Warren Benbow (born December 22, 1954 in New York City) is a jazz drummer who has worked with Nina Simone, Larry Willis, Eddie Gomez, Olu Dara, Walter Bishop, Jr., and was an original member of James Blood Ulmer's band Odyssey.
At the High School of Performing Arts, Benbow studied drums and percussion with Warren Smith and Morris Goldenburg of the New York Philharmonic. Later at Mannes College he studied with Walter Rosenberger, also of the Phil, and with Dong Wong Park.
While studying in the Jazzmobile with Freddie Waits and Albert “Tootie” Heath Benbow was introduced by Waits to jazz vocalist Betty Carter, and his career as a professional drummer began. He toured with Ulmer and played on Ulmer's albums Odyssey, Bloody Guitar, Part Time, Live At The Caravan Of Dreams, and Reunion. In addition to his jazz work, he has also worked on Broadway, and has also worked in pop with Whitney Houston, Gwen Guthrie, LL Cool J, SWV, and Mary J. Blige.
In 2005 Benbow toured Europe with Ulmer's reformed band, Odyssey.
Warren Benbow is a New York-based drummer who has worked and recorded with Betty Carter, Nina Simone, Weldon Irvine, Jr., Larry Willis with Eddie Gomez on the CD "Inner Crisis", Olu Dara, Jimmy Owens with Chris White and Kenny Barron, Rickie Byars-Beckwith, Phyllis Hyman, Michael Urbaniak, Billy "Spaceman" Patterson, Teruo Nakamura. Theatre and film artists Bill Duke, Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, Gilbert Moses, Chapman Roberts, Melvin Van Peebles and was an original member of James Blood Ulmer's band 'Odyssey.' While at the High School of Performing Arts in New York City Mr. Benbow studied drums and percussion with Jazz percussionist Warren Smith and with Morris Goldenberg of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Later at The Mannes College of Music he studied with Walter Rosenberger, also of the Philharmonic, and with Korean pe rcussion teacher Dong Wong Park. While studying at the Jazzmobile with Freddie Waits and Albert Tootie Heath, Benbow was introduced by Waits to jazz vocalist Betty Carter, and his career as a professional drummer began. He has toured with Ulmer and played on Ulmer's albums 'Odyssey', and 'Reunion'. Their latest recording is titled 'Back in Time'. In addition to his jazz work, he has also worked as an actor and musician in Broadway musical productions. He has performed on television, in the studio, and in clubs or concert halls around the world with artists Whitney Houston, Gwen Guthrie, LL Cool J, Nancy Wilson, Mavis Stalpes, Brian McKnight, SWV, Mary J. Blige and others.
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