Ben Allison to perform as part of Ellington Jazz Series on November 12

Bassist and composer Ben Allison joins the St. Luke's and Yale Steel Bands, directed by Deborah Teason, and the Common Ground Ensemble performing music by steel pan virtuoso Andy Akiho, Samuel Adams, and other Yale composers at On Common Ground II on Friday November 12 at 8pm in Morse Recital Hall at Sprague Memorial Hall. The concert is part of the Yale School of Music's Ellington Jazz Series hosted by the program’s founder and director Willie Ruff.

The Ben Allison Band currently features Jenny Scheinman on violin, Michael Blake on saxophones, Steve Cardenas on guitar, and Rudy Royston on drums. Click here to read Donna Doherty's interview with Ben in the New Haven Register.

Ben Allison & Man Size Safe performed on the Elm Street Stage of the New Haven Green at the 2008 Festival.

To celebrate the launch of the Favorite Poem Project in 2009, the Festival hosted a special performance featuring poetry readings by Robert Pinsky accompanied by Ben Allison. Selections included “Ginza Samba”, “Samurai Song”, “Antique”, “Last Robot Song”, “Song”, and “Street Music”.