Pianist-composer Kris Davis was named 2017 Rising Star Pianist in Downbeat magazine and dubbed one of the music’s top up-and-comers in a 2012 New York Times article titled “New Pilots at the Keyboard,” with the newspaper saying: “One method for deciding where to hear jazz on a given night has been to track down the pianist Kris Davis.” To date, Davis has released eleven recordings as leader, her releases appearing on The New York Times, Pop Matters, NPR, LA Times, and Jazz Times year end lists for best albums of the year. Davis works as a collaborator and side person with artists such as John Zorn, Terri Lyne Carrington, Craig Taborn, Tyshawn Sorey, Eric Revis, Don Byron, Michael Formanek, Tony Malaby, Ingrid Laubrock and Tom Rainey.
Education
B.M. in Jazz Piano - University of Toronto - studied with Brian Dickinson and Gary Williamson
M.M. in Classical Composition - City College of New York - studied David Del Tredici and Jonathan Pieslak, classical piano performance with Alison Deane
Recordings
Octopus (Pyroclastic Records)
Duopoly (Pyroclastic Records)
Save Your Breath (Clean Feed)
Massive Threads (Thirsty Ear)
Waiting For You To Grow (Clean Feed)
Aeriol Piano (Clean Feed)
Capricorn Climber (Clean Feed)
Good Citizen (Fresh Sound)
Rye Eclipse (Fresh Sound)
The Slightest Shift (Fresh Sound)
Lifespan (Fresh Sound)
Performance Highlights
Festival Performances:
Solo at the Newport Jazz Festival
KD trio at the Monterey Jazz Festival
Winter Jazz Festival with Terri Lyne Carrington, KD trio
Solo at SF Jazz and with Vijay Iyer and Craig Taborn
KD’s Infrasound and solo at North Sea Jazz Festival, Gent Jazz Festival
KD trio at Vancouver, Ottawa, Rochester, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto Jazz Festival
2015, 2017, 2018 week residencies at The Stone in New York City
National Sawdust premier of new classical piano works and for KD quintet Capricorn Climber
John Zorn Bagatelles at Victoriaville, Hamburg, Cite de la Music in Paris
Recognition & Awards
Shifting Foundation grantee
Jerome Foundation/Jazz Gallery grantee
Canada Council for the Arts grantee