Live jazz at Goblin Bar, free entry, 8-10pm.
Born and raised in Wellington, New Zealand, Benjamin J. Shepherd started playing the bass at age seven. He moved to Los Angeles at eighteen to pursue a full time music career and to study with bass legends Charlie Haden, Alphonso Johnson and Darek Oles at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts). Benjamin was then fortunate enough to become one of the most versatile and in demand bassists on the Los Angeles music scene while residing there. Now he is back home in Aotearoa continuing to session on recordings from some of the world’s top musicians and is the owner of Bass with Benjamin, a music academy that coaches bassists internationally. This is also his first gig as a bandleader in New Zealand after many years
Benjamin’s studio and live credits include: Peter Erskine, Billy Childs, John Beasley and MONKestra, David Archuleta, Jeff Lorber, Ellis Hall, Megan Hilty, Niki Harris, Steve Weingart, Dave Weckl, Thomas Newman, Mike Stern, Jamison Ross, Chance the Rapper, Isaiah Rashad, Kris Bowers, Lee Ritenour, Joe LaBarbara, Dave Grusin, Patrice Rushen, Marquis Hill, Myele Manzanza, Zara Mcfarlane, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Terra Deva and many more.
Benjamin J. Shepherd - bass guitars
Nick Granville - guitar
Rory Johns - keyboards
Adam Tobeck - drums
