North Hennepin Community College presents its 9th annual JazzFest Concert directed by David Mantini on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center Theatre (FAC 178). This year’s concert will feature jazz artist Kris Johnson, who will also share his expertise during clinics on campus with more than 80 local high school students. The concert is free and open to the community. For those who cannot attend in person, the event will also be live-streamed. For more information and to access the live stream visit bit.ly/3YBB4Ti.
9th Annual JazzFest Concert featuring Kris Johnson
Event Schedule
Saturday, January 31, 7:30 p.m.
Located in the Fine Arts Center Theatre
Doors open at 7:00 p.m.
Performance begins at 7:30 p.m.
Free admission
Visit bit.ly/3YBB4Ti to access the live stream
About Kris Johnson
Kris Johnson is a Detroit-based trumpeter, composer, arranger, film composer, and educator whose work spans orchestral commissions, musical theatre, film scoring, and contemporary jazz. His recent commission from the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Marlowe’s Wings, premiered in 2025 with Kris as featured soloist. He has composed multiple musicals—including Jim Crow’s Tears and Hastings Street: The Musical, scored films such as the Emmy-nominated series King Ester, and produced a range of personal creative projects, including The Kris Johnson Group and #looptherapy. He is also the founder and director of the Paradise Theatre Big Band in partnership with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
As a performer and arranger, Kris has contributed to seven GRAMMY-nominated albums, including the 2024 GRAMMY-winning Basie Swings the Blues by the Count Basie Orchestra. From 2008 to 2019, he toured internationally with the Basie Orchestra as both soloist and arranger, performing at major venues such as the Apollo Theater, Hollywood Bowl, Sydney Opera House, and the Kennedy Center. His collaborative work extends to artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Tony Bennett, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Leslie Odom Jr., Wycliffe Gordon, and others. From 2023 to 2024, he toured globally with Endea Owens and The Cookout, further highlighting his versatility across musical settings.
Kris currently serves as Assistant Professor of Jazz Trumpet at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance. A graduate of Michigan State University, where he earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in jazz studies, he has held leadership and teaching roles across the country. His previous positions include Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Utah, Project Director for a U.S. Department of Education AEMDD Grant with the Pontiac School District, Education and Digital Programming Manager for the Motown Museum, and Executive Director of the MSU Community Music School–Detroit. He has also served on the faculties of The Ohio State University, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Civic Youth Ensembles, and as Artistic Liaison for JazzEd Detroit through ArtOps and the Erb Family Foundation.
You can learn more about Kris at his website, https://www.krisjohnsonmusic.com/about.