Ben Perowsky

Ben Perowsky (born May 12, 1966) is an American drummer, percussionist, composer, and music producer.

He is the drummer on stage in the 8 TONY award winning Broadway musical Hadestown.

Perowsky leads the Ben Perowsky Trio, Moodswing Orchestra and Upstream Trio with Chris Speed and John Medeski.

He is a founding member of the electric jazz group Lost Tribe.

A prolific sideman, Perowsky has performed with Roy Ayers, John Scofield, The Lounge Lizards, Joan As Police Woman, Elysian Fields, Darryl Jenifer, Uri Caine, Dave Douglas, Mike Stern, Bob Berg, Walter Becker, Steven Bernstein., and John Zorn.

Ben Perowsky was born and raised in NYC to jazz musician Frank Perowsky and modern dancer Ginger Perowsky.

His main drum teacher was his father’s Juilliard School classmate, friend and neighbor Bobby Thomas.

Ben graduated from The High School of Music and Art in Harlem in 1984 where he played in the jazz band under the direction of Justin DiCiccio.

Ben performed with jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie in DiCiccio's tri-state band on the Merv Griffin Show.

He attended The Berklee School of Music from 1986 to 1987.

While living in Boston he studied privately with drummer Alan Dawson.

Perowsky also studied music at Manhattan School of Music and Banff School of Fine Arts.

Towards the end of 1986 Perowsky began work with an array of artists such as James Moody, Rickie Lee Jones, David Liebman and Richie Beirach.

He joined Roy Ayers, performing with Ayers and backing artists such as Lonnie Liston Smith and Bobbi Humphrey.

His first appearance with Ayers was documented in Live at Ronnie Scott’s.

In 1988 Ben formed Lost Tribe with High School friends Adam Rogers and Fima Ephron.

Later adding saxophonist David Binney and guitarist David Gilmore.

He toured in the Mike Stern Trio from 1990 to 1993 appearing on 4 recordings.

He also appeared with and recorded thru the 1990s with Bob Berg, David Kikoski, Jim Beard, Ronnie Cuber, Eliane Elias, Michael Brecker, Dave Douglas, Walter Becker, Jimmy Scott and Mike Mainieri’s Steps Ahead.

At the same time Perowsky became a mainstay on NYC's “downtown scene”, working with artists John Zorn, Marc Ribot, Spanish Fly (Steven Bernstein, Marcus Rojas, David Tronzo), The Fertile Crescent (Erik Sanko, and Danny Blume), Wayne Horvitz, John Cale and Don Byron.

He also played percussion in John Lurie's The Lounge Lizards with whom he recorded Queen of All Ears, featured in the HBO series Painting With John.

In the mid-1990s guitarist and producer Danny Blume began a series called Liminal Lounge with DJ Olive, spawning an electronica band called Liminal in which Perowsky played live and recorded with Christian Castagno.

Upon meeting producer, Steely Dan co-leader Walter Becker in 1991, they were invited to record at Hyperbolic Sound in Maui, Hawaii.

Lost Tribe released 3 critically acclaimed records and toured extensively in the U.S. and Europe.

Perowsky joined the songwriters Oren Bloedow and Jennifer Charles new band Elysian Fields in 1995.

Between 1995 - 2008 he performed with Elysian Fields on 10 albums, multiple tours and radio appearances.

In 1999 he released Ben Perowsky Trio with Chris Speed and Scott Colley.

Throughout 2000 Perowsky toured extensively with John Scofield's band.

He began touring and recording with pianist Uri Caine’s trio and various ensembles in 2000 up to the present.

Perowsky established his label El Destructo Records in 2002.

El Destructo: Volume I was created through a series billed as "Beatshop" early that winter.

"Beatshop" served as the workshop for a sound Perowsky was developing with Glen Patscha and Markus Lyons Miller.

It was a blending of slow dub style improv with dark ambience and sparse vocals.

In 2002 Ben began playing with songwriter Joan Wasser in duo.

Later they were joined by Rainy Orteca on bass forming Joan as Police Woman.

A record titled Live At The Village Vanguard was released in 2004.

An EP was recorded with producer Bryce Goggin in 2004.

Their recording of Charlie Parker's Segment was used for a pivotal scene in the 2006 film Talladega Nights.

The same year he recorded with Mike Stern for his album Play with guests Bill Frisell and John Scofield.

El Destructo: Volume II Moodswing Orchestra (2009) expanded on this idea with the addition of four instrumentalists and five vocalists.