Still in his early 30s, saxophonist and vocalist Ben Jones has already played and recorded with some of Australia’s finest musicians including; Tom Baker, Bob & Len Barnard, Geoff Bull, Col Nolan, Janet Seidel, Monica & The Moochers, Don Burrows & James Morrison. He has played at most major Jazz festivals and venues around the country, being a featured artist at the Manly, Thredbo, Wangaratta, Wagga, Noosa and Newcastle festivals, & is now the patron of the Dubbo Jazz Festival.

In January 2002 his “4tet” performed for a record crowd of 90,000 people at “Jazz in the Domain”, co-headlining with two other Australian groups and Maria Schneider, award winning composer / conductor from New York.

Ben is often part of James Morrison’s six- piece swing band, which features Ed Wilson and the young vocalist Emma Pask, and was an original member of John Morrison’s big-band “Swing City”.

He was featured on Col Nolan’s album “Nolan’s Groove”, which was a finalist for “Jazz Album of the Year” at the ARIA awards, and appears on Janet Seidel’s “The Art Of Lounge Vol.2”, where he joins Janet in a vocal duet. He can also be heard soloing with James Morrison on the Swing City CD “Serious Fun”.

August 2001 saw the release of Ben’s debut solo album “It Might As Well Be Swing” on the La Brava label. It was still in the Top 10 on Australia ’s Independent Jazz Charts in October, 2003 & has been met with great critical acclaim. It features one of the last recordings made by the legendary Tom Baker, who passed away late 2001. Jones was fortunate enough to have his first tour to Europe with Baker in July 2001, playing at the world renowned Ascona New Orleans Jazz Festival in Switzerland . Ben has since returned to Ascona three times & has played with some of the world’s finest swing players including Dan Barrett, Harry Allen, Ed Metz Jr, Howard Alden, Freddy Lonzo, Berndt Lhotsky, Christian Hopkins, Leroy Jones & Craig Kline.

In 2003 he was a member of the “Allstar” festival band in Breda, Holland , which also featured trombone sensation from New York, John Allred & English trumpeter Colin Dawson, & recorded two CD’s in Breda, featuring Antoine Trommelen, Harry Kanters, Bert Boeren & Simon Stribbling. Later that year Jones had a highly successful series of performances at the inaugural “ Osaka Jazz City” festival in Japan.

2004 marked Ben’s return to Europe . He toured extensively with “The Wooden Shoe’d Kangaroos”; an Australian/Dutch collaboration in tribute to the 100 th birthdays of Coleman Hawkins, Fats Waller & Count Basie. This band released the “Basie, Bean & Fats Project” on CD in Europe. This album debuted in Australia at number seven on the independent jazz music charts upon release.

Ben continues to travel to Europe on a regular basis performing at major jazz festivals in several countries, playing with artists such as Eddie Locke, Jason Marsalis & Peter Washington. His saxophone sound is reminiscent of the big-toned 1930’s & 40’s tenor players. Jones has never been one to branch too far into the Be-Bop idiom, preferring to focus on his traditional roots. His vocal style is a unique mix of swing & “crooning”, taking heed of the masters; Sinatra, Bennett & Torme. Presently, Ben is leading his own group, “The Ben Jones 4tet” which comprises some of Sydney ’s finest young musicians following the respected tradition, while bringing a fresh and exciting approach to swinging jazz.

REVIEWS...

"He’s a young tenor saxophonist from the city of Newcastle on the central coast of New South Wales but Ben Jones’ heart is back in the ’30s and ’40s. He’s got the look, the songs and he’s got the sound. Beautifully recorded by David Seidel’s La Brava label, this album is an audiophile’s picnic – young Ben has gone for the Neumann valve mikes and 24-bit resolution to really do justice to those old horns and recreate something of the analogue warmth of the era of Rogers, Hammerstein, Fain, Schwartz et al. This sound is huge, capacious and transparent – a real treat. Jones plays solid, swinging tenor and sings here and there pleasingly too, in the spirit of the disc, and is surrounded by renowned players, most notably Tom Baker. Actually about half the tunes are Jones’s own and the fact they merge into the time-honoured tunes on the rest of the program is testament to his worth as a composer too. Ben Jones has the distinction of being in James Morrison’s six-piece swing band and John Morrison’s big band, Swing City. The casual charm of this album may suggest it is not meant to set the world on fire, but who knows, maybe it does herald the coming of a star." by Shane Nichols www.allaboutjazz.com

"Australian reedman Ben Jones plays a Chu Berry model tenor sax, getting the same deep, voluptuous sound from the instrument as the performer for whom the model was named. Jones has followed the route carved out by the traditional saxophonists rather than entering the John Coltrane/Sonny Rollins school. This album demonstrates skills with the alto and the clarinet and that he can sing a song, instrumentally and vocally. His vocalizing is soft and pleasant in the manner of Chet Baker and Harry Connick, Jr. He fulfills two other qualifications for a singer: He has good diction and stays in tune, although on "When I Take My Sugar to Tea," it gets a little too close for comfort. Jones’ alto work is quite impressive, again taking the mainstream approach in the manner of a Benny Carter rather than hitching himself to the Charlie Parker star. The sidemen on the session fit well with Jones’ down-to-earth, straight-from-the-shoulder, no-frills approach to the music. Veterans Col Nolan and Kevin Hunt are on piano, working with house bassist David Seidel and alternating drummers Billy Ross and Adam Pache to keep the rhythm in tow while taking a few tasteful solos. The session is further enhanced by the presence of veteran Australian tenor man Tom Baker on some cuts. The original "See Here" provides a vehicle for a swinging saxophone and trading of fours between Jones and Baker. Although only in his mid-twenties, Jones has absorbed the tradition and performing operandi of the great masters of the saxophone, adding his own ideas and technique on top of that, and revealing strong lyricism and improvisational ideas in his playing. If this debut album as a leader is any indication, he is on the road to becoming a considerable sax powerhouse." by Dave Nathan, All Music Guide.