Biography

Life Is Music

Duane Benjamin is an accomplished Musician, Orchestrator and Arranger who plays Trombone and Electric Bass. He has made a successful living in the music industry for over 40 years. Ben-jamin as he is affectionately known, has performed and recorded with the top industry legends. In the jazz field Ben-jamin has performed with the Count Basie Orchestra, The Gerald Wilson Orchestra, The Clayton
Hamilton Orchestra, The Paul Mc Donald Big Band to name a few. In the contemporary field Ben-jamin has performed and recorded with legends, Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Barry White, Earth Wind and
Fire, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, The OJays, Smokey Robinson, Aretha Franklin, and Gladys Knight, Michael McDonald, to name a few from the past. Newer artists include Justin Timberlake, Joss Stone, Mary J. Blige, Christina Aguilera, Toni Braxton Famous Rock guitarist Steve Vai, Jamiroquai, Vanessa Williams, and Jazz Bassist Stanley Clark, Weird Al Yankovic and Gospel artist Kirk Franklin are some of the contemporary artists Ben-jamin has performed with. Ben-jamin has been currently working as a player, arranger, and co-producer in the K-pop world with TXT & BTS. As an orchestrator Ben-jamin has worked for several artists and television shows. Hes done arrangements for Aretha Franklins live show, and his orchestrations were featured regularly on the hit television show American Idol and The Voice. He has also arranged and orchestrated for television shows like NBCs The Singing Bee, BETs Gospel Celebration where he orchestrated for artists like Keisha Cole, Jill Scott, Alexander Hamilton, and Legendary soul singer Al Green. Most recently, Ben-jamin Co-produced the BTS performance of their hit single Dynamite on the 2020 Billboard Awards Show. Ben-jamin is known in the industry for having great arrangements and clean looking easy to read charts. Ben-jamin along with singer extraordinaire Meloney Collins has been the Headline act for the Mammoth Lakes Jazz Festival for the past 3 years. They have also collaborated on 2 CDs, A Little Jazz Now & Then and Mel Collins Live In Laguna. Ben-jamin is now working on his own solo project. To hear his latest singles, click the music icon on his website, also visit www.youtube.com/DuaneBenjamin to see his Newest Videos. Duane has also been busy working on his solo project, (which you can hear at Duane Benjamin.Hearnow.com) while teaching Jazz Trombone at UCLAs Herb Albert Global Jazz department. Ive been very blessed to make a living playing, writing, and teaching all sorts of music most my life. Life is music, truly. I am so grateful