Teaching Topics and Philosophy

I believe in meeting each student where they are in order to help them effectively achieve their musical goals.

Biography

Ben Crowder is a Brooklyn-based trombonist, composer, and arranger. He leads the Ben Crowder Quartet, a group that began in Columbus, Ohio in 2018 as BC6, a jazz sextet focused on the hard bop tradition. Over time, the ensemble shifted into a pianoless quartet, prioritizing counterpoint, melodic interaction, and harmonic clarity without a chordal instrument. The quartet functions as a platform for Crowder’s original compositions and arrangements, which reflect a mix of influences from bebop, neo-soul, indie rock, and related styles.

Crowder has worked as a freelance trombonist since 2015 and has performed with a wide range of ensembles, including The Columbus Jazz Orchestra, The Cincinnati Contemporary Jazz Orchestra, Swingadelic, Waves de Ache, The Silver Arrow Band, The Big Badd, Kinfolk, and Doc Robinson. Alongside performing, he regularly writes and arranges music with an emphasis on adapting material to the specific musicians involved.

As a composer and improviser, Crowder draws influence from artists such as J.J. Johnson, Art Farmer, and Gerry Mulligan, as well as contemporary bands including MGMT, Beach House, and Interpol.