Brian Bender (trombone, keyboards, melodica, percussion) is a musician/composer/bandleader based in the Northeast USA.  He leads two groups: The World Beatniks (Funk, Afrobeat, Latin Jazz, Calypso, Samba, Reggae) and Little Shop of Horas (Jewish/Klezmer melodies blended with Latin, Caribbean, African and Middle Eastern rhythms).  He has released two CDs with these groups.  Brian also leads his own group, the Brian Bender Jazz Group as well as the Gumbo Jumbo Dixieland Band.

Brian has performed in Egypt, the Cape Verde Islands (West Africa), Israel, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Alaska and throughout the United States.  He has performed at Carnegie Hall and the Presidential Inauguration of Bill Clinton. 

Brian has also performed in numerous tribute concerts for the legendary jazz bandleader Sun Ra at venues such as the Knitting Factory (NYC) and the Southern University of New Orleans. In 1989 Brian was asked by Art Blakey to “sit in” with the Jazz Messengers at the Great American Music Hall (San Francisco, CA). An interview with Brian in 1997 on the subject of Klezmer music was aired on National Public Radio.

He also teaches classes/workshops to students of all ages, focusing on improvisation (for all instruments).