Biography

Ben Barnett has made a name for himself in NYC's jazz scene as a consummate musician and educator. He is from Long Island, NY, and is a graduate of the Conservatory of Music located at Purchase College, SUNY. There, he was a student of John Fedchock and Tim Albright. Ben has obtained a B. M. from Purchase College SUNY ('16) and an M. M. Ed. from Hofstra University ('22). He graduated with honors from both institutions, and he is a former Manager of the world-famous Smalls Jazz Club ('16-'21).

Ben is a Grammy-nominated musician who has performed at some of NYC's premier venues for jazz music such as Birdland Jazz Club, Smalls Jazz Club, Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, The Blue Note Jazz Club, The Village Vanguard, the Cotton Club, Swing 46, and many others. He has also performed, as a musician and clinician, at colleges across the country including UC Santa Barbara, Drexel University, City College, and Queens College CUNY, and he has performed at many world-famous venues and festivals for the arts such as The Town Hall, La Palacia de Bella Artes, Festival Internacional Cervantino, Symphony Space NYC, The Music Center at Strathmore, and many others. 

He has had the incredible opportunity to share the stage with great musicians and individuals such as Barry Harris, Arturo O'Farrill, Dr. Cornel West, Jon Faddis, Big Chief Donald Harrison, Ellis Marsalis, Alexis Cole, Bobby Porcelli, Ed Pazant, Dick Hyman, David Murray, The Most, Aslan Crawley, The George Gee Swing Orchestra, The Birdland Big Band, The Grammy-winning Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, CeCe Teneal, Boom.Diwan, Malika Zarra, The Cotton Club Orchestra, Jimmy Montague, Kilometers, and many other artists and performing ensembles, including his band. 

"One of my all-time favorite human beings!" 

- Arturo O'farrill, 8x Grammy Award-winning musician

Slide Hampton once told Ben, "You. You are the future. Keep it going." 

"He can really play." - Mr. Johnny O'Neal, Jazz luminary

"He's an exceptional listener, excellent communicator, and a top-notch musician." - David Gibson, trombone

Ben Barnett is a Bach Brass artist and plays a Bach 12 previously owned by Carl Fontana. He only plays AR Resonance mouthpieces. Currently, he is the Professor of Jazz Trombone at UMASS Amherst. He is a long-time member of the Afro-Latin Jazz Alliance (currently known as Belóngo) created by Arturo O'farrill, and is an Artist-in-Residence with Young Audiences New York (YANY).