Side By Side Band Ensemble Workshop invites participants to learn and play alongside jazz musicians Kris Johnson and Walter Blanding. Led by Walter Blanding, the workshop offers an opportunity to explore jazz performance and ensemble playing with experienced artists.

About the Workshop

Side By Side Band Ensemble Workshop is a jazz workshop held at Lincoln Jazz Center Shanghai.

Led by saxophone player Walter Blanding, leader of the JALCSH Big Band, the workshop focuses on ensemble playing and jazz performance. Participants will have the opportunity to learn from Walter Blanding and Kris Johnson, exploring their experience in jazz performance, composition, arrangement, and music education.

About the Artists

Kris Johnson

Kris Johnson is a trumpet player, composer, arranger, film composer, and music educator based in Detroit.

His creative work includes orchestral commissions, musical theatre, film scores, and contemporary jazz. His commissioned work Marlowe’s Wings by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra premiered in 2025, with Kris Johnson as the featured soloist. He has also created the musicals Jim Crow’s Tears and Hastings Street, composed music for the Emmy-nominated series King Ester, and developed projects including The Kris Johnson Group and the #looptherapy series.

As a performer and arranger, Kris Johnson has contributed to seven Grammy-nominated albums, including the Count Basie Orchestra’s 2024 Grammy-winning album Basie Swings the Blues. From 2008 to 2019, he toured globally with the Count Basie Orchestra as a soloist and arranger, performing at venues including Apollo Theater, Hollywood Bowl, Sydney Opera House, and Kennedy Center.

Kris Johnson is currently Associate Professor of Jazz Trumpet at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance.

Walter Blanding

Walter Blanding is an internationally recognised saxophone player with more than 34 years of professional experience.

He was a member of Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra for 25 years and has performed and recorded with artists including Cab Calloway, Billy Eckstine, Roy Hargrove, Branford Marsalis, Aretha Franklin, Paul Simon, and Joshua Bell. He has also performed with Chick Corea, Dave Brubeck, Willie Nelson, Tony Bennett, and Elton John, and collaborated with orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, and London Symphony Orchestra.

Blanding has participated in more than 40 recordings, including projects recognised with major awards. His latest album Fantasy in Blue explores cultural differences and connections through music.

He is currently Assistant Professor of Jazz Saxophone at Michigan State University and serves as the leader of the JALCSH Big Band.

Why Go

This workshop offers participants a chance to learn directly from experienced jazz musicians and explore ensemble performance in a collaborative setting. With Walter Blanding leading the session and Kris Johnson joining as a guest artist, the workshop brings together performance experience, musical knowledge, and jazz education.