Ben Aronov

Ben Aronov (also Benny Aronov , born October 16, 1932 in Gary , Indiana ; † May 3, 2015 in Aix-en-Provence ) was an American jazz pianist who a. a. also worked as a keyboardist and arranger .

Live and act

Aronov studied at the University of Tulsa and the Manhattan School of Music . In the early 1950s he worked as a pianist in Jerry Wald's orchestra before moving to California, where he played with the Lighthouse All-Stars and Terry Gibbs , and as an accompanist for June Christy and Lena Horne . From the following decade he lived in New York City and worked a. a. with Al Cohn and Zoot Sims , Lee Konitz , Jim Hall , Benny Goodman , Warren Vaché , Ken Peplowski and Carmen Leggio , as well as accompanying singers Susannah McCorkle , Marlene VerPlanck and Morgana King . In addition, he led his own duo and trio formations with whom he performed in New York jazz clubs. He played a number of albums under his own name, including a duo album with bassist Jay Leonhart . He also appeared from 1982 to 2000 as a keyboardist in the Broadway performance of the musical Cats . Then he moved to Provence with his wife to retire there. Until his death in 2015, Aronov performed occasionally as a pianist in Europe; last recordings were made in 2007 in London and Paris. In the field of jazz he was involved in 71 recording sessions between 1956 and 2007, in addition to the aforementioned also with Astrud Gilberto , Budd Johnson , Chuck Israels , Peter Herbolzheimer , Mark Murphy , Harvie Swartz , Eddie Bert , George Masso , Wayne Roberts and Barbara Lea .

Suavity ( Progressive 1977), with Jay Leonhart, Billy Hart (re-released under the title Introducing Ben Aronov )
Shadowbox (Choice, 1979), with Tom Harrell , Bob Brookmeyer , Buster Williams , Joe LaBarbera
Alone Together (Wolfrose, 1982), with Jay Leonhart
The Best Thing for Me ( Arbors Jazz 1997), with Ken Peplowski, Murray Wall , Tom Melito
Falling Grace (2007), with Vincent Strazzieri, Cedrick Bel