About Me
My name is Ben Sutin. I am 15 years old and I live in New Jersey, although I perform a lot in Philadelphia too. I have always loved music and have been influenced a lot throughout my years. I play violins and keyboard. I have been playing violin for 10 years and the keys for about 7. My primary repertoire consists of jazz music for both instruments. I can get around doing classical, fiddle, klezmer, rock and roll, and blues too. I believe it is very important to be able to play a variety of music.
I would like to give special thanks to a few teachers of mine that have helped me progress up to this point in time. I have two violin teachers. I would have to thank John Blake Jr., my jazz and improvisation, violin teacher, for helping me in any possible musical way you can think of. He is also a great influence to me as a person. He gives me advice about music, business, recording, attitude, everything. I would also have to thank Cyndee Rule, my violin teacher who started me off, and works on classical music and technique with me. She also suggested to me to listen to Stephane Grappelli. I did. And from that point on I loved jazz. Right now I study piano with David Dzubinski. He is an outstanding pianist and even a better teacher. His compositions are amazing as well. I have only been with him, on piano for a year, but in that time I feel like I have progressed tremendously not only on piano, but as a musician. I would also like to give great thanks to the Clef Club of Jazz. I would be nowhere without Lovett Hines and his crew.I have had the pleasure of playing at the “Mushroom Festival†in Kennett Square PA, as part of the “Tony Williams Scholarship Fund†two years in a row, in Cherry Hill, NJ, at “A Taste of Philadelphiaâ€, at “Jazz at the Clivedenâ€, and with the Princeton Area Home school Choir. I have also played on the Peace piano at The Kimmel Center. I have taken classes with great musicians at the Pittsburgh Jazz and Fiddle Camp. I am so pleased to have worked with Odean Pope, at a workshop at the Clef Club, and a workshop with the great rock violinist, Mark Wood and his band. Other people I have got to perform with include, Dennis James, Maisia Kenyatta, Tony Wyatt, Terrence Brown, Sam Reed, Justin Faulkner, and Odean Pope, Tyrone Brown, and Craig McIver, as part of a workshop, and the same for Mark Wood. I have also played for private parties, in the past. And I can teach as well.
I have recently appeared as special guest with John Blake Jr. and the Millennium' 04 Big Band (lead by Vernon Lewis). In addition I have jammed at Ortliebs Jazz Haus with Sid Simmons and Mike Boone, and I have just recently been accepted into a top jazz camp entitled "Jazz In July", with a half scholarship. Thank you SOOO much Jazz in July, That means a lot!!!I have been busy lately, and now I am getting even more busy. Either way it is really fun playing and doing all of these different things, all of these opportunities I find as a privilege. THANK YOU EVERYBODY!! :)More notable performances include the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival and the West Oak Lane Jazz Festival.
