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Kris Allen

Kris Allen is an American saxophonist, composer, educator and Recording Artist

His latest release, Beloved, is his second album for the Truth Revolution Recording Collective. In the company of his working band Allen calls upon the musical languages of not only his mentor Jackie McLean, but also notably Young, Parker, Mingus, Ellington, Powell, Rollins, Coltrane, Coleman and Kirkland to spin a unique sound narrative.

“Allen, in this triumphant follow-up release to his acclaimed debut disc, Circle House, for all of his fluency in the language of jazz and deep knowledge of the music’s modern masters, is very much his own man with his own creative voice.”- WNPR.org

Allen’s working quartet, with tenor saxophonist Frank Kozyra, bassist Luques Curtis and drummer Jonathan Barber, has been praised by Jazziz Magazine as “today’s saxophone dream band,” and Downbeat Magazine described Beloved as “one of the better new releases to come out this year…..locating the profound within the familiar” For more reviews of Beloved please see Press.

Kris has enjoyed a long career as a sought-after sideman, working in the groups of Illinois Jacquet, Gerald Wilson, Andy Gonzales, Jimmy Greene, Helen Sung, Winard Harper, Andy Laverne, the Mingus Dynasty, Avery Sharpe, Andy Jaffe, Earl Macdonald, Noah Baerman, Jen Allen, Ike Sturm, Gary Smulyan, Jazzmeia Horn, Rogerio Boccato, Kendrick Oliver’s New Life Orchestra, the Curtis Brothers, Jonathan Barber and Mario Pavone among others. As a composer, Kris has been honored with numerous awards, commissions and residencies including a State of Connecticut Artist Fellowship and a Macdowell Artist Colony Residency. He has collaborated with dancers, poets, and visual artists, as well as musicians from across diverse genres.

A dedicated educator, Kris is the Lyell B. Clay Artist Artist-In-Residence in Jazz at Williams College, having previously held positions at the Hartt School, Trinity College, Southern Connecticut State University and the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts. He has been a Teaching Artist for Litchfield Performing Arts since 2001, and conducted clinics and master classes at institutions nation and worldwide.

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

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Album Review

Earl MacDonald: Consecrated

Read "Consecrated" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky


The searching spirit that drives the work of composer and pianist Earl MacDonald is both a reflection on musical curiosity and, to a deeper extent, a statement of faith. Bringing both of those identity-shaping aspects to the fore like never before, MacDonald uses Consecrated to work toward a higher purpose. Reshaping and resetting a series of traditional hymns in sophisticated yet accessible fashion, he conveys the core values of his Christian beliefs—love, kindness, charity—with class and creative purpose.

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Album Review

Earl MacDonald: Open Borders

Read "Open Borders" reviewed by Jack Bowers


Open Borders brings to the fore Canadian-born pianist Earl MacDonald's burnished tentet in a program that consists of eleven sunlit and swinging themes, five of which were composed by the leader. Besides writing, MacDonald did most of the arranging, and he excels in both arenas, as he does on piano (most notably on the standards “Blame It On My Youth" and “East of the Sun" as well as on Percy Mayfield's R&B classic “Hit the Road Jack" and his own ...

4
Album Review

Earl MacDonald: Open Borders

Read "Open Borders" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic


Not many piano led ensembles finds the pianist laying as far back in the musical dialogue as Earl MacDonald, who doesn't come anywhere near an extended solo until “Miles Apart" and Percy Mayfield's Ray Charles blow- out “Hit The Road Jack" (tracks five and six respectively). But that's just fine given that MacDonald has charted the conversations and man oh man, do these arrangements crackle with spirit.From the high-flying “Dig In Buddy" to the exhilarating Latin flavors “Dolphy ...

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Album Review

Earl MacDonald: Open Borders

Read "Open Borders" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky


Politicians might do well to take a few pointers from pianist-arranger Earl MacDonald. As this fine album attests to, it's far better to build bridges than walls, and far more productive to open borders and dialogue than close hearts, minds, and doors. While MacDonald didn't initially set out to make a political statement with this recording, both the events of the day and the make-up of the marvelously tight dectet that brings this music to life got ...

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Album Review

Kris Allen: Beloved

Read "Beloved" reviewed by Mark Corroto


You have to love how a sommelier might describe a certain wine. It has “a jammy taste with a sweet attack, leather, tobacco, and very muscular with integrated wood." Listening to saxophonist Kris Allen's Beloved reminds us that jazz listeners use similar terms to describe the music they're hearing. Allen's alto saxophone is flavored with hints of Bobby Watson, the body feel of Paul Desmond, and the terrior of Hartford. In other words, it tastes great. The Hartford ...

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TV / Film

Kris Allen Announced as New American Idol

Kris Allen Announced as New American Idol

Source: Michael Ricci

Kris Allen beats Adam Lambert. More voters go for nice over glamour.

Minutes before Kris Allen was announced as the new American Idol, he and Adam Lambert sang “We Are the Champions," the 1977 smash by the rock band Queen. As the pyrotechnics sizzled and a large choir (including this year's other “Idol" finalists) backed them up, those two unlikely partners in bringing back heat to the long-running series had one last laugh together.

It was Lambert's moment. It felt ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Consecrated

Outside in Music
2021

buy

Sifting Grace

Next Level
2019

buy

Open Borders

Death Defying Records
2017

buy

Beloved

Truth Revolution Records
2016

buy

Peaceful World

From: A Year And A Day
By Kris Allen

Be Still, My Soul

From: Consecrated
By Kris Allen

Kurinji

From: Sifting Grace
By Kris Allen

Prickly Pear

From: Sifting Grace
By Kris Allen

Climbing Ivy

From: Sifting Grace
By Kris Allen

Easy Peasey

From: Sifting Grace
By Kris Allen

Begin Again

From: Sifting Grace
By Kris Allen

Sifting Grace

From: Sifting Grace
By Kris Allen

Blanket Statement

From: Sifting Grace
By Kris Allen

Sifting Grace

From: Sifting Grace
By Kris Allen

Beloved

From: Beloved
By Kris Allen

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