Musician Composer Producer Educator
Ken, born and raised in Sydney Australia, started playing trumpet at the age of six and completed his Bachelor of Music Performance (Jazz) at the Sydney Conservatorium in 2013. Throughout his career, he has won numerous awards, including the prestigious Generations in Jazz Scholarship in 2011. Ken has performance experience in every possible style/genre of trumpet playing, ranging from performances with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, various jazz ensembles, experimental contemporary music, session gigs for television, and many pop, rock, reggae, funk and afro-beat bands.
After 5 years of playing trumpet, keys and synths in the band Caravana Sun, Ken has taken a deep dive into the engineering and production side of music with a key focus on vintage synths, tape machines and analog recording equipment.
Now living in The Hague, he is continuing to develop and push the boundaries of his performance style. With over 15 years of teaching under the belt, he continues to provide private trumpet lessons (see Lessons page for more information).
Ken has performed and/or toured with:
Madness, UB40, LaBrassBanda, Tim Minchin, NDR Bigband, Randy Brecker, Kenny Rogers, Marvin Hamlisch, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Mike Nock, Caravana Sun, Grey Wing Trio, Dancing With The Stars (Australia), The Voice (Australia), James Morrison, Maria Schneider, Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra, The Liberators, Dojo Cuts and more.
Quotes:
"I was thoroughly impressed with what I would call the ‘dark horse’ of the entire festival: their shy and timid keys player, who occasionally left from behind the shelter of his keyboard and blossomed into the most emotional, soulful and stunning trumpet solos, which absolutely exploded with energy, yet were haunting in tone." Rhythm Passport Review: Bestival @ Lulworth Estate (Dorset; Thursday 2nd to Sunday 5th August 2018)
"Trumpeter Ken Allars excels in this space. Few trumpeters play as he does and few have his tonal or dynamic diversity. He can say as much with a breathy whisper as he can with his gentle flute-like notes or sudden squalls...What remains is deep evanescent beauty." John Fenton CD Review Grey Wing Trio: http://jazzlocal32.com/tag/grey-wing- trio/ (2015)
"REMEMBER this name: Ken Allars. Again, Mike Nock has uncovered a formidable talent; a young trumpeter who thinks unique melodic thoughts...this quintet unleashes Allars upon an unsuspecting world. His first solo was riveting: bold ideas splattered across the tumultuous groove (If Truth Be Known) using a wide timbral palette, and jumbling pure joy with lancing sadness." John Shand, Sydney Morning Herald (Aug 2011)