Ben is a tenor sax and woodwind player, from Dumfries, Scotland who made the trip down south to study at Birmingham Conservatoire. He is a member of the acclaimed Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra.

As well as achieving fluency on his horn, Ben is a talented writer with a full repertoire of original material and has developed a distinct sound. His sextet are very busy, appearing at Glasgow Jazz Café, Edinburgh, The Oxford in London, Cheltenham Jazz Festival and enjoying airtime on BBC Radio Scotland. Neil Yates has also guested on trumpet for a special gig in Scotland.

Also involved in promotion, Ben is involved with the Cobweb Collective, running gigs at the Library Theatre and helping with nights at the Yardbird Jazz Club and Queens Arms pub.  Ben also curated the first annual Dumfries Jazz Clamjamfrie in the Spring of 2008 featuring several Cobweb artists as well as jazz giants Ari Hoenig, Gilad Hekselmen and tenor man Bobby Wellins.

Ben is currently living in New York for several months, working at the Iridium Jazz club, propping up the bar and lapping up the newest music in the city. Check our Words section for his latest updates...