KEITH KARNS

Keith Karns is a trumpet player, composer, and bandleader based in Dallas Texas. As an arranger, Keith’s credits include commissions for high school, college, and professional ensembles nationwide. Some of his recent collaborations include arrangements for jazz greats such as Rich Perry, Greta Matassa, Lauren Sevian, and Stefon Harris. Keith has been the recipient of numerous Downbeat Awards, the JEN Young Composers Award and the ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Composers Award. Keith also writes for his own group, the Keith Karns Big Band, which has toured nationally. The band’s second recording is a collaboration with Rich Perry, and was recently released on the Summit jazz label. Keith is interested in the intersection of hard bop and intervallic improvisation, specifically in the music of Woody Shaw. His research on Woody Shaw was the subject of a paper presented at the 2017 JEN Conference, and is the focus of several future research projects. Keith read more...