"If there was a prize for the most watchable Musician, he would win it." - Paul Jones (Manfred Man, BBC Radio 2)
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"Jesse Benns proves himself as a masterful percussionist." - Freddy Vandervelpen (Rootsville)
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Meet Jesse Benns, the dynamic percussionist making waves in the British acoustic music scene. With a unique style of energetic Cajón playing, Jesse's fast-paced and driving style captivates audiences across the country.
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His musical journey began in 2013 when he co-founded Folk Rock band The Hawthornes with singer/songwriter Louisa Gaylard and bass player Gordy Partridge. Over the next seven years, the band released two albums and an EP, sharing stages with acts such as The Hoosiers, The Phil Beer Band, Roving Crows and 3 Daft Monkeys. Trumpet player Gregory Wilson-Copp joined the band in 2016. Jesse's talent caught the attention of Cornwall's Lion Cajóns, who made him an official endorsed artist before the company folded in 2017.
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During this time Jesse also found time to play several shows with the enigmatic singer/songwriter Gerry Colvin, and featured on his studio album Six of One, Half a Dozen of the Other. Jesse also formed a musical collective called Thrown Together with the talented vocalist Ciara O'Neil and guitarist/vocalist Loz Apperly. This outfit has also sporadically included David Gray on bass guitar and Simon Moth on keyboards.
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After The Hawthornes, Jesse's path led him to join the acclaimed Cambridge-based Folk Rock group, Glymjack, from 2019 to 2021. They enthralled crowds at festivals across the country, from Cambridge Folk Festival, to Lakefest, to New Forest Folk Festival to name a few.
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In 2022, Jesse teamed up with the renowned and award winning blues artist Trevor Babajack Steger and accomplished violinist Jo Chambers to form The Trevor Babajack Trio. Their album Not Far To Go was a resounding hit, earning them accolades from the Independent Blues Broadcasters Association and a number 2 spot on the British Blues Chart.
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The success continued in 2023 when Trevor Babajack won The UK Blues Awards' Best Acoustic Act of the Year, and the live album Bootleg Blues: Live at Temperance, featuring Jesse, hit the British Blues charts at number 21.
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Adding to his list of achievements, Jesse became an official artist for Meinl Percussion, known as one of the "big four" of percussion manufacturers.
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2024 was another stellar year, with a February European Tour with Trevor Babajack, performing at the prestigious UK Blues Awards, a March UK tour with Thrown Together and numerous Festivals and shows in both the UK and Europe.
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Away from performing, Jesse is also a successful stage manager and compère, being trusted with UK Festival Awards nominees such as New Forest Folk Festival and Tewkesbury Live. 2024 also saw Jesse's compère debut for Wickham Festival, working with acts such as The Levellers, Suzi Quatro, Curtis Stigers, Tony Christie and Ferocious Dog. Jesse also hosts his own Spotify exclusive radio show, entitled Rebel Acoustics with Jesse Benns.
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2025 is already looking promising. In February Trevor Babajack will be releasing his fifth solo album (and third in collaboration with Jesse) entitled Six Foot Ten on all streaming platforms, CD and (for the first time!) Vinyl. This will be followed by a European tour in March, numerous Thrown Together dates throughout the year and several festival stage management/compere jobs in the summer.
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Whilst Jesse's calendar is often full with various tours and dates, there is no musical project too big or small that he won't consider, and if available will always happily contribute to anything he considers exciting and original, further making his mark on the British acoustic folk/blues scene and beyond.