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Keith Ball (Vocals)
Keith Ball was born in 1961 in Ilford, England. The son of legendary jazz musician Kenny Ball, he grew up with a wealth of influences, including swing and jazz, and from a young age all types of music played a huge part in his young life.
Keith's vocals are influenced by some of the greatest musicians and singers of our time. The likes of Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra and Jack Jones spring to mind when listening to his vocals.
Taking the lead from his father, Keith started playing from a young age, first taking up drums and then trumpet followed by the piano. Since then he's played in a variety of lineups and big bands covering a broad spectrum of music. From his humble days as a session musician, Keith has now mastered his craft and added to his repertoire singing a variety of hits from the Rat Pack days on his solo engagements.
John Bennett (Trombone)
John, a founder member of the band, was born in East London 'within the sound of Bow Bells'.
He started out in jazz at an early age as a self-taught boogie woogie pianist, and regularly picked the lock of the school piano with his nail file in order to give lunch-hour recitals to his fellow pupils. This was severely frowned upon by the educational authorities of the day, though it did earn John a lasting place in his schools underground hall of fame.
Later on he took up trombone, and while stationed in London on National Service with the army, John spent his off-duty evenings sitting in with bands at various jazz clubs in the Soho area. He went professional with the Terry Lightfoot band in 1956, and there met Kenny Ball who was also to join that band eighteen months later. Kenny soon realised that although Terry' s band was successful he wanted to play different stuff and entertain audiences in a more flamboyant manner and decided to leave. John said, " Well if you're going I'm going too " and that was the start of a 55 year friendship and partnership.
Ben Cummings (Trumpet & Vocals)
Ben Cummings has established a formidable reputation as one of Britain’s finest trumpet players. He enjoys a highly successful career as a full time musician having played with Jacqui Dankworth, Jamie Cullum, Bad Manners, the Humphrey Lyttelton Band, the Pasadena Roof Orchestra. His influences include Chet Baker, Clark Terry and Bob Brookmeyer. He also has his own Big Beat Band.
Ben has been described as a demon horn player, he’s surprised many bands he’s played in with his clever trumpet escapades, into which he puts his heart and soul. Ben fills the now familiar supporting trumpet role to Kenny Ball.
Hugh Ledigo (Piano / M.D.)
Born at the beginning of the Swing era, Hugh's original love was classical music, but his brother's success as a jazz-band-leader lured him across the tracks at a tender age.
His musical tastes still embrace Bach and Debussy, Bix