One of the most in demand musicians in New Orleans, Kris Tokarski is comfortable in any piano style from Classic Ragtime to Modern Jazz. He frequently appears at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, French Quarter Festival and was the music director for the Bombay Club in New Orleans for many years.
In 2011, Tokarski moved to New Orleans to complete a master's degree at the University of New Orleans. Shortly after moving to the "Cradle of Jazz" he embraced the early piano traditions of the city as well as those of the northeast where he grew up. A keen interest in the music of Jelly Roll Morton, James P. Johnson, and Teddy Wilson; combined with his bebop roots allowed Tokarski to develop an all encompassing voice of his own, deeply rooted in the jazz piano tradition.
Currently, Tokarski is thriving as an in demand jazz pianist performing throughout the city, country, and abroad. He has performed at notable jazz festivals and venues including the Umbria Winter Jazz Festival, The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, the French Quarter Fest, Snug Harbor, The Jazz Corner, and The Green Mill. Kris has had the pleasure of sharing the bandstand with Evan Christopher, Hal Smith, Duke Heitger, Tim Laughlin, Andy Schumm, and many others.
