Piano, organ, and Philadelphia. He plays the first two on that list and he’s proudly from the third. Music, culture, and art, incubates and celebrates life in that city and that incubator has produced some of the best around. Ben started his musical journey in the Philadelphia Settlement Music School, a cultural springboard and experience for all. He studied further in Chicago and is based in New York City. Three of the big dots on the jazz map. Ben is a refined player, his music language is articulate and the lines are clear and clean. He makes keyboards swing whether the piano’s or the organ’s.
The standards and jazz interpretations of more contemporary tunes are entertained at the fingers with a cool class and seeming effortless style. He is a vocalist too and that combination of expression by voice and keyboard is a mix that demands an understanding and respect for the phrase. It is as evident whether together or separately.
Ben’s cool is in his attention to nuance and artistic detail; the tone is his tone, and the harmonies of a tune are coloured as richly.