Home » Jazz Musicians » Ben Allison

Ben Allison

In a career that spans over 30 years, bassist/composer Ben Allison has developed his own instantly identifiable sound. Known for his inspired arrangements, inventive grooves and hummable melodies, Ben draws from the jazz tradition and a range of influences from rock and folk to 20th century and a broad range of music from around the world, seamlessly blending them into a cinematic, cohesive whole.

With his small groups, Ben has toured extensively throughout the world building new audiences with an adventurous yet accessible sound and a flair for the unexpected.

Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Ben has performed and collaborated with an extremely diverse range of artists including oudist Ara Dinkjian, kora player Mamadou Diabate, saxophonists Lee Konitz and Joe Lovano, Cambodian chapei master Kong Nay, legendary performance artist Joey Arias, tap dancers Jimmy Slide and Gregory Hines and US Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky, to name a few. He has appeared on over 50 albums by various artists and has written music for film, television and radio, including the theme for the National Public Radio (NPR) show On the Media (which boasts a listenership of over 2,000,000 people), the score for Two Days, a play written by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Donald Margulies and the theme for The Conversation, a webcast talk show hosted by Pharrell Williams.

In 2005, 2008 and 2013, Ben was a featured composer, arranger and performer with Jazz Sinfonica, an 80-piece orchestra based in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The orchestra performed arrangements of compositions from his various albums. Ben performed his Carnegie Hall debut as a leader in February 2012.

RECORDINGS

Called “one of today’s best young jazz musicians” by the Boston Globe and a “visionary composer, adventurous improviser, and strong organizational force on the New York City jazz scene” by JazzTimes, Ben has released 19 albums as a leader or co-leader — Tell the Birds I Said Hello: The Music of Herbie Nichols (2024, Sonic Camera), Healing Power: The Music of Carla Bley (2022, Sunnyside/Sonic Camera), Moments Inside (2021, Sonic Camera), Quiet Revolution (2018, Sonic Camera), Layers of the City (2017, Sonic Camera), The Stars Look Very Different Today (2013, Sonic Camera), Action-Refraction (2011, Palmetto Records/Sonic Camera), Think Free (2009, Palmetto Records/Sonic Camera), Little Things Run the World (2008, Palmetto Records/Sonic Camera), Cowboy Justice (2006, Palmetto Records/Sonic Camera), Buzz (2004, Palmetto Records/Sonic Camera), Peace Pipe (2002, Palmetto Records/Sonic Camera), Riding the Nuclear Tiger (2001, Palmetto Records/Sonic Camera), Strange City (1999, Palmetto Records), Third Eye (1999), Medicine Wheel (1998, Palmetto Records/Sonic Camera), Dr. Cyclops' Dream (1997, Soul Note), Seven Arrows (1996, Palmetto Records/Sonic Camera), and Love is Proximity (1995, Soulnote) — all of which showcase Ben’s forward-thinking vision as a bassist, composer, arranger, producer, and mixing engineer, as well as his hands-on approach to his craft.

Read more

Tags

10
Album Review

Matt Wilson: Good Trouble

Read "Good Trouble" reviewed by Jerome Wilson


Drummer Matt Wilson continues his tradition of recording humorous and humanistic jazz here with the debut of a new quintet, Good Trouble, which includes both old and new associates. This group has a two-saxophone front line with Wilson's long-time colleague, Jeff Lederer on tenor sax, and Tia Fuller on alto sax. They complement each other well as they blow through the strutting rapture of “Albert's Alley" and the dancing shuffle beat of Ornette Coleman's “Feet Music." The group's ...

1
Radio & Podcasts

How Ya Ben?

Read "How Ya Ben?" reviewed by Patrick Burnette


In the last (for a little while, at least) of our one-artist focused podcasts, the boys take a deep dive into bassist/composer/bandleader Ben Allison's latest four releases. Ben's an exact contemporary of our intrepid podcasters, if a bit better looking and more talented, and they followed his career from early days until a few years back when they stopped picking up releases for a hot minute. Anyway, here's all the news on two projects by Ben's new trio as well ...

23
In Pictures

Ben Allison at the Rizzoli Bookstore

Read "Ben Allison at the Rizzoli Bookstore" reviewed by Luciano Rossetti


A collection of photos from the Ben Allison Quartet concert at the Rizzoli Bookstore in New York City on June 18, 2023 featuring Steve Cardenas, Allan Mednard and Vinicius Gomes. ...

8
Catching Up With

Ben Allison: Creative Reworkings And New Inspirations

Read "Ben Allison: Creative Reworkings And New Inspirations" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


We talk about “The Ben Allison Remastered Series 2004-2011" a project that led the New York bassist, composer, and educator to personally edit and remix some of the albums he had originally released on Palmetto Records. Through this painstaking work which started at the height of the pandemic, Ben Allison not only brought a new level of acoustic clarity and detail to those albums, but also unearthed a few gems not included on the originals. The interview also touches upon ...

Interview

Ben Allison: creative riletture e nuove ispirazioni

Read "Ben Allison: creative riletture e nuove ispirazioni" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


In quest'intervista Ben Allison ci parla del recente progetto “The Ben Allison Remastered Series 2004-2011," iniziativa che ha portato il bassista a curare personalmente riedizione e remixaggio di alcuni suoi album Palmetto. Il lavoro va oltre gli scintillanti risultati acustici e presenta nuove e sorprendenti scoperte musicali tratte dai master originali. All About Jazz: Nei mesi della pandemia hai rimasterizzato cinque tuoi album Palmetto, pubblicandoli sulla tua etichetta Sonic Camera Records. Con l'uscita a fine gennaio di Action-Refraction ...

3
Radio & Podcasts

Ben Allison, Rickie Lee Jones, Mette Henriette, Jo Lawry & Other New Releases

Read "Ben Allison, Rickie Lee Jones, Mette Henriette, Jo Lawry & Other New Releases" reviewed by Ludovico Granvassu


The painstaking job of unearthing subtle nuances which were lost in earlier mixes of five of his albums is at the heart of the remastering labor of love that Ben Allison has embarked on during the pandemic. During the first part of our show we focus on listening with new ears to some of our old favorites from those albums. Then we turn to other musicians that strive to discover new angles and perspectives on old tunes, or to examine ...

5
Interview

Ugly Beauty: The Music and Mind of Ben Allison

Read "Ugly Beauty: The Music and Mind of Ben Allison" reviewed by AAJ Staff


This interview was conducted by Paul F. Roberts and was first published at All About Jazz in September 2001. All of us have a story in our head-a myth of how a new jazz talent gets discovered. Here's how it goes: The young musician—let's call him “the Kid"-practices alone in his bedroom for hour upon hour, playing along with the records of his hero, who we'll refer to as “the Star." It doesn't really matter what ...

Read more articles

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ben Allison

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ben Allison

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Ben Allison's birthday today!

In a career that spans nearly 30 years, Ben Allison has developed his own instantly identifiable sound, solidifying an international reputation as a bassist, composer and band leader. Known for his inspired arrangements, inventive grooves and hummable melodies, Ben draws from the jazz tradition and a range of influences from rock and folk to 20th century classical and world music, seamlessly blending them into a cinematic, cohesive whole. With his groups ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ben Allison

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ben Allison

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Ben Allison's birthday today!

In a career that spans nearly 30 years, Ben Allison has developed his own instantly identifiable sound, solidifying an international reputation as a bassist, composer and band leader. Known for his inspired arrangements, inventive grooves and hummable melodies, Ben draws from the jazz tradition and a range of influences from rock and folk to 20th century classical and world music, seamlessly blending them into a cinematic, cohesive whole. With his groups ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ben Allison

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ben Allison

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Ben Allison's birthday today!

In a career that spans nearly 30 years, Ben Allison has developed his own instantly identifiable sound, solidifying an international reputation as a bassist, composer and band leader. Known for his inspired arrangements, inventive grooves and hummable melodies, Ben draws from the jazz tradition and a range of influences from rock and folk to 20th century classical and world music, seamlessly blending them into a cinematic, cohesive whole. With his groups ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ben Allison

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ben Allison

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Ben Allison's birthday today!

In a career that spans nearly 30 years, bassist/composer Ben Allison has developed his own instantly identifiable sound, solidifying an international reputation as one of the leading voices of his generation. Known for his inspired arrangements, inventive grooves and hummable melodies, Ben draws from the jazz tradition and a range of influences from rock and folk to 20th century classical and world music... Read more.

Place our Musician of the Day ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ben Allison

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ben Allison

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Ben Allison's birthday today!

In a career that spans nearly 30 years, bassist/composer Ben Allison has developed his own instantly identifiable sound, solidifying an international reputation as one of the leading voices of his generation. Known for his inspired arrangements, inventive grooves and hummable melodies, Ben draws from the jazz tradition and a range of influences from rock and folk to 20th century classical and world music... Read more.

Place our Musician of the Day ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ben Allison

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ben Allison

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Ben Allison's birthday today!

Bassist/composer Ben Allison is one of a few band leaders working in jazz today who has developed his own instantly identifiable sound. Known for his inspired arrangements, inventive grooves and hummable melodies, Ben draws from the jazz tradition and a range of influences from rock and folk to 20th century classical and world music, seamlessly blending them into a cinematic, cohesive whole. With his groups The Ben Allison Band... Read more. ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ben Allison

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ben Allison

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Ben Allison's birthday today!

Bassist/composer Ben Allison is one of a few band leaders working in jazz today who has developed his own instantly identifiable sound. Known for his inspired arrangements, inventive grooves and hummable melodies, Ben draws from the jazz tradition and a range of influences from rock and folk to 20th century classical and world music, seamlessly blending them into a cinematic, cohesive whole. With his groups The Ben Allison Band... Read more. ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ben Allison

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ben Allison

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Ben Allison's birthday today! Bassist/composer Ben Allison is one of a few band leaders working in jazz today who has developed his own instantly identifiable sound. Known for his lyrical melodies, inventive grooves and inspired arrangements, Ben draws from the jazz tradition and a range of influences from rock and folk to classical and world music, seamlessly blending them into a cinematic, cohesive whole. With his groups The Ben Allison Band, Man Size Safe... Read ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ben Allison

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ben Allison

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Ben Allison's birthday today! Bassist/composer Ben Allison is one of a few band leaders working in jazz today who has developed his own instantly identifiable sound. Known for his lyrical melodies, inventive grooves and inspired arrangements, Ben draws from the jazz tradition and a range of influences from rock and folk to classical and world music, seamlessly blending them into a cinematic, cohesive whole. With his groups The Ben Allison Band, Man Size Safe... Read ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ben Allison

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ben Allison

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Ben Allison's birthday today!

Bassist/composer Ben Allison is one of a few band leaders working in jazz today who has developed his own instantly identifiable sound. Known for his lyrical melodies, inventive grooves and inspired arrangements, Ben draws from the jazz tradition and a range of influences from rock and folk to classical and world music, seamlessly blending them into a cinematic, cohesive whole. With his groups The Ben Allison Band, Man Size Safe... Read ...

Primary Instrument

Bass, acoustic

Location

New York City

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Credentials/Background

Since joining the faculty of The New School's, Contemporary and Performing Arts program in 2011, he has taught classes and led ensembles on subjects ranging from the music of Thelonious Monk, Wayne Shorter, Miles Davis, Herbie Nichols and R&B to advanced concepts of improvisation and composition, as well as individual bass and composition instruction. He has developed or helped to develop four classes for the University: Entrepreneurship in Music, The Entrepreneurial Musician, Senior Seminar and Socially Engaged Artistry

Read more

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Good Trouble

Palmetto Records
2024

buy

Frank Kimbrough 2003...

Palmetto Records
2022

buy

Moments Inside

Sonic Camera Records
2021

buy

Kimbrough

Newvelle Records
2021

buy

Hypocrisy Democracy

Self Produced
2020

buy

Blue Has A Range

Sunnyside Records
2020

buy

Fireplace

From: Good Trouble
By Ben Allison

Lullabluebye

From: Frank Kimbrough 2003 - 2006
By Ben Allison

Knit Wit

From: Hypocrisy Democracy
By Ben Allison

D.A.V.E.

From: The Stars Look Very Different...
By Ben Allison

Videos

Similar

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.