Ben Friedland, a Chicago native, is an avid upright and electric bassist currently based in Boston. His primary training, performance history, and teaching experience lies in jazz and classical, though he is also exceptionally well versed in folk, pop, and rock. Ben has performed across the country at notable venues such as Symphony Center Chicago, The Jazz Showcase, The Chicago Theater (where he accompanied Ben Folds), Brevard Summer Music Institute, Severance Hall, Maltz Performing Arts Center, Night Town, Brother’s Lounge, Skokie Performing Arts Center, The Bop Stop, Roulette Intermedium, The New England Aquarium, Dewey’s Jazz Lounge, and Jordan Hall.

As a jazz and orchestral musician, Ben has performed with a wide variety of groups, including the New England Conservatory Jazz Orchestra, Balla Kouyate West African Ensemble, Dominique Eade Vocal Ensemble, Case Western Jazz Ensemble, Quintessence, Fermata Chamber Soloists, Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra, Evanston Symphony Orchestra, Brevard Music Festival Orchestra, Ben Folds, R.E.M.

He has since been working in the Boston area as a bass player and educator working alongside musicians including, Balla Kouyate, Ethan Iverson, Mehmet Ali Sanlikol, and Jason Moran.

In 2023, Ben earned a Masters in Jazz Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music studying under Cecil McBee, Brian Levy, and John Lockwood. He received his undergraduate degree in Classical Performance at The Cleveland Institute of Music in 2020 studying under Derek Zadinsky, Assistant Principal Bassist for the Cleveland Orchestra. 

Currently, Ben is providing private instruction 

In his free time, Ben enjoys working on and riding bikes.