Ben Besiakov, also Ben Besiakow (born October 27, 1956,

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

) is a

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish ance ...

jazz pianist and keyboardist. Besiakov played in jazz and

jazz fusion Jazz fusion (also known as fusion and progressive jazz) is a music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric guitars, amplifiers, and key ...

ensembles starting in the early 1970s, including the groups Buki-Yamaz, Creme Fraiche, Engine, Soul Service, and Space Train. He led his own trio ensemble, which recorded for

Steeplechase Records SteepleChase Records is a jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Ag ...

, and in 1990 was awarded the

Ben Webster Prize The Ben Webster Prize is an annual jazz award set up by the Ben Webster Foundation to honour Danish and American jazz musicians as well as other professionals active in the promotion of jazz in those countries. The American jazz musician Ben Webste ...

. He also played in groups led by Bent Jaedig, Jonas Johansen,

Uffe Markussen Uffe Eskild Markussen (born September 19, 1952, Frederikshavn) is a Danish jazz reedist, who plays primarily tenor saxophone and bass clarinet. Markussen was a student at the Royal Danish Academy of Music and played in his early career with an ens ...

, and

Jens Winther Jens Winther (29 October 1960 – 24 February 2011) was a Danish jazz trumpeter, composer, arranger and bandleader. He composed for and played in a long line of European big bands and other orchestras. His work includes compositions for symphon ...

. Besiakov has performed and recorded with musicians such as

Richard Boone Richard Allen Boone (June 18, 1917 – January 10, 1981) was an American actor who starred in over 50 films and was notable for his roles in Westerns, including his starring role in the television series '' Have Gun – Will Travel''. Early li ...

Johnny Dyani Johnny Mbizo Dyani (30 November 1945 – 24 October 1986) was a South African jazz double bassist, vocalist and pianist, who, in addition to being a key member of The Blue Notes, played with such international musicians as Don Cherry, Steve La ...

Al Foster Aloysius Tyrone Foster (born January 18, 1943) is an American jazz drummer. Foster's professional career began in the mid-60s, when he played and recorded with hard bop and swing musicians including Blue Mitchell and Illinois Jacquet. Foster pl ...

Tomas Franck Tomas Bengt Erik Franck (born October 14, 1958 in Ängelholm) is a Swedish jazz tenor saxophonist. Franck was raised in the town of Helsingborg, where he took up clarinet as a youth, switching to tenor sax in his teens. He studied at the Musik- ...

Joe Henderson Joe Henderson (April 24, 1937 – June 30, 2001) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. In a career spanning more than four decades, Henderson played with many of the leading American players of his day and recorded for several prominent l ...

Dave Liebman David Liebman (born September 4, 1946) is an American saxophonist, flautist and jazz educator. He is known for his innovative lines and use of atonality. He was a frequent collaborator with pianist Richie Beirach. In June 2010, he received ...

, Celso Mendes, James Moody, Caecilie Norby,

Adam Nussbaum Adam Nussbaum (born November 29, 1955) is an American jazz drummer. Early life Nussbaum was born in New York City on November 29, 1955. He grew up in Norwalk, Connecticut, and first played the drums at the age of four. After five years of piano ...

Doug Raney Doug Raney (August 29, 1956 – May 1, 2016) was an American jazz guitarist. He was the son of jazz guitarist Jimmy Raney. Career Raney was born in New York City. He began to play the guitar when he was 14, beginning with rock and blues. He was ...

Conny Sjöqvist Conny is a given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include: Given name Men * Conny Andersson (footballer) (born 1945), Swedish former footballer * Conny Andersson (racing driver) (born 1939), Swedish former racing driver * Conny Joha ...

Steve Swallow Steve Swallow (born October 4, 1940) is an American jazz bassist and composer, known for his collaborations with Jimmy Giuffre, Gary Burton, and Carla Bley. He was one of the first jazz double bassists to switch entirely to electric bass guitar. ...

, and

Jesper Thilo Jesper Thilo (born 28 November 1941) is a Danish jazz musician, mainly known as a tenor saxophonist, alto saxophonist and clarinetist. He is considered to be one of the top European straight-ahead jazz musicians of the post-1970 period. Ben W ...

. He also played at the Copenhagen Club La Fontaine in the 60s and 70s.

Discography

As leader *''You Stepped Out Of A Dream'' (SteepleChase, 1990) *''Hey, Why Don’t We Play Mack The Knife Real Slow And In B Minor'' (Stunt, 1991) *''Choo Choo'' (Stunt, 1998) *''Aviation'' (Stunt, 2001) With

*'' Blue and White'' (SteepleChase, 1984) *'' Lazy Bird'' (SteepleChase, 1984) *'' Something's Up'' (SteepleChase, 1988) "With

*"West Coast Blues" (Music Mecca)

References

*Frank Büchmann-Møller, "Ben Besiakov". '' The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz''. 2nd edition, 2001, ed.

Barry Kernfeld Barry Dean Kernfeld (born August 11, 1950) is an American musicologist and jazz saxophonist who has researched and published extensively about the history of jazz and the biographies of its musicians. Education In 1968, Kernfeld enrolled at ...

. {{DEFAULTSORT:Besiakov, Ben 1956 births Living people Danish jazz pianists Musicians from Copenhagen 21st-century pianists