Ben LaMar Gay Ensemble

His concerts are like happenings. Things get wild and colorful on stage when cornetist, singer, and multi-instrumentalist Ben LaMar Gay gets going. His motto is: anything is possible. And that’s exactly how it sounds: the Chicago native’s songs reflect just about every facet and achievement of Black music. However, other influences also shine through, blending with elements of blues, avant-garde jazz, funk, and hip-hop to create something that vibrates with energy and offers surprises at every turn.

Ben LaMar Gay, who grew up on Chicago’s infamous South Side, is one of a kind—a unique artist whom the legendary Tortoise guitarist Jeff Parker once described as one of his favorite musicians on the planet. Perhaps what appeals to Parker is that Ben LaMar Gay remains so unpredictable in everything he does, that he enjoys creatively ruffling feathers and provoking, and that he denies himself nothing. His life story is just as exciting as his music: he has worked as a lecturer and radio host, helped lead the youngest generation of the AACM, and lived in Brazil for a time. Back home in Chicago, he’s played with all the scene’s most influential figures. Ben LaMar Gay, who is presenting his latest album, *Yowzers*, here, has already shared the stage with Mike Reed, Greg Ward, Nicole Mitchell, McCaya McCraven, and Jamie Branch.

Lineup:

Ben LaMar Gay (cornet, synth, vocals)

Edinho Gerber (guitar, flute, vocals)

Matt Davis (sousaphone, vocals)

Tommaso Moretti (drums)