Toby Benson
London native Toby Benson fell in love with music as a 4 year old when his father, Jeffrey, a well known jazz musician, introduced him to the piano. After discovering his father’s vinyl collection of jazz legends like Bix Biderbeck, Milles Davis, and Bill Evans, it wasn’t long until Toby found himself gravitating to the rich, melodic sounds of the trumpet. At age 8, he carried his horn everywhere. Four years later, his raw talent led him to Abbey Road Studios in London to record with a school orchestra.
After training for 5 years in classical composition, he was given the honor to play trumpet in an orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall in London – what many would consider a lifetime achievement.
Toby’s momentum continued. He spent the rest of his youth attending Bedales, a performing arts high school in Hampshire, England. After graduating from Bedales in 2003, he decided to take his trumpet to the United States, aided by a scholarship to Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. It was here there that Toby started developing his deep passion for electronic music. His home studio, comprised of a handful of half broken microphones and thrift store synthesizers, gave his evolving style a homegrown, fresh sound that fused with his classical background. The resulting music mixes swirling dance beats with melodic strings and rich vocals.
A natural leader, Toby started an electronica label at Berklee and produced two compilation CDs: Resonance, Volumes 1 & 2. During the summer of 2004, his urge to travel propelled him to study music in India, a country that deeply inspired him both culturally and musically. While living with Pandit Debu Chaudhuri, an acclaimed sitar guru, Toby studied the sitar and went on tour with Debu throughout North India.
During his last year at Berklee he played trumpet in the experimental band, RmChair, until the project disbanded and he focused on a solo career. People Puzzle, Toby Benson’s first electronica EP, is set to be released in 2008 through Summer Rain Recordings.
Myspace: www.myspace.com/tobybenson
Toby’s music is amazing!