Arts Administration: A Musician’s Perspective – Panel Recording

Linked below is the recording of a panel hosted by the O’Neill Career Hub and Arts Administration Program called “Arts Administration: A Musician’s Perspective”. The panelists provide insightful information on topics including booking, health and safety for performers, and best tips for arts administrators and managers to facilitate a performance envrionment that fosters creativity.

Link to Recording of the Panel: https://iu.mediaspace.kaltura.com/media/t/1_pfip944c

The panelists include:

Benny Benack III – Trumpeter, Vocalist

By age 29, trumpeter and singer Benny Benack III has proven to be that rarest of talents: not only a fiery trumpet player with a stirring command of the postbop trumpet vernacular in the vein of Kenny Dorham and Freddie Hubbard, but also a singer with a sly, mature, naturally expressive delivery in the post-Sinatra mold, performing standards and his own astute songs with a thrilling sense of showmanship. Benny performs internationally as an Emcee/Host for Postmodern Jukebox, the vintage music collective famed for canny old-school covers of modern pop. In early 2020 he released A Lot of Livin’ to Do, the follow-up to his well-received 2017 debut One of a Kind. This sophomore effort, richly varied in mood and brimming with bop inflection, features bassist extraordinaire and Jazz ambassador Christian McBride and drummer/producer Ulysses Owens, Jr., as well as the radiant Takeshi Ohbayashi on piano and Rhodes.

Benny has appeared as a trumpet soloist in more commercial circles alongside Josh Groban, Ben Folds, fashion icon Isaac Mizrahi, Ann Hampton Callaway and more. He’s been featured at Birdland, Jazz @ Lincoln Center, Mezzrow, Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle and other leading New York venues, and has also been a special guest with the Pittsburgh Symphony Pops Orchestra, the Columbus Jazz Orchestra and the Minsk Philharmonic Orchestra. He made his television debut in NBC’s short-lived, SNL-inspired variety show “Maya & Marty” playing in the in-studio band led by acclaimed bassist & Broadway arranger Charlie Rosen.

Third in a generational line of Pittsburgh jazz notables, Benny follows in the footsteps of his trumpeter/bandleader grandfather, Benny Benack, Sr. (1921-86), and his father Benny Benack, Jr., a saxophonist/clarinetist who gave the young Benny his first professional experience. Benny III returns to Pittsburgh often to perform, saluting his family forebears and the jazz heritage as a whole, nonetheless staking his bold and highly individual artistic claim.

Reginald Bowens – Vocalist, Instructor

Reginald Bowens’ gifted art has wrought him an exceptional background over the years, working with accomplished artists, such as Bobby McFerrin, and Smokie Robinson, to name a few. After completion of his undergraduate degree program at Howard University, he appeared on season three of NBC’s hit a cappella television show “The Sing-Off” as a contestant, arranger, and music director with Afro Blue. This experience led him to found his A Cappella Camp in 2013 (www.theacappellacamp.com), which appeared on Fox 8 News’ Kickin’ It With Kenny (Cleveland, OH). He is an accomplished arranger in the a cappella and jazz communities, and his arrangements and performances have brought him recognition in DownBeat Magazine’s Student Music Awards over the years, including while he was a graduate student at Indiana University. He is an instructor of jazz voice and gospel piano at Cleveland State University, developing inaugural courses of study in the School of Music.

Joshua Roberts – Drummer

Josh Roberts was recognized as the #3 up and coming drummer in the world for 2020 by Modern Drummer. Based in NYC, Josh’s recording credits include Natalie Weiss, Harry Potter Broadway Cast, Alice Ripley, Tamika Sonja Lawrence, Joey Contreras, John Pinto, to name a few. Josh appeared on iHeart radio sessions live playing for Pop artist Sam DeRosa from NBC’s Songland and also filmed a PASTE session on her new single. Josh is on the drum team for the mega church Hillsong NYC performing at the Manhattan center and toured with Bethel artist Brad & Rebekah. Last year Josh had the opportunity to open for Jessie J while playing drums for rising R&B star Morgan Reilly in LA.

Speaking of LA Josh recently became bi-costal traveling to record in Los Angelas with the soul artist Britton Smith. Josh is currently shooting a music video with Smith for Beyoncé’s new Ivy Park line launch. Josh has secured a reputation in the Pop/R&B but also prides himself in maintaining a professional image and has walked in New York Fashion Week as a model for 2019 & the virtual 2020 show. Josh maintains a very busy recording schedule and also programming drums for artists’ tracks and backing tracks for their upcoming tours. Josh’s viral YouTube videos can be found searching his name.