A local piano trio is bringing a new vibe to the Eugene jazz scene; trio member Ben Darwish says the fans at his live shows tend to get rowdy.
The Ben Darwish Trio is made up of University students Darwish on piano, Zach Wallmark on bass and Drew Shoals on drums. A wide array of influences, including jazz, hip-hop, Latin, pop and rock, are responsible for the rowdiness, Darwish says.
“We have described our sound as ‘gangstajazz’ before, but have yet (to) come up with a precise description. I don’t think we fit in one genre but cross over lines of different musical styles,” Darwish said recently in an e-mail interview from the Reno Jazz Festival in Nevada, where he performed with band mate Wallmark.
The Oregon natives have attracted a diverse fan base including “young hip-hop junkies to older jazz fans,” Darwish wrote. “Our goal is to push the barriers of the piano trio, to include influences of music that we have listened to growing up and to spark the interest of other young people who wouldn’t normally listen to a piano trio.”
He lists his musical childhood household as an influence, along with Thelonius Monk.
“A friend of the family says that I used to hum some of (Monk’s) tunes when I was about eight years old. Monk is one of my favorite artists to this day,” he said.
Darwish is currently listening to albums such as BjÃ