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Kris Funn

Kristopher Funn was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. He began playing the trumpet at age four and took up the double bass at age 14 upon entering high school. Through the instruction of his father, Charles Funn, Kristopher performed his first professional bass gig the same year he began learning the instrument. Other early accomplishments included winning the “unsung hero” at the Fish Middleton jazz competition at the East Coast Jazz festival also in the first year of instruction. At age 18, Kristopher attended Howard University to study Computer Science while also performing in the Howard University Jazz Ensemble for two years. After graduating with an honors degree in computer science, Kristopher decided to pursue a career as a professional jazz musician, performing in several venues in the Baltimore Washington metropolitan areas.

At age 23, Kristopher began touring internationally with alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett. Since then, he has traveled to every major jazz festival in the world touching six continents performing with artists including Sean Jones, Benny Golson, Bruce Williams, Nicholas Payton, Warren Wolf, Pharoah Sanders, Jeff Majors, Jeff Lorber, Christian Scott, Kamasi Washington and many others. Kristopher has appeared on several recordings including the Christian Scott albums, “Yesterday You Said Tomorrow” , “Christian aTunde Adjuah” and “Stretch Music”. Kristopher recently released his debut album, Cornerstore, and he continues to perform professionally in the Washington D.C. area when not touring internationally.

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15
Album Review

Joey Alexander: Continuance

Read "Continuance" reviewed by Neil Duggan


At some point, even a child prodigy grows up. Now 20 years old, Balinese pianist, Joey Alexander has come long way from the six- year-old exposed to Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk and Bill Evans, the eight-year-old playing in front of Herbie Hancock and the ten-year-old winning improvisation competitions. It may be hard to believe but Continuance is his seventh release. Given his age, ability and meteoric rise, expectations are always high, perhaps unfairly so. In his expected progress ...

17
Album Review

Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah: Axiom

Read "Axiom" reviewed by Phillip Woolever


As evidenced here, those in attendance for Christian Scott Atunde Adjuah's 2020 engagement at New York's Blue Note from March 11-15 witnessed what turned out to be some of the most powerful performances of this restricted musical year, just before everyday life changed for most people on the planet. The record is dedicated to the victims of Corona-19. This exceptional concert compilation could well be the first of “jazz's" present day, classic live albums released during the pandemic ...

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Interview

Kris Funn: Bass Player, Story Teller

Read "Kris Funn: Bass Player, Story Teller" reviewed by R.J. DeLuke


Kris Funn didn't start out on bass but, coming from a musical family, there was little chance he wouldn't at least test the water and see what music was all about. In time, the bass reached out and grabbed him. He's since had a career that has had him playing his immense bass skills to the bands of Kenny Garrett, Christian Scott, Nicholas Payton, Sean Jones and other notables. Now he is stepping out as a leader, when ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Continuance

Mack Avenue Records
2023

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Axiom

Ropeadope / Stretch Music
2020

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Cornerstore

Self Produced
2017

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Videos

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