Khris Royal brings his funky, jazzy saxophone to stages across the city and the globe as a band leader, particularly with the alternative funk group Dark Matter, and backing up some of today’s greatest musical acts, including Corey Glover, Trombone Shorty, Mary J. Blige, Nelly, Bobby Brown, and Branford, Delfeayo, and Jason Marsalis. Royal, a New Orleans native, began playing the sax at age seven, and at 16, as a student at the prestigious New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts, was awarded a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music. Over the course of his adult career he has developed a unique sound, interweaving jazz, hip-hop, and funk stylings with the vibes of his hometown. Royal is also a mover and shaker off the stage as a producer and promoter.