Composition with Benny R.

Saxophonist, Composer, Arranger, Band Leader Born in Flint, Michigan, Benny began studying music in Elementary School. In order to nurture his talent, his mother moved his family to Detroit where he attended and graduated from the Detroit School of Arts. Benny got his start in the church playing gospel music but upon attending DSA was immediately drawn to jazz with inspirations from Charlie Parker, John Coltrane and Sonny Stitt. Since moving to Detroit in 2013, Benny has worked with Detroit legends including Wendell Harrison, Marion Hayden, Russ Miller, Sean Dobbins, Naima Shamborguer and many more. He also performed in the 2016 Detroit Jazz Festival with the Detroit Jazz Festival Youth All-Stars. In 2015 & 2017 Benny played and taught in Europe with the Blue Lake Northern Winds and the Jazz band in countries like Germany, France, the Netherlands, Denmark and Poland. Benny was named one of six 2016 Seymour Simons Scholars at the Michigan State University Community Music School in recognition of his talent as a jazz and composition student. Funded through the Lampert Family Foundation based in San Francisco and family of the Detroit-native and composer of the jazz standard, "All of Me." After graduating from the Detroit School of Arts in 2017, Benny was awarded a jazz scholarship to study at the New School of Performing Arts in New York. Before attending the New School, Benny produced his first album entitled, "What's Next?" (2017). The self-composed album holds 10 tracks and represents the next step in Benny's life. Since moving to New York, Benny has played at venues such as Dizzy's Jazz Club, Mist Harlem.