Planet Kniffen

Darryl Kniffen, drummer/composer/educator/producer from upstate NY, leads the jazz fusion ensemble Planet Kniffen. Their album Dreamland debuted at #5 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Album chart and #13 on the Billboard Jazz Album chart in May 2018. The group has performed at numerous clubs and festivals including Rockwood Music Hall NYC, Easthampton Jazz Festival MA, Hotel Utah SF, and Vermont Jazz Center. Along with leading his own group, he has performed with such artists as Broadway’s Maxine Linehan, Saturday Night Live saxophonist Alex Foster, Chilean vocalist Natalia Bernal, Vermont Jazz Center director/pianist Eugene Uman, and recorded for singer-songwriter Mondo Cozmo. Along with performing and composing, Darryl teaches percussion at Vermont State University at Castleton and teaches music courses in the Arlington School District in Arlington VT. In 2016, he was named Outstanding Teacher of the Year from the University of Vermont for his work in the Arlington School District.