Chalis O’Neal

Chalis O’Neal is a Kansas City-born trumpeter, artist, and composer whose sound reflects the city’s deep jazz tradition while pushing confidently into soul, R&B, and contemporary improvisation. He began playing trumpet at age eleven and developed his foundation at Paseo Academy of Fine and Performing Arts before continuing his studies at the University of Missouri–Kansas City, where he majored in Jazz Studies with a minor in Classical Trumpet under the direction of jazz legend Bobby Watson.

Influenced by artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Miles Davis, Roy Hargrove, Harold O’Neal, and the expressive language of soul and R&B, O’Neal brings a rich, lyrical, and emotionally charged approach to every performance. His playing is marked by bold improvisation, refined technique, and a magnetic stage presence that has made him one of the standout voices in Kansas City’s jazz scene.

Widely regarded as a trendsetter among his peers, O’Neal continues to help shape the sound and spirit of modern jazz in Kansas City. In 2025, he was featured in The Kansas City Star and voted Favorite Trumpeter of the Year by the Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors.