Born in the tiny town of Hiram, Maine and graduated with a degree in Music Technology from McGill University in Montreal, Ben Hammond has since been relentlessly touring, from New England to New Zealand to points in between, playing his unique brand of live-looped Acoustic Soul-Pop at a variety of festivals and hundreds of venues (including an appearance as a guest Vocalist/Beatboxer at the Montreal Jazz Festival, and the recording of his recently released live CD/DVD "Solo at Stone Mt Arts Center" directed by award-winning cinematographer Mike Dana).
Though far from settled down, the past 3 years have seen sunny Sarasota, FL as Ben's seasonal home-away-from-car. In addition to selling over 5,000 albums of his own compositions (including his 2008 debut "[Reasonably] Honest" produced by Downbeat Magazine award winner Reuben Ghose which has garnered radio play across the East Coast and multiple awards including a John Lennon Songwriting Award) he has quickly become a fixture in the great Sarasota scene, recently voted "Best of the Suncoast 2010" in Sarasota's Creative Loafing for his energetic performances.
Schooled in jazz, raised on rock, fascinated with music the world over, Ben Hammond can just as easily be found strumming a soulful original tune as he can live-looping an a cappella improvisation of beatboxing and 4-part harmony, recklessly remixing some of the best music of the past century.
Ben Hammond
Live Shows: Vocals, Acoustic and Electric Guitar, Vocal Percussion and Live-Looping .
In Studio: All of the above plus Bass, Keyboards, Theremin, Didgeridoo, whatever else I can get my hands on...
Touring Band
Gabe Nespoli: Keys.
Danny Berglund: Drums.
Kelly Muse: Bass.
And sometimes:
Kevin Warren: Drums (in Montreal). Mick Mendelsohn: Bass (in Montreal).
Ben and the Key Rats (Mojo Trio)
Cort Farris: Drums, Steel Pan, Percussion.
Daniel Brock: Bass.
And sometimes:
Garrett Dawson: Drums. Sandi Grecco: Drums, Bass.
Pedro Arevalo: Bass.
Studio Band for "[Reasonably] Honest"
Gabe Nespoli: Piano, Rhodes, Organ.
Nico Dann: Drums.
Dan Fortin: Bass.
Also Featuring on "[Reasonably] Honest"
Jon Lindhorst: Sax. Mäike: Trumpets. Kweku Sam Kwofie: Rap, Backing Vocals. Lindsay Brie Hamilton: Backing Vocals. Zach Finkelstein: Backing Vocals. Gabi Epstein: Backing Vocals. Scott McGuffin: Bodhran. Jeremy Cain: Elec. Guitar. Mikael Tobias: Elec. Guitar. Mick Mendelsohn: Elec. Guitar. Reuben Ghose: Co-production, Mixing Engineer.
Former Members for «No History Sessions»
Sedgie Ogilvy: Vocals, Keys.
Kevin Fallis: Bass.
Paul Lambert: Guitars.
Anita Eccleston: Trumpet.
Jason Sharpe: Bari Sax.
Andrea Dawes: Violin, Viola.
Jeremy and Jason: Violas.
Jess Billings-White: Cello.
Ben has collaborated with the following groups:
Ranee Lee on Juno-nominated CD "Maple Grove".
Joel Miller and Mandala at a sold-out concert in the Montreal International Jazz Festival.
Ardesco A Cappella
Effusion A Cappella