Ben Kohn

Ben Kohn, from Windsor, MA, began playing piano at age 5 and started playing in rock bands in high school. He studied jazz piano at both Westfield College and Berklee College of Music and soon became well known on the music scene in the Berkshires as well as in New York City. Ben has performed locally with New Orleans legend Charles Neville and Berkshire Community College Jazz Ensemble professor Alan Livermore and his trio. He has recorded with the Jason Schwartz Project, which performs original jazz compositions and he has also supported numerous local artists in a variety of musical styles including folk, rock, funk, jazz and Latin music. Ben’s musical influences include Miles Davis, Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, pianist-composer Ahmad Jamal, John Coltrane, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan and Billy Joel. Ben is on the faculty of the Young Musicians Workshop at Berkshire Community College and he is continually in demand locally as a jazz pianist. Ben toured Ireland with the Sister City Jazz Ensemble, and is preparing for an Italin tour as well. He is the son of the late singer/songwriter Ed Kohn.