus Dynasty, Avery Sharpe, Ike Sturm, Rogerio Boccato, Andy Jaffe, Kendrick Oliver’s New Life Orchestra, Noah Baerman, Zaccai Curtis and Mario Pavone among others. He has collaborated with dancers, poets, and visual artists, as well as musicians from across diverse genres. Kris’s work has been honored with numerous awards and commissions, including a Macdowell Artist’s Colony fellowship and the Connecticut Office of the Arts fellowship. He tours widely as the leader of his own quartet/quintet and as a member of the collaboratively led “BAD DAB” trio with Matt Dwonszyk and Jonathan Barber. A dedicated educator, Kris is currently the Lyell B Clay Artist-in-Residence in Jazz at Williams College, having previously held positions at the Hartt School and Trinity College. He has been a senior teaching artist for Litchfield Jazz Camp since 2001.

Kris is a Vandoren Artist and plays Vandoren mouthpieces, reeds and ligatures exclusively.

For more information please visit www.soundslikekrisallen.com

For more information please visit www.krisallenjazz.com