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Kris Monson

Kris Monson is a versatile musician and double bassist in New York City. Kris has had the honor of working with many of the top musicians in the international jazz and contemporary music scenes, including Marc Cary, Tyshawn Sorey, Vince Mendoza, Veronica Swift, Charles Owens, and Ari Hoenig, and on stages including the Panama Jazz Festival, Providencia Jazz Festival in Santiago de Chile, Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Smalls Jazz Club, and Blues Alley. 

photo: Katie Simbala

Current and recent projects include:

  • The Kris Monson Quartet, performing all original music. Full album coming this fall!

  • Kris Monson's "Suite for Charlottesville: Regarding the Unite the Right Rally that took place in Charlottesville, VA on August 11-12, 2017", a suite of original music written for jazz septet

  • Monson / Mathews LUSH LIFE film & fundraiser, in collaboration with the Seven Tones Project and the Jazz Foundation of America 

  • Extensive touring and performing as a sideman with

    • Joshua Espinoza Trio

    • Charles Owens Trio and Quartet

    • Marc Cary Trio

    • Ryan Sands Trio 

    • Matt Baker Trio

    • Mark G. Meadows & The Movement

    • Will Evans & Angelica X

    • Tomer Cohen Trio

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A passionate music educator, Kris teaches improvisation and composition at the Manhattan School of Music summer program, music fundamentals at George Mason University, jazz history at Rutgers University OLLI, and has served as a graduate teaching fellow at the New England Conservatory for various classes in the jazz and music theory departments. Kris has also given master classes at schools around the country and maintains a select studio of private students. ​

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As a researcher, Kris has presented at national and international conferences for the Jazz Education Network (JEN), the International Society of Bassists (ISB), and the College Music Society (CMS). 

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Kris was mentored by trumpeter John D’earth while a double major in systems engineering and music at the University of Virginia. Kris continued his studies at the Manhattan School of Music, earning an MM under the tutelage of Buster Williams and Orin O’Brien, and is is currently a DMA candidate at the New England Conservatory. 

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