Kris Allen (alto saxophone); Carmen Staaf (piano); Chris Dingman (vibraphone); Gregg August (bass); Jonathan Blake (drums)

Kris Allen is an American saxophonist, composer, educator and recording artist.

 His latest release, June, is his third album for the Truth Revolution Recording Collective. Praised by Carlo Wolff in Downbeat Magazine (4.5 stars) for it “Subtlety, suppleness and sense of urgency,” this “diverse and impassioned album” features Allen’s quartet with special guests Jeremy Pelt, Chris Dingman, Shenel Johns and Michael Mayo

Kris can be found touring widely as a leader or as part of the collaboratively-led “Triangle Offense” trio with Jonathan Barber and Matt Dwonszyk. He has also 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, Ike Sturm, Rogerio Boccato, Kendrick Oliver’s New Life Orchestra, the Curtis Brothers, 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.