Ben Thomas is a GREAT young jazz bass player who has the technique, skills and improvisational philosophy of bass great and Geneva native Scott LaFaro who was tragically killed at age 25 after having a short but groundbreaking career with the Bill Evans trio. Ben was named the received the Outstanding Musician award at the 2006 Berklee Jazz Festival, and has received two Downbeat awards for his Jazz group and for being part of the award winning Eastman New Jazz Ensemble. Ben has played with jazz greats Dave Rivello, and Ornette Coleman, and this summer with Rick Braun and Chaka Khan. Ben will be joined by Aaron Staebell on drums and saxophone jazz great Tony Malaby. Malaby’s debut CD “Sabino” on the Arabesque label made the NY Times and Philadelphia City paper’s top ten Jazz lists.
