Since moving to New York City in 1999, woodwind performer and saxophonist Ben Kono has been attracting attention as a singular emerging voice in cutting-edge groups like Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society and the John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble. With the release of his debut recording CROSSING on Nineteen-Eight Records, he has come into his own light as a leader and composer of note.
The Ben Kono Group debut CD recording CROSSING was released on Nineteen-Eight Records to a sold-out house at Cornelia Street Cafe in February of 2011 and has been garnering high praise for its thoughtful compositions, lush orchestrations, and edgy improvising. The Group features long-time musical collaborators Henry Hey on piano and Fender Rhodes, Pete McCann on guitars, Ross Pederson on drums, Matt Clohesy on bass, and . In 2013 Kono was awarded the Chamber Music America New Jazz Works Commissioning and Ensemble Development Grant funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation to write and premier a suite for the Group entitled DON’T BLINK.
The appearance of the Ben Kono Group in Joplin is sponsored, in part, by Annette Thurston and Charles Keeter.
While in Joplin the Ben Kono Group will present a clinic for jazz students at MSSU and area high schools at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, 4/29/17. The public is invited to attend the clinic.
Tickets: $10 adults, $5 students. Tickets can be purchased online (click on the Tickets section of this website) or from the Pro Musica office, 9:00-1:00 (call first 625-1822).
Date & Time
Saturday, April 29, 2017
7:30 p.m.
Location
Corley Auditorium, Webster Hall
Missouri Southern State University
Joplin
