BIOGRAPHY
Emmy-nominated Trumpeter and Vocalist Benny Benack III has quickly become a leading voice in Jazz for his generation, headlining clubs and festivals around the world on the heels of his latest critically acclaimed live album “This Is The Life” which has been garnering thousands of streams and topping the JazzWeek Radio Charts. He is the rare talent who is just as formidable as a fiery trumpeter ranging from Freddie Hubbard to Louis Armstrong and everyone in between, while as a singer he delivers sly, mature, naturally expressive post-Sinatra vocal stylings.
His sophomore album “A Lot of Livin’ to Do” (2020) featured the likes of bass luminary Christian McBride, achieving viral online fame w/his vocalese rendition of "Social Call" ft. Veronica Swift that's been transcribed and covered by singers around the world. He has crooned his way to millions of more listeners alongside groups such as the Grammy-winning “8-Bit Big Band” and YouTube sensation “Postmodern Jukebox”. His (2023) album “Third Time’s the Charm” went all the way to #2 on the charts and featured a veritable line-up of special guests including Peter Bernstein, Bria Skonberg, Chad LB & more.
His double-threat credentials were first apparent when he was a finalist in the 2014 Thelonius Monk Competition on trumpet, and then won Third Place in the 2021 Sarah Vaughan Vocal Competition. His resume for both was recently bolstered by Downbeat Magazine’s Readers Poll for 2025, where he placed #1 for Rising Star Male Vocalist and was also #8 for Rising Star Trumpet.
His global recognition has been bolstered through his collaborations with the GRAMMY-award winning “8-Bit Big Band” and touring with Postmodern Jukebox. The recent advent of live-streaming concerts has been a boon as well, both through his residency at Smalls Jazz Club, as well as frequent appearances at fellow superstar Emmet Cohen’s “Emmet’s Place” online series. He has arrived as one of the most in-demand touring artists and music educators in the Jazz world, with a never-ending intercontinental schedule that reflects his indefatigable love for the music, with his smile and panache on full-display wherever it takes him next.