Modern songbook.
Cinematic intimacy.
World-class jazz storytelling.
Ben Jones & Laurence Hobgood
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An intimate, immersive concert experience where timeless songs are reimagined with grace, space, and emotional courage.
Ben Jones and Grammy-winning pianist Laurence Hobgood invite audiences into a deeply human musical meditation — drawing from the Great American Songbook, modern pop repertoire, and their own artistic explorations.
A program rooted in tradition yet unafraid of the future — balancing tenderness with fire, honesty with virtuosity, restraint with power.
Why Book This Duo
Suited for jazz clubs, performing arts centers, festivals, cabaret rooms
A-list personnel + award-winning studio pedigree
Curatorial fit for audiences who love:
Kurt Elling, Chet Baker, Metheny, Sting, Chris Thile, Gregory Porter
Programming Options
75- or 90-min concert (no intermission)
Masterclass / educational workshop add-on available
Tech Requirements
Grand piano
Vocal mic
Simple stage lighting
(Full rider available here)
Recent Venues
Birdland, New York
Piedmont Piano Company, Oakland
Epiphany Center for the Arts, Chicago
The Triple Door, Seattle
JazzTX, San Antonio
Music at Sundance Square, Ft. Worth
Ravinia Festival, Highland Park
San Jose Jazz Festival
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Press inquiries: benjonesnyc@gmail.com
Album Snapshot
A spacious, emotionally revealing duo album exploring vulnerability, longing, and the interior architecture of beloved songs.Listen
Choose your preferred music service
Press advance WAV files & downloads available upon request.Key Quotes
“Unblinkingly intense and intimate... Their thoughtful, thorough, slower song explorations are more like song excavations, discovering extra layers of emotion.”
— Talkin’ Broadway Sound Advice ReviewsWhat Makes This Record Distinct
Fearless slow tempos reveal lyric and emotional architecture
Hyper-focused duo interplay — listening as the driving force
Skywalker Sound recording pedigree
Expands the songbook with a modern emotional and sonic language
Credits
Vocals — Ben Jones
Piano & Arrangements — Laurence Hobgood
Producers — Ben Jones & Laurence Hobgood
Recorded — Skywalker Sound
Engineer & Co-Producer — Leslie Ann Jones, Skywalker Sound
Mixing Engineer — Chris Sulit, Trading8s
Mastering Engineer — Michael Romanowski, Coast Mastering
“One of the most unbelievable vocal instruments in the industry today.”
Vocalist and actor Ben Jones brings a cinematic, emotionally fearless voice to contemporary interpretations of the American Songbook. A former member of Chanticleer and Beach Blanket Babylon, he has performed leading roles in more than 20 productions and appeared at venues including Carnegie Hall and A Prairie Home Companion. Trained at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Jones has shared the stage with Rita Moreno, Frederica Von Stade, Nathan Gunn, and Isabel Leonard and tours internationally with his solo concerts.
“One of the finest pianists out there. Period.”
Grammy-winning pianist, arranger, and Yamaha Artist Laurence Hobgood is internationally recognized for his harmonic sophistication, innovative arrangements, and long-time collaboration with Kurt Elling — shaping ten albums and multiple Grammy-nominated projects. He has performed at the world’s leading venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Hollywood Bowl, Tanglewood, and the Sydney Opera House. Hobgood’s career spans more than three decades across jazz performance, composition, and album production, establishing him as a defining voice in modern song interpretation.
Press inquiries: benjonesnyc@gmail.com
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