I'm Ben Somers, composer, musician and educator. I'm also visually impaired. I believe 'disability can be a catalyst for creativity if we let it.
I'm driven by originality and authentic creative expression within myself, my students & collaborators. In every project, my interest is in unique self expression & pushing musical boundaries.
The collaborations that I'm drawn to are the ones which aren't easily categorisable. I value the people I work with and want to get the best out of them which is why I believe in a warm and inclusive atmosphere so we can feel creatively free. I was brought up on & trained in Country Music & Jazz, but my passion is for finding new sounds. I constantly explore a huge landscape of genres to bring out new creative ideas.
My style and music ...
My primary instruments are Double Bass, Saxophone and Voice. I play across the genres of Jazz, Folk and Roots music with specialist interests in Bluegrass, New Orleans Jazz, Old Time, Alpine Folk, Western Swing and Celtic Folk.
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The commonalities between these musical styles are collaborative musicianship and community tradition. I'm drawn to music that is both immediate and complex: joyful and compelling to audiences, without compromising on artistic expression and nuance. I have created four ensembles through which to explore my interests, composing original music for each as well as celebrating traditional repertoire.
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My compositions require musicians to listen and interact closely with one another whilst bringing their own voice and influences to the performance. As an educator, I aim to develop musicians as both sympathetic and individual; encouraging students to find their own unique sound as well as having an understanding of how to support their fellow players.
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In the last few years, I’ve been lucky enough to work with some of my heroes such as Dr John, Dirk Powell, Darol Anger, Bruce Molsky, The Time-Jumpers and a few others, other credits include Taylor Swift, Seal, Jonathon Edwards and more. I’ve also developed some new heroes amongst my peers.
My main passion in life is to make music with others who take it as seriously and love it as much as I do.