Kris Johnson is a trumpeter, composer, arranger, and educator with a Master’s (2007) and Bachelor’s (2005) degree in Jazz Studies from Michigan State University. A native of Detroit, MI, Kris’s education began with Damien Crutcher’s music program at Southfield-Lathrup High School (2001), Harold McKinney’s jazz workshop, and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Civic Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Marcus Belgrave. Kris has since performed with many jazz greats including Wess Anderson, Wycliffe Gordon, Jon Hendricks, Rodney Whitaker & the MSU Professors of Jazz, and many others. PBS viewers may have seen Kris in the documentary “Inside Jazz: Everybody’s Welcome,” where Kris was a featured soloist in a master class with jazz great Wynton Marsalis. Currently is touring internationally with the Count Basie Orchestra partenering with arits like Tony Bennett, Patti Austin, Hank Jones, Nneena Freelon, Frank Wess, Jamie Cullum, and more. Kris recently received first place in the 8th Annual Great American Song Contest for his composition “My Apologies”. His writing can also be heard on the track “My Favorite Things” from Yolanda Adams’s 2007 release “What a Wonderful Day,” on which he played trumpet and arranged the horns. He as also written for the Count Basie Orcehstra, the Michigan State University Jazz Studies Department, Detroit Symphony's Civic Jazz Ensembles, and various projects in many genres of music. Please visit www.krisjohnsonmusic.com for more info.