Singing with Kris B.

Kris B has a Bachelors degree in Music from California State  University Northridge, and has worked professionally in a variety  of styles including jazz, Latin, rock, funk, r&b, and classical. He has gotten to work with many of the finest musicians in Southern California, and has teamed up to perform clinic/performances with musicians such as Luis Conte, Richie Gagate Garcia, Taku Hirano, and Roland Gajate Garcia. He’s also performed clinics with Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s great bassist, Tony Franklin,  who was with The Firm, as well as Richard Fortus, guitarist with Guns N’ Roses.       Kris is also very happy to have gigged with many world class musicians including Michito Sanchez, Kevin Ricard, Clare Fischer, Otmaro Ruiz, Smokey Robinson, Teena Marie, Denice Williams, Stu Goldberg, Art Davis, Doc Severenson, Tim Bogert, Rique Pantoja, Derron Johnson, Doug Lunn, Ron Stout, Rob Whitlock, John Pisano, Fred Katz, Gloria Gaynor, Jeff Kashiwa, Vinnie Falcone, Massamba Diop, Casio Duarte, and Dylan Wilson, among many others. Kris has been hired for many different types of gigs including a variety show where he had the pleasure of performing with the host, actor/comedian Jason Alexander. He currently plays regularly with  John Heussenstamm from The Surf Punks, which is a burning trio that includes Baba Elephante.       Kris has a mastery and expertise on his instrument that stems from his vast amount of experience. It enables him to enlighten students with instruction that can encompass many styles of music. Because he has great depth and wisdom, a student having difficulty with any aspect of their playing can consult with him, and Kris will instantly produce a methodic strategy to get the student on their way to solving the issues, allowing them to continue to evolve. Kris was on the faculty at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood from 2001 to 2013. There he taught the double bass drumming class, the odd meters class, afro-cuban drumming class, caribbean drumming class, jazz drums class, rhythm section workshops, live playing workshops, applying technique to the drum set class, music reading 1,2,& 3, fill fest (drum fills class), funk, r&b, and hip-hop classes, as well as open counseling, and private instruction. Kris has studied privately with: Luis Conte, Peter Erskine, Jeff Hamilton , Joey Heredia, Jimmy Branly, Gerry Brown, Wally Snow, Roy Burns, Peter Donald, Joel Leach , Karen Ervin, John Magnussen, Brian Kilgore, Rob Carson, Les De Merle. *** Lesson Details *** The lessons are tailored to the goals of the student. Fundamentals are taught within the context of the styles of music that the student prefers. As the students skills and knowledge increase, his exposure to a wider palette of musical styles will increase. Styles taught include: Rock, jazz, funk, r&b, pop, Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, Caribbean, classical-symphonic. *** Specialties *** music, drums, percussion, music theory, voice, song-writing Rock, Jazz, Pop, Brazilian, Afro-Cuban, Caribbean, Classical-Symphonic Vibraphone, marimba, mallet keyboards, symphonic percussion, Latin percussion-hand percussion, music theory, jazz improvisation, rhythm section workshops, vocal technique, song writing-production. "I adapt my methods to the student, but I particularly enjoy teaching the Murry Spivak/Wally Snow method, which is a highly specialized method of classical snare drum training which can then be applied to many other styles, including drum set. I can also teach a drum corp. approach".