Kris Ramakrishna is a Swiss/Indian guitarist, composer/arranger, author, and educator based in Valencia, Spain. Beginning lessons on the guitar at the early age of 5, his unique and sought-after sound is in direct correlation with his diverse ancestry, taking influences from European and Indian classical, Jazz/Blues, as well as incorporating musical vocabulary from his studies with legendary Palestinian composer and Oud player Simon Shaheen, and disciple of Paco de Lucia, flamenco guitarist Ruben Diaz. Between the ages of 16 and 17, Ramakrishna, in affiliation with the Berklee Clinics at Umbria Jazz, was given the opportunity with students from around the world to perform at the Umbria Jazz Festival ’13 and ’14, one of the largest Jazz festivals in Europe. After meeting Paco de Lucia in 2012, Kris pursued a more in depth understanding of Flamenco harmony, resulting in the bestowment of the final composition grant by the Contemporary Flamenco Guitar Studio in Malaga, Spain. Holding a bachelors in Jazz composition and arranging from Berklee College of Music, as well as a Masters in contemporary performance and production from Berklee Valencia, Kris has performed internationally, as a soloist, and with various ensembles. Kris Ramakrishna aims to celebrate the differences and similarities between these musical dialects in order to establish a unity between these incredible cultures.