A native of the Kansas City Area, award-winning composer and saxophone artist, Chris Burnett began his prolific professional start at the age of 18 years old while performing, touring and recording with Army bands from 1974-1996. His 22-year career with noteworthy professional military music organizations provided vast legitimate educational opportunities that covered several specific areas of musical study; while simultaneously providing him the essential incomparable real world performing and touring experiences necessary for an artist to mature and develop a unique musical voice.

An active BMI Writer Affiliate, his ensemble performances and studio recordings primarily feature his original compositions and his interpretive arrangements of select works by other composers. Mr. Burnett is the 1995 5-Star Award of Merit Winner of the National Federation of Music Clubs for his original composition and arrangement for big band titled, Daedalus.

A modern thinker and early explorer of the digital music landscape, Burnett garnered more than a half million music downloads and sold CDs to fans in 38 countries via MP3.com (1999-2003) before most musicians had figured out that there were other ways than major record label contracts and brick-and-mortar retail stores to reach listeners. Since his return to Kansas City in 2001, Burnett has had the opportunity to perform along side or work with many eminent musicians and is featured each month at The Drum Room in Kansas City and has opened for jazz trumpet legend, Maynard Ferguson. With a new CD projects scheduled to be recorded and released, he already has a successful commercial album (Time Flies) distributed worldwide on the Artists Recording Collective.

Artist outreach and community service as a professional musician have been important elements from the start of Mr. Burnett's professional music career. This attitude is based upon his own experiences of having the benefit of learning from great music educators, as well as, having the benefit of numerous professional performing artists as mentors throughout the various stages of his active career. In addition to his professional performance activities, Mr. Burnett remains involved in the development of student musicians as an IAJE artist/clinician (active member since 1985); through his own private teaching practice; and the conduct of affordable music clinics at local schools in the Kansas City area.

Mr. Burnett served as a staff writer/arranger for Fandeen Publishing Company, Inc. and as a participating Board Member of Alaadeen Enterprises, Inc. where he volunteered his time and services over a 5-year period from 2002-2007, both are corporations whose offices are based in Kansas City USA. Mr. Burnett was invited to become a part of the artsONE Artists Council. The Artists Council of artsONE is comprised of well known and respected local Kansas City Jazz and Blues artists. In December 2007, Chris Burnett, along with New York-based artists, Erica Lindsay and Sumi Tonooka, co-founded Artists Recording Collective - an American label brand that serves as a dynamic and multi-dimensional platform to present the works and services of a select roster of artists. Subsequently, Artists Recording Collective will formally launch its first commercial CD recording release in early 2008. Most recently, he was personally invited by Mr. Leon A. Brady to become involved with Kansas City Youth Jazz, Inc.

Today, Mr. Burnett operates BurnettMusic.com (his official artist website domain name and sole proprietorship business entity), and now primarily focuses his efforts on continued success in the areas of performing, writing, producing and teaching music while also contributing to other vital areas of the industry. Also see: www.BurnettMusic.com

BIO CREDITS: Toni Gates-Grantham
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PRESS AND PEER QUOTES

"One of the most promising emergent jazz musicians in town isn't some kid straight out of school or still in school."

~ Joe Klopus
Jazz Critic, Kansas City Star
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"At The Drum Room, Chris' facility was sure as he breezed through his sets. Chris' tone is always controlled, and he has a way of embellishing the melody as he moves into his solo which is especially appealing."

~ Roger Atkinson
Editor, Jazz Ambassador Magazine
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"caro chris,
grande esecuzione NEFERTITI...
un abbraccio"

~ Marco Zurzolo, Napoli, Italia
Woodwind Artist/Professor, Naples Conservatory
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"The music you play sounds so beautiful- you should be on every stage worldwide. KEEP ON."

~ Tim Price, New York
Selmer Artist/Clinician